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HISTOBY 



OF 



GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI, 



WRITTEN AND COMPILED 



FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE SOURCES, 



INCLUDING A HISTOKY OF ITS 



TOWiNSHIPS, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, 



TOGETHER WITH 

A CONDENSED HISTORY OF MISSOURI; THE CITY OF ST. 1.0UIS; A RELIABLE AND 

DETAILED HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY— ITS PIONEER RECORD, WAR HISTORY, 

RESOLTiCES, BIOGRAPHICAL SIvETCHES AND PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT 

CITIZENS; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS OF GREAT VALUE, 

AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF LEGAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 

MATTER; INCIDENTS AND REMINISCENCES, 

GRAVE, TRAGIC iVND HUMOROUS. 



] LL US T RATED. 



ST. LOUIS: 
WESTERN HISTORICAL COMPANY. 

1883. 




St. Louis, Mo. : 
Prf^s of Nixon- Jones Printing Co, 



St. Louis: Becktold if- Co., Hook- Binders. 



\'hXJ 



PEEFACE. 



In presenting to the citizens of Greene County this History, it is with the 
full knowledge that there must necessarily be some errors found within its 
pages ; otherwise, it would be different from any work yet compiled by human 
hands, absolute perfection never having been reached either in the historical 
or any other field of earthly labor. 

In attempting to compile a complete History of Greene County, a great 
variety of sources of information had to be consulted by the writers hereof : 
old files of newspapers, early official records, previously written historical 
works and reviews, old settlers still living, letters of correspondence and pri- 
vate documents have all been consulted in embodying what is set forth in this 
volume. Considering all these things, absolute freedom from error would be 
a miracle of wonders. Much care, however, has been taken to avoid ex parte 
statements, and the writers and publishers claim that this History, while not 
exact in everything, treats all with fairness and candor. To gather the inci- 
dents of the long ago has been a work of infinite care and attention to detail. 
Intelligent readers may judge, therefore, how this labor has been performed, 
and do us the justice to accredit us with an honest endeavor to make this 
History worthy, in all respects, the careful perusal of the reader. 

To name all persons to whom the publishers are indebted for the facts 
herein, would be an undertaking of too great a magnitude ; for there is 
scarcely a citizen of any prominence in the county who has not, in some way, 
contributed to the compilation of this work. The editing historian, Mr. R. I. 
Holcombe, has labored long and faithfully in gathering, compiling, and adapt- 
ing the matter of this work; necessitating on his part an extensive corre- 
spondence with parties in the distance, besides his exhaustive consultation 
of all sources of information within the county. Officers and privates who 
served on both sides during the Civil War, have cheerfully contributed their 
fund of information bearing on the war history. The editors and attaches 
of all the papers, the county officials, besides hosts of business men and 
private citizens, have done all in their power to advance the interests of this 

(ill) 



IV PREFACE. 

enterprise and contribute to the fulness and exactness of this History. As 
above stated, to name all these would be impossible, for their name is legion. 
To the entire citizenshij) of the county the publishers and authors return 
thanks for the universal courtesy (with a very few exceptions) with which 
they and their assistants have been treated. 

With these few preliminary remarks we submit this work to the tender 
criticism of a charitable public. And when, in days to come, its pages 
shall be conned by children yet unborn, it is hoped that they may be able to 
say that its perusal, besides entertaining and instructing them, has the better 
prepared them for the exercise of all the functions of intelligent citizenshi}) 
in a free and enlightened land. Very truly, 

(E.F.PERKINS. PERKINS & HORNE, 

<T. M. HoRNB. Publishers. 



CONTENTS. 

HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Til ic Louisiana Purchase— Brief Historical Sketch .... 1-7 

CHAPTER II. 

Descriptive and Geographical ^~^^ 

CHAPTER III. 
Geology of Missouri lo-2l 

CHAPTER IV. 
Title and Early Settlers 21-27 

CHAPTER V. 

Territorial Organization 27-31 

, CHAPTER VI. 
Admission into the Union 31-37 

CHAPTER VII. 
Missouri as a State 37-43 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Civil War in Missouri 43-53 

CHAPTER IX. 
Early Military Record of the State 53-59 

CHAPTER X. 
Agriculture and Mineral Wealth 59-65 

CHAPTER XI. 

Education — The Public School System ''3-73 

CHAPTER XII. 
Religious Denominations ^^"''^ 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Gov. Crittenden's Administration 79-85 



VI CONTENTS. 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUTS. 

PAGE 

From 1762 to 1882 — Leading Institutions, etc 86-106 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 
Public and Personal Rights, Legal Forms, etc. .... 107-120 



STATISTICS. 

Population, Vital, Industrial and Political Statistk s . . 121-124 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

CHAPTER I. 
PiONKER History 125-156 

CHAPTER U . 
From the Organization of the County to 1S4^<i 156-191 

CHAPTER HI. 
History of the County from 1840 to 1850 191-213 

CHAPTER lY. 
History of the County from 1850 to 185t; 213-235 

CHAPTER V. 
History of the County from 1866 to 18<;o 235-267 

CHAPTER VI. 
From 1860 TO the " Goose Pond" Meeting, Junk 11, I8<;i . . . 267-284 

CHAPTER VII. 

From the Meeting of the Military in June, to i iiic Battle of Wil- 
son's Creek 284-301 

CHAPTER VIII. 
The Battle of Wilson's Creek — The Union or Federal Account . 301-331 



CONTENTS. Vn 

CHAPTER IX. 

PA.GB 

The Battle OF Wilson's Crekk — Concluded 331-363 

CIIAPTEK X. 
From the Battle of Wilson's Creek to the Close of 1861 . . . 863-401 

CHAPTER XI. 
History of the County During 1862 401-428 

CHAPTER XII. 

History OF THE County IN 1863 — Battle OF Springfield . . . 428-463 

CHAPTER XIII. 
From 1864 to the Close of the Civil War 463-484 

CHAPTER XIV. 
History of the County from 1865 to 1870 484-520 

CHAPTER XV. 
History of the County from 1870 to 1875 . . ... 520-547 

CHAPTER XVI. 
History OF THE County from 1875 547-573 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Geology of Greene County 573-575 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Biographies of Some Promln-ent Citizens 576-608 

TOWNSHIP HISTORIES. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Walnut Grove Township 608-620 

CHAPTER XX. 

BooxE Township . 620-640 

CHAPTER XXI. 
CicNTER Township (.40-664 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Pond Creek Township i;64-672 



VIII CONTENTS, 

CHAPTER XX [TT. 

PAGE 

Brookline Township 672-(>83 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Wilson Township <i8i5-(;90 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Clay Township «90-699 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Washington Townshic - . , 69!)-701 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
Taylok Township 701-709 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 
Cass TowNSHU' 709-721 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
HisTOKV OF THi; City of Springfield 721-7<)2 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Affairs in 18iJ5 762-792 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Rksu.me of thk City's History from 187C) to 188;^ .... 792-839 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

Noirrii Springfiei.h 839-874 

CHAPTER XXXI II. 
Camprell Township 874-895 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 
Franklin Township 895-903 

CHAPTER XXX \ 
Jackson Township * . 903-914 

CHAPTER XXXV i, 
RoiiBKijso.N Township 915-9)8 

Addenda <ll<,^ 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



CHAPTER I. 

LOUISIANA PURCHASE. 

BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



The purchase in 1803 of the vast territory west of the Mississippi 
River, by the Uuited States, extending through Oregon to the Pacific 
coast and south to the Dominions of Mexico, constitutes the most im- 
portant event that ever occurred in the history of the nation. 

It gave to our Republic additional room for that expansion and 
stupendous growth, to which it has since attained, in all that makes it 
strong and enduring, and forms the seat of an empire, from which 
will radiate an influence for good unequaled in the annals of time. In 
1763, the immense region of country, known at that time as Louisiana, 
was ceded to Spain by France. By a secret article, in the treaty of 
St. Ildefonso, concluded in 1800, Spain ceded it back to France. 
Napoleon, at that time, coveted the island of St. Domingo, not only 
because of the value of its products, but more especially because its 
location in the Gulf of Mexico would, in a military point of view, 
afford him a fine field whence he could the more effectively guard his 
newly-acquired possessions. Hence he desired this cession by Spain 
should be kept a profound secret until he succeeded in reducing St. 
Domingo to submission. In this undertaking, however, his hopes 
were blasted, and so great was his disappointment that he apparently 
became indifferent to the advantages to be secured to France from his 
purchase of Louisiana. 

In 1803 he sent out Laussat as prefect of the colony, who gave the 

(1) 



2 HISTOKY OF MISSOURI. 

people of Louisiana the first intimation they had that they had once 
more become the subjects of France. This was the occasion of great 
rejoicing among the inhabitants, who were Frenchmen in their origin, 
habits, manners, and customs. 

Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, on being in- 
formed of the retrocession, immediately dispatched instructions to 
Robert Livingston, the American Minister at Paris, to make known 
to Napoleon that the occupancy of New Orleans, by his government, 
would not only endanger the friendly relations existing between the 
two nations, but, perhaps, oblige the United States to make common 
cause with England, his bitterest and most dreaded enemy ; as the 
possession of the city by France would give her command of the 
Mississippi, which was the only outlet for the produce of the West- 
ern States, and give her also control oi the Gulf of Mexico, so neces- 
sary to the protection of American conniierce. Mr. Jefferson was so 
fully impressed with the idea that the occupancy of New Orleans, by 
France, would bring about a conflict of interests between the two 
nations, which would finally culminate in an open rupture, that he 
urged Mr. Livingston, to not only insist upon the free navigation of 
the Mississippi, but to negotiate for the purchase of the city and the 
surrounding country. 

The question of this negotiation was of so grave a character to the 
United States that the President appointed Mr. Monroe, with full 
power to act in conjunction with Mr. Livingston. Ever equal to all 
emergencies, and prompt in the cabinet, as well as in the field, Na- 
poleon came to the conclusion that, as he could not well defend his 
occupancy of New Orleans, he would dispose of it, on the best terms 
possible. Before, however, taking final action in the matter, he sum- 
moned two of his Ministers, and addressed them follows : — 

*' I am fully sensible of the value of Louisiana, and it was my wish 
to repair the error of the French diplomatists who abandoned it in 
1763. I have scarcely recovered it before I run the risk of losing it ; 
but if I am obliged to give it up, it shall hereafter cost more to those 
who force me to part with it, than to those to whom I shall 
yield it. The English have despoiled France of all her northern pos- 
sessions in America, and now they covet those of the South. I am 
determined that they shall not have the Mississippi. Although 
Louisiana is but a trifle compared to their vast possessions in other 
parts of the globe, yet, judging from the vexation they have mani- 
fested on seeing it return to the power of France, I am certain that 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 3 

their first object will be to gain possession of it. They will proba- 
bly commence the war in that quarter. They have twenty vessels in 
the Gulf of Mexico, and our afiiiirs in St. Domingo are daily getting 
worse since the death of LeClerc. The conquest of Louisiana might 
be easily made, and I have not a moment to lose in getting out of 
their reach. I am not sure but that they have already begun an at- 
tack upon it. Such a measure would be in accordance with their 
habits ; and in their place I should not wait. I am inclined, in order 
to deprive them of all prospect of ever possessing it, to cede it to the 
United States. Indeed, I can hardly say that I cede it, for I do not 
yet possess it ; and if I wait but a short time my enemies may leave 
me nothing but an empty title to grant to the Republic I wish to con- 
ciliate. I consider the whole colony as lost, and I believe that in the 
hands of this rising power it will be more useful to the political and 
even commercial interests of France than if I should attempt to retain 
it. Let me have both your opinions on the subject." 

One of his Ministers approved of the contemplated cession, but 
the other opposed it. The matter was long and earnestly discussed 
by them, before the conference was ended. The next day. Napoleon 
sent for the Minister who had agreed with him, and said to him : — 

"The season for deliberation is over. I have determined to re- 
nounce Louisiana. I shall give up not only New Orleans, but the 
whole colony, without reservation. That I do not undervalue Louis- 
iana, I have sufficiently proved, as the object of my first treaty with 
Spain was to recover it. But though I regret parting with it, I am 
convinced it would be folly to persist in trying to keep it. I commis- 
sion you, therefore, to negotiate this aflEair with the envoys of the 
United States. Do not wait the arrival of Mr. Monroe, but go this 
very day and confer with Mr. Livingston. Remember, however, that 
I need ample funds for carrying on the war, and I do not wish to com- 
mence it by levying new taxes. For the last century France and Spain 
have incurred great expense in the improvement of Louisiana, for 
which her trade has never indemnified them. Large sums have been 
advanced to different companies, which have never been returned to 
the treasury. It is fair that I should require repayment for these. 
Were I to regulate my demands by the importance of this territory 
to the United States, they would be unbounded ; but, being obliged to 
part with it, I shall be moderate in my terms. Still, remember, I 
must have fifty millions of francs, and I will not consent to take less. 



4 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

r would rather make some desperate effort to preserve this fine 
country." 

That day the negotiations commenced. Mr. Monroe reached Paris 
on the 12th of April, 1803, and the two representatives of the United 
States, after holding a private interview, announced that they were 
ready to treat for the entire territory. On the 30th of April, the 
treaty was signed, and on the 21st of October, of the same year, Con- 
gress ratified the treaty. The United States were to pay $11,250,000, 
and her citizens were to be compensated for some illegal captures, 
to the amount of $3,750,000, making in the aggregate the sum of 
$15,000,000, while it was agreed that the vessels and merchandise of 
France and Spain should be admitted into all the ports ot Louisiana 
free of duty for twelve years. Bonaparte stipulated in favor of 
Louisiana, that it should be, as soon as possible, incorporated into 
the Union, and that its inhabitants should enjoy the same rights, 
privileges and immunities as other citizens of the United States, and 
the clause giving to them these benefits was drawn up by Bonaparte, 
who presented it to the plenipotentiaries with these words : — 

" Make it known to the people of Louisiana, that we regret to part 
with them ; that we have stipulated for all the advantages they could 
desire ; and that France, in giving them up, has insured to them the 
greatest of all. They could never have prospered under any Euro- 
pean government as they will when they become independent. But 
while they enjoy the privileges of liberty let them remember that they 
are French, and preserve for their mother country that affection which 
a common origin inspires." 

Complete satisfaction was given to both parties in the terms of the 
treaty. Mr. Livingston said : — 

*' I consider that from this day the United States takes rank with 
the first powers of Europe, and now she has entirely escaped from the 
power of England," and Bonaparte expressed a similar sentiment when 
he said : " By this cession of territory I have secured the power of the 
United States, and given to England a maritime rival, Avho, at some 
future time, will humble her pride." 

These were prophetic words, for within a few years afterward the 
British met with a signal defeat, on the plains of the very territory of 
which the great Corsican had been speaking. 

From 1800, the date of the cession made by Spain, to 1803, when 
it was purchased by the Uuited States, no change had been made by 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. D 

the French authorities in the jurisprudence of the Upper and Lower 
Louisiana, and during this period the Spanish laws remained in full 
force, as the laws of the entire province ; a fact which is of interest to 
those who would understand the legal history and some of the present 
laws of Missouri. 

On December 20th, 1803, Gens. Wilkinson and Claiborne, who 
were jointly commissioned to take possession of the territory for the 
United States, arrived in the city of New Orleans at the head of the 
American forces. Laussat, who had taken possession but twenty days 
previously as the prefect of the colony, gave up his command, and the 
star-spangled banner supplanted the tri-colored flag of France. The 
agent of France, to take possession of Upper Louisiana from the 
Spanish authorities, was Amos Stoddard, captain of artillery in the 
United States service. He was placed in possession of St. Louis on 
the 9th of March, 1804, by Charles Dehault Delassus, the Spanish 
commandant, and on the following day he transferred it to the United 
States. The authority of the United States in Missouri dates from 
this day. 

From that moment the interests of the people of the Mississippi 
Valley became identified. They were troubled no more with uncer- 
tainties in regard to free navigation. The great river, along whose 
banks they had planted their towns and villages, now afforded them 
a safe and easy outlet to the markets of the world. Under the pro- 
tecting segis of a government, republican in form, and having free 
access to an almost boundless domain, embracing in its broad area the 
diversified climates of the globe, and possessing a soil unsurpassed for 
fertility, beauty of scenery and wealth of minerals, they had every 
incentive to push on their enterprises and build up the land wherein 
their lot had been cast. 

In the purchase of Louisiana, it was known that a great empire had 
been secured as a heritage to the people of our country, for all time to 
come, but its grandeur, its possibilities, its inexhaustible resources 
and the important relations it would sustain to the nation and the 
world were never dreamed of by even Mr. Jefferson and his adroit and 
accomplished diplomatists. 

The most ardent imagination never conceived of the progress which 
would mark the history of the "Great West." The adventurous 
pioneer, who fifty years ago pitched his tent upon its broad prairies, 
or threaded the dark labyrinths of its lonely forests, little thought that 
a mighty tide of physical and intellectual strength, would so rapidly 



D HISTORY OF MISSOURI 

flow on in his footsteps, to populate, build* up and enrich the domain 
which he had conquered. 

Year after year, civilization has advanced further and further, until 
at length the mountains, the hills and the valleys, and even the rocks 
and the caverns, resound with the noise and din of busy millions. 

*' I beheld the westward marches 
Of the unknown crowded nations. 
All the land was full of people, 
Restless, struggling, toiling, striving, 
Speaking many tongues, yet feeling 
But one heart-beat in their bosoms. 
In the woodlands rang their axes ; 
Smoked their towns in all the valleys; 
Over all the lakes and rivers 
Rushed their great canoes of thunder." 

In 1804, Congress, by an act passed in April of the same year, 
divided Louisiana into two parts, the '* Territory of Orleans," and 
the " District of Louisiana," known as *«Upper Louisiana." This 
district included all that portion of the old province, north of " Hope 
Encampment," on the Lower Mississippi, and embraced the present 
State of Missouri, and all the western region of country to the Pacific 
Ocean, and all below the forty-ninth degree of north latitude not 
claimed by Spain. 

As a matter of convenience, on March 26th, 1804, Missouri was 
placed within the jurisdiction of the government of the Territory of 
Indiana, and its government put in motion by Gen. William H. Har- 
rison, then governor of Indiana. In this he was assisted by Judges 
Griffin, Vanderburg and Davis, who established in St. Louis what were 
called Courts of Common Pleas. The District of Louisiana was regu- 
larly organized into the Territory of Louisiana by Congress, March 3, 
1805, and President Jefferson appointed Gen. James Wilkinson, Gov- 
ernor, and Frederick Bates, Secretary. The Legislature of the ter- 
ritory was formed by Governor Wilkinson and Judges R. J. Meigs 
and John B. C. JLiucas. In 1807, Governor Wilkinson was succeeded 
by Captain Meriwether Lewis, who had become famous by reason of 
his having made the expedition up the Missouri with Clark. Governor 
Lewis committed suicide in 1809 and President Madison appointed 
Gen. Benjamin Howard of Lexington, Kentucky, to fill his place. 
Gen. Howard resigned October 25, 1810, to enter the war of 1812, 
and died in St. Louis, in 1814. Captain William Clark, of Lewis and 
Clark's expedition, was appointed Governor in 1810, to succeed Gen. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 7 

Howard, and remained in office until the admission of the State into 
the Union, in 1821. 

The portions of Missouri which were settled, for the purposes of 
local government were divided into four districts. Cape Girardeau 
was the first, and embraced the territory between Tywappity Bottom 
and Apple Creek. Ste. Genevieve, the second, embraced the terri- 
tory from Apple Creek to the Meramec River. St. Louis, the third, 
embraced the territory between the Meramec and Missouri Rivers. 
St. Charles, the fourth, included the settled territory, between the 
Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The total population of these dis- 
tricts at that time, was 8,670, including slaves. The population of 
the district of Louisiana, when ceded to the United States was 10,120. 



CHAPTER n. 

DESCRIPTIVE AND GEOGRAPHICAL. 

Name — Extent — Surface — Rivers — Timber — Climate — Prairies — Soils — Popula- 
tion by Counties. 

NAME. 

The name Missouri is derived from the Indian tongue and signifies 
muddy. 

EXTENT. 

Missouri is bounded on the north by Iowa (from which it is sep- 
arated for about thirty miles on the northeast, by the Des Moines 
Eiver), and on the east by the Mississippi River, which divides it from 
Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, and on the west by the Indian Ter- 
ritory, and the States of Kansas and Nebraska. The State lies (with 
the exception of a small projection between the St. Francis and the 
Mississippi Rivers, which extends to 36°), between 36° 30' and 40° 36' 
north latitude, and between 12° 2' and 18° 51' west longitude from 
Washington. 

The extreme width of the State east and west, is about 348 miles ; 
its width on its northern boundary, measured from its northeast cor- 
ner along the Iowa Hue, to its intersection with the Des Moines 



8 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

River, is about 210 miles ; its width on its southern boundary is about 
288 miles. Its average width is about 235 miles. 

The length of the State north and south, not including the narrow strip 
between the St. Francis and Mississippi Rivers, is about 282 miles. It 
is aboufe 450 miles from its extreme northwest corner to its southeast 
corner, and from the northeast corner to the southwest corner, it is 
about 230 miles. These limits embrace an area of 65,350 square 
miles, or 41,824,000 acres, being nearly as large as England, and the 
States of Vermont and New Hampshire. 

SURFACE. 

North of the Missouri, the State is level or undulating, while the 
portion south of that river (the larger portion of the State) exhibits a 
c^reater variety of surface. In the southeastern part is an extensive 
marsh, reaching beyond the State into Arkansas. The remainder of 
this portion between the Mississippi and Osage Rivers is rolling, and 
gradually rising into a hilly and mountainous district, forming the out- 
skirts of the Ozark Mountains. 

Beyond the Osage River, at some distance, commences a vast ex- 
panse of prairie land which stretches away towards the Rocky Moun- 
tains. The ridges forming the Ozark chain extend in a northeast and 
southwest direction, separating the waters that flow northeast into the 
Missouri from those that flow southeast into the Mississippi River. 

RIVERS. 

No State in the Union enjoys better facilities for navigation than 
Missouri. By means of the Mississippi River, which stretches along 
her entire eastern boundary, she can hold commercial intercourse with 
the most northern territory and State in the Union ; with the whole 
valley of the Ohio ; with many of the Atlantic States, and with the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

•'Ay, gather Europe's royal rivers all — 
The snow-swelled Neva, with an Empire's weight 
On her broad breast, she yet may overwhelm ; 
Dark Danube, hurrying, as by foe pursued, 
Through shaggy forests and by palace walls, 
To hide its terror in a sea of gloom ; 
The castled Rhine, whose vine-crowned waters flow, 
The fount of fable and the source of song ; 
The rushing Rhone, in whose cerulean depths 
The loving sky seems wedded with the wave; 
The yellow Tiber, chok'd with Roman spoils, 



HISTORY or MISSOURI. 9 

A dying miser shrinking 'neath his gold ; 

The Seine, where fashion glasses the fairest forms; 

The Thames that bears the riches of the world ; 

Gather their waters in one ocean mass, 

Our Mississippi rolling proudly on, 

Would sweep them from its path, or swallow up. 

Like Aaron's rod, these streams of fame and song." 

By the Missouri River she can extend her commerce to the Rocky 
Mountains, and receive in return the products which will come in the 
course of time, by its multitude of tributaries. 

The Missouri River coasts the northwest line of the State for about 
250 miles, following its windings, and then flows through the State, a 
little south of east, to its junction with the Mississippi. The Mis- 
souri River receives a number of tributaries within the limits of the 
State, the principal of which are the Nodaway, Platte, Grand and 
Chariton from the north, and the Blue, Sniabar, Lamine, Osage and 
Gasconade from the south. The principal tributaries of the Missis- 
sippi within the State, are the Salt River, north, and the Meramec 
River south of the Missouri. 

The St. Francis and White Rivers, with their branches, drain 
the southeastern part of the State, and pass into Arkansas. The 
Osage is navigable for steamboats for more than 175 miles. There 
are a vast number of smaller streams, such as creeks, branches and 
rivers, which water the State in all directions. 

Timber. — Not more towering in their sublimity were the cedars of 
ancient Lebanon, nor more precious in their utility were the almug- 
trees of Ophir, than the native forests of Missouri. The river bottoms 
are covered with a luxuriant growth of oak, ash, elm, hickory, cotton- 
wood, linn, white and black walnut, and in fact, all the varieties found 
in the Atlantic and Eastern States. In the more barren districts may 
be seen the white and pin oak, and in many places a dense growth of 
pine. The crab apple, papaw and persimmon are abundant, as also 
the hazel and pecan. 

Climate. — The climate of Missouri is, in general, pleasant and 
salubrious. Like that of North America, it is changeable, and sub- 
lect to sudden and sometimes extreme changes of heat and cold ; but 
it is decidedly milder, taking the whole year through, than that of the 
same latitudes east of the mountains. While the summers are not 
more oppressive than they are in the corresponding latitudes on and 
near the Atlantic coast, the winters are shorter, and very much milder, 



10 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



except during the month of February, which has many days of pleas- 
ant sunshine. 

Prairies. — Missouri is a prairie State, especially that portion of it 
north and northwest of the Missouri River. These prairies, along the 
water courses, abound with the thickest and most luxurious belts of 
timber, while the "rolling" prairies occupy the higher portions of 
the country, the descent generally to the forests or bottom lands being 
over only declivities. Many of these prairies, however, exhibit a grace- 
fully waving surface, swelling and sinking with an easy slope, and a 
full, rounded outline, equally avoiding the unmeaning horizontal sur- 
face and the interruption of abrupt or angular elevations. 

These prairies often embrace extensive tracts of land, and in one or 
two instances they cover an area of fifty thousand acres. During the 
spring and summer they are carpeted with a velvet of green, and 
gaily bedecked with flowers of various forms and hues, making a 
most fascinating panorama of ever-changing color and loveliness. To 
fully appreciate their great beauty and magnitude, they must be 
seen. 

Soil. — The soil of Missouri is good, and of great agricultural capa- 
bilities, but the most fertile portions of the State are the river bot- 
toms, which are a rich alluvium, mixed in many cases with sand, the 
producing qualities of which are not excelled by the prolific valley of 
the famous Nile. 

South of the Missouri River there is a greater variety of soil, but 
much of it is fertile, and even in the mountains and mineral districts 
there are rich valleys, and about the sources of the White, Eleven 
Points, Current and Big Black Rivers, the soil, though unproductive, 
furnishes a valuable growth of yellow pine. 

The marshy lands in the southeastern part of the State will, by a 
system of drainage, be one of the most fertile districts in the State. 



HISTORY or MISSOURI. 

POPULATION BY COUNTIES IN 1870, 1876, AND 1880. 



11 



Connties. 



Adair . 
Andrew 
Atchison . 
Audrain 
Barry . 
Barton 
Bates . 
Benton 
Bollinger . 
Boone 
Buclianan . 
Butler 
CaldweU . 
Callaway , 
Camden 
Cape Girardeau 
CarroU 
Carter 
Cass . 
Cedar . 
Chariton 
Christian . 
Clark . 
Clay . 
Clinton 
Cole . 
Cooper . 
Crawford . 
Dade . 
Dallas 
Daviess 
DeKalb 
Dent . 
Douglas . 
Dunklin 
Franklin . 
Gasconade . 
Gentry . 
Greene 
Grundy 
Harrison . 
Henry 
Hickory 
Holt . 
Howard 
Howell 
Iron . 
Jackson 
Jasper 
Jefferson . 
Johnson 
Knox . 
Laclede , 
Lafayette . 
Lawrence . 
Lewis . 
Lincoln 
Linn . , 
Livingston . 



1870. 



11,449 
15,137 

8,440 
12,307 
10,373 

5,087 
15,960 
11,322 

8,162 
20,765 
35,109 

4,298 
11,390 
19,202 

6,108 
17,558 
17,440 

1,440 
19,299 

9,471 
19,136 

6,707 
13,667 
15,564 
14,063 
10,292 
20,692 

7,982 

8,683 

8,383 
14,410 

9,858 

6,357 

3,915 

5,982 
30,098 
10,093 
11,607 
21,549 
10,567 
14,635 
17,401 

6,452 
11,652 
17,233 

4,218 

6,278 
55,041 
14,928 
15,380 
24,648 
10,974 

9,380 
22,624 
13,067 
15,114 
15,960 
15,906 
16,730 



1876. 



,774 
,992 
,925 
,157 
,146 
,900 
,484 
,027 
,884 
,923 
,165 
,363 
,200 
,257 
,027 
,891 
,498 
,549 
,069 
,897 
,294 
,936 
,549 
,320 
,698 
,122 
,356 
,391 
,089 
,073 
,557 
,159 
,401 
,461 
,255 
,924 
,160 
,673 
,693 
,071 
,530 
,465 
,870 
,245 
,815 
,756 
,623 
,045 
,384 
,186 
,646 
,678 
,845 
,204 
,054 
,360 
,858 
,110 
,074 



1880. 

15, 

16, 

14, 
19, 
14, 
10, 
25, 
12, 

11. 
25, 
49, 

6, 
13, 
23, 

7, 
20, 
23, 

2, 
22, 
10, 
25, 

9, 
15, 
15, 
16, 
15, 
21, 
10, 
12, 

9, 
19, 
13, 
10, 

7, 

9, 
26, 

11, 
17, 

28, 
15, 
20, 
23, 
7, 
15, 
18, 



82, 
32, 

18, 
28, 
U 

11. 

25, 
17, 
15, 
17, 
20, 
20. 



12 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 
POPULATION BY COXnUTIES — Continued. 



Ooanties. 



McDonald . , 

Macon 

Madison . , 

Maries 

Marion 

Mercer 

Miller 

Mississippi 

Moniteau . 

Monroe 

Montgomery 

Morgan 

New Madrid 

Newton 

Nodaway . 

Oregon 

Osage . 

Ozark , 

Pemiscot . 

Perry . 

Pettis . 

Phelps 

Pike . 

Platte 

Polk . 

Pulaski 

Putnam 

Ralls . 

Randolph . 

Ray . . . 

Reynolds . 

Ripley 

St. Charles 

St. Clair . 

St. Francois 

Ste. Genevieve . 

St. Louis ' . 

Saline 

Schuyler 

Scotland 

Scott , 

Shannon 

Shelby 

Stoddard . 

Stone . 

Sullivan 

Taney 

Texas 

Vernon 

Warren 

Washington 

Wayne 

Webster 

Worth 

Wright 

City of St. Louis 



1876. 



6,226 

23,230 

6,849 

5,916 

23,780 

11,657 

6,616 

4,982 

13,375 

17,149 

10,405 

8,434 

6,357 

12,821 

14,751 

3,287 

10,793 

3,363 

2,059 

9,877 

18,706 

10,506 

23,076 

17,352 

14,445 

4,714 

11,217 

10,510 

16,908 

18,700 

3,756 

3,175 

21,304 

6,742 

9,742 

8,384 

361,189 

21,672 

8,820 

10,670 

7,317 

2,339 

10,119 

8,535 

3,253 

11,907 

4,407 

9,618 

11,247 

9,673 

11,719 

6,068 

10,434 

5,004 

5,684 



1,721,295 



1876. 



6,072 
25,028 

8,750 

6,481 
22,794 
13,393 

8,529 

7,498 
13,084 
17,751 
14,418 

9,529 

6,673 
16,875 
23,196 

4,469 
11,200 

4,579 

2,573 
11,189 
23,167 

9,919 
22,828 
15,948 
13,467 

6,157 
12,641 

9,997 
19,173 
18,394 

4,716 

3,913 
21,821 
11,242 
11,621 

9,409 

*27,087 

9,881 

12,030 

7,312 

3,236 

13,243 

10,888 

3,544 

14,039 

6,124 

10,287 

14,413 

10,321 

13,100 

7,006 

10,684 

7,164 

6,124 



1,547,030 



2,168,804 



> St. Louis City and County separated In 1877. Population lor 1876 not given. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



13 



.8XrMMA.BY. 



Males 

Females 

Native 

Foreign 

White 

Colored ^ 



1,126,424 
1,041,380 
1,957,564 

211,240 
2,023,568 

145,236 



CHAPTEK ni. 



GEOLOGY OF MISSOURI. 

Classification of Rocks —Quatenary Formation— Tertiary —Cretaceous — Carbonifer- 
ous — Devonian — Silurian — Azoic — Economic Geology — Coal — Iron — Lead — 
Copper — Zinc — Building Stone — Marble — Gypsum — Lime — Clays — Paints — 
Springs — Water Power. 

The stratified rocks of Missouri, as classified and treated of by Prof. 
G. C. Swallow, belong to the following divisions : I. Quatenary ; 
II. Tertiary; III. Cretaceous; IV. Carboniferous; V. Devonian; 
VI. Silurian ; VII. Azoic. 

" The Quatenary formations, are the most recent, and the most 
valuable to man: valuable, because they can be more readily utilized. 

The Quatenary formation in Missouri, embraces the Alluvium, 30 
feet thick ; Bottom Prairie, 30 feet thick ; Bluff, 200 feet thick ; and 
Drift, 155 feet thick. The latest deposits are those which constitute 
the Alluvium, and includes the soils, pebbles and sand, clays, vegeta- 
ble mould, bog, iron ore, marls, etc. 

The Alluvium deposits, cover an area, within the limits of Mis- 
souri, of more than four millions acres of land, which are not sur- 
passed for fertility by any region of country on the globe. 

The Bluff Prairie formation is confined to the low lands, which are 
washed by the two great rivers which course our eastern and western 
boundaries, and while it is only about half as extensive as the Allu- 
vial, it is equally as rich and productive." 

*' The Bluff formation," says Prof. Swallow, ** rests upon the 
ridges and river bluffs, and descends along their slopes to the lowest 
valleys, the formation capping all the Bluffs of the Missouri from 
Fort Union to its mouth, and those of the Mississippi from Dubuque 



* Including 92 Chinese, 2 half Chinese, and 96 Indians and half-breeds. 



14 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



to the mouth of the Ohio. It forms the upper stratum beneath the 
soil of all the high lands, both timber and prairies, of all the counties 
north of the Osage and Missouri, and also St. Louis, and the Missis- 
sippi counties on the south. 

Its greatest development is in the counties on the Missouri River 
from the Iowa line to Boonville. In some localities it is 200 feet 
thick. At St. Joseph it is 140 ; at Boonville 100 ; and at St. Louis, 
in St. George's quarry, and the Big Mound, it is about 50 feet ; 
while its greatest observed thickness in Marion county was only 30 
feet.'* 

The Drift formation is that which lies beneath the Bluff formation, 
having, as Prof. Swallow informs us, three distinct deposits, to wit : 
*'Altered Drift, which are strata of sand and pebbles, seen in the 
banks of the Missouri, in the northwestern portion of the State. 

The Boulder formation is a heterogeneous stratum of sand, gravel 
and boulder, and water-worn fragments of the older rocks. 

Boulder Clay is a bed of bluish or brown sandy clay, through which 
pebbles are scattered in greater or less abundance. In some locali- 
ties in northern Missouri, this formation assumes a pure white, pipe- 
clay color." 

The Tertiary formation is made up of clays, shales, iron ores, sand- 
stone, and sands, scattered along the bluffs, and edges of the bottoms, 
reaching from Commerce, Scott County, to Stoddard, and south to 
the Chalk Bluffs in Arkansas. 

The Cretaceous formation lies beneath the Tertiary, and is com- 
posed of variegated sandstone, bluish-brown sandy slate, whitish- 
brown impure sandstone, fine white clay mingled with spotted flint, 
purple, red and blue clays, all being in the aggregate, 158 feet in 
thickness. There are no fossils in these rocks, and nothing by which 
their age may be told. 

The Carboniferous system includes the Upper Carboniferous or 
coal-measures, and the Lower Carboniferous or Mountain limestone. 
The coal-measures are made up of numerous strata of sandstones, 
limestones, shales, clays, marls, spathic iron ores, and coals. 

The Carboniferous formation, including coal-measures and the beds 
of iron, embrace an area in Missouri of 27,000 square miles. The 
varieties of coal found in the State are the common bituminous and 
cannel coals, and they exist in quantities inexhaustible. The fact 
that these coal-measures are full of fossils, which are always confined 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 15 

to the coal measures, enables the geologist to point them out, and the 
coal beds contained in them. 

The rocks of the Lower Carboniferous formation are varied in color, 
and are quarried in many different parts of the State, being exten- 
sively utilized for building and other purposes. 

Among the Lower Carboniferous rocks is found the Upper Archi- 
medes Limestone, 200 feet ; Ferruginous Sandstone, 195 feet ; Mid- 
dle Archimedes, 50 feet; St. Louis Limestone, 250 feet; Oolitic 
Limestone, 25 feet; Lower Archimedes Limestone, 350 feet; and 
Encrinital Limestone, 500 feet. These limestones generally contain 
fossils. 

The Ferruginous limestone is soft when quarried, but becomes hard 
and durable after exposure. It contains large quantities of iron, and 
is found skirting: the eastern coal measures from the mouth of the 
Des Moines to McDonald county. 

The St. Louis limestone is of various hues and tints, and very hard. 
It is found in Clark, Lewis and St. Louis counties. 

The Lower Archimedes limestone includes partly the lead bearing 
rocks of Southwestern Missouri. 

The Encrinital limestone is the most extensive of the divisions of 
Carboniferous limestone, and is made up of brown, buff, gray and 
white. In these strata are found the remains of corals and mollusks. 
This formation extends from Marion county to Greene county. The 
Devonian system contains : Chemung Group, Hamilton Group, 
Onondaga limestone and Oriskany sandstone. The rocks of the 
Devonian system are found in Marion, Ralls, Pike, Callaway, Saline 
and Ste. Genevieve counties. 

The Chemung Group has three formations, Chouteau limestone, 85 
feet ; Vermicular sandstone and shales, 75 feet ; Lithographic lime- 
stone, 125 feet. 

The Chouteau limestone is in two divisions, when fully developed, 
and when first quarried is soft. It is not only good for building pur- 
poses but makes an excellent cement. 

The Vermicular sandstone and shales are usually buff or yellowish 
brown, and perforated with pores. 

The Lithographic limestone is a pure, fine, compact, evenly-tex- 
tured limestone. Its color varies from light drab to buff and blue. 
It is called "pot metal," because under the hammer it gives a sharp, 
rinscino; sound. It has but few fossils. 



16 HISTORY OK MISSOURI. 

The Hamilton Group is made up of some 40 feet of blue shales, and 
170 feet of crystalline limestone. 

Onondaga limestone is usually a coarse, gray or buff crystalline, 
thick-bedded and cherty limestone. No formation in Missouri pre- 
sents, such variable and widely different lithological characters as the 
Onondaga. 

The Oriskany sandstone is a light, gray limestone. 

Of the Upper Silurian series there are the following formations : 
Lower Helderberg, 350 feet ; Niagara Group, 200 feet ; Cape Girar- 
deau limestone, 60 feet. 

The Lower Helderberg is made up of buff, gray, and reddish cherty 
and argillaceous limestone. 

Niagara Group. The Upper part of this group consists of red, 
yellow and ash-colored shales, with compact limestones, variegated 
with bands and nodules of chert. 

The Cape Girardeau limestone, on the Mississippi Eiver near Cape 
Girardeau, is a compact, bluish-gray, brittle limestone, with smooth 
fractures in layers from two to six inches in thickness, with argilla- 
ceous partings. These strata contain a great many fossils. 

The Lower Silurian has the following ten formations, to wit : Hud- 
son River Group, 220 feet ; Trenton limestone, 360 feet ; Black River 
and Bird's Eye limestone, 175 feet; first Magnesian limestone, 200 
feet ; Saccharoidal sandstone, 125 feet ; second Magnesian limestone, 
250 feet ; second sandstone, 115 feet ; third Magnesian limestone, 
350 feet; third sandstone, 60 feet; fourth Magnesian limestone, 350 
feet. 

Hudson River Group : — There are three formations which Prof. 
Swallow refers to in this group. These formations are found in the 
bluff above and below Louisiana ; on the Grassy a few miles north- 
west of Louisiana, and in Ralls, Pike, Cape Girardeau and Ste. Gene- 
vieve Counties. 

Trenton limestone : The upper part of this formation is made up 
of thick beds of hard, compact, bluish gray and drab limestone, varie- 
gated with irregular cavities, filled with greenish materials. 

The beds are exposed between Hannibal and New London, north of 
Salt River, near Glencoe, St. Louis County, and are seventy-five feet 
thick. 

Black River and Bird's Eye limestone the same color as the Trenton 
limestone. 



mSTOKV OF MISSOLRI. 17 

The first Magnesian limestone cap the picturesque bhiffs of the Osage 
in Benton and neit^hhoring counties. 

The Saccharoidal sandstone has a wide range in the State. In a 
bluflf about two miles from Warsaw, is a very striking change of thick- 
ness of this formation. 

Second Magnesian limestone, in lithological character, is like the 
first. 

The second sandstone, usually of yellowish brown, sometimes 
becomes a pure white, fine-grained, soft sandstone as on Cedar Creek, 
in Washington and Franklin Counties. 

The third Magnesian limestone is exposed in the high and picturesque 
bluffs of the Niangua, in the neighborhood of Bryce's Spring. 

The third sandstone is white and has a formation in movinor water. 

The fourth Magnesian limestone is seen on the Niangua and Osage 
Rivers. 

The Azoic rocks lie below the Silurian and form a series of silicious 
and other slates which contain no remains of organic life. 

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 

Goal. — Missouri is particularly rich in minerals. Indeed, no State 
in the Union, surpasses her in this respect. In some unknown age of 
the past — long before the existence of man — Nature, by a wise process, 
made a bountiful provision for the time, when in the order of things, 
it should be necessary for civilized man to take possession of these 
broad, rich prairies. As an equivalent for lack of forests, she quietly 
stored away beneath the soil those wonderful carboniferous treasures 
for the use of man. 

Geological surveys have developed the fact that the coal deposits in 
the State are almost unnumbered, embracing all varieties of the best 
bituminous coal. A large portion of the State, has been ascer- 
tained to be one continuous coal field, stretching from the mouth 
of the Des Moines River through Clark, Lewis, Scotland, Adair, 
Macon, Shelby, MoiU(>e, Audrain, Callaway, Boone, Cooper, Pettis, 
Benton, Henry, St. Clair, Bates, Vernon, Cedar, Dade, Barton and 
Jasper, into the Indian Territory, and the counties on the northwest of 
this line contain more or less coal. Coal rocks exist in Ralls, Mont- 
gomery, Warren, St. Charles, Moniteau, Cole, Morgan, CraAvford and 
Lincoln, and during the past few years, all along the lines of all the 
railroads in North Missouri, and along the western end of the Missouri 
Pacific, and on the Missouri River, between Kansas City and Sioux 



18 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

City, has systematic mining, opened up hundreds of mines in different 
localities. The area of our coal beds, on the line of the southwestern 
boundary of the State alone, embraces more than 26,000 square miles 
of regular coal measures. This will give of workable coal, if the 
average be one foot, 26,800,000,000 tons. The estimates from the 
developments already made, in the different portions of the State, will 
give 134,000,000,000 tons. 

The economical value of this coal to the State, its influence in 
domestic life, in navigation, commerce and manufactures, is beyond 
the imagination of man to conceive. Suffice it to say, that in the pos- 
session of her developed and undeveloped coal mines, Missouri has a 
motive power, which in its influences for good, in the civilization of 
man, is more potent than the gold of California. 

Iron. — Prominent among the minerals, which increase the power 
and prosperity of a nation, is iron. Of this ore, Missouri has an inex- 
haustible quantity, and like her coal fields, it has been developed in 
many portions of the State, and of the best and purest quality. It is 
found in great abundance in the counties of Cooper, St. Clair, Greene, 
Henry, Franklin, Benton, Dallas, Camden, Stone, Madison, Iron, 
Washington, Perry, St. Francois, Reynolds, Stoddard, Scott, Dent 
and others. The greatest deposit of iron is found in the Iron Moun- 
tain, which is two hundred feet high, and covers an area of five hun- 
dred acres, and produces a metal, which is shown by analysis, to con- 
tain from 65 to 69 per cent of metallic iron. 

The ore of Shepherd Mountain contains from 64 to 67 per cent of 
metallic iron. The ore of Pilot Knob contains from 53 to 60 per cent. 

Rich beds of iron are also found at the Big Bogy Mountain, and at 
Russell Mountain. This ore has, in its nude state, a variety of colors, 
from the red, dark red, black, brown, to a light bluish gray. The 
red ores are found in twenty-one or more counties of the State, and 
are of great commercial value. The brown hematite iron ores extend 
over a greater range of country than all the others combined, embrac- 
ing about one hundred counties, and have been ascertained to exist in 
these in large quantities. 

Lead. — Long before any permanent settlements were made in Mis- 
souri by the whites, lead was mined within the limits of the State at 
two or three points on the Mississippi. At this time more than five 
hundred mines are opened, and many of them are being successfully 
worked. These deposits of lead cover an area, so far as developed, 
of more than seven thousand square miles. Mines have been opened 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 19 

in Jefferson, Washington, St. Francois, Madison, "Wayne, Carter, Rey- 
nolds, Crawford, Ste. Genevieve, Perry, Cole, Cape Girardeau, Cam- 
den, Morgan, and many other counties. 

Copper and Zinc. — Several varieties of copper ore are found in 
Missouri. The copper mines of Shannon, Madison and Franklin 
Counties have been known for years, and some of these have been 
successfully worked and are now yielding good results. 

Deposits of copper have been discovered in Dent, Crawford, Ben- 
ton, Maries, Green, Lawrence, Dade, Taney, Dallas, Phelps, Reynolds 
and Wright Counties. 

Zinc is abundant in nearly all the lead mines in the southwestern 
part of the State, and since the completion of the A. & P. R. R. a 
market has been furnished for this o^^e, which will be converted into 
valuable merchandise. 

Building Stone and Marble. — There is no scarcity of good building 
stone in Missouri. Limestone, sandstone and granite exist in all 
shades of buff, blue, red and brown, and are of great beauty as build- 
ing material. 

There are many marble beds in the State, some of which furnish 
very beautiful and excellent marble. It is found in Marion, Cooper, 
St. Louis, and other counties. 

One of the most desirable of the Missouri marbles is in the 3rd 
Magnesian limestone, on the Mangua. It is fine-grained, crystalline, 
silico-magnesian limestone, light-drab, slightly tinged with peach blos- 
som, and clouded by deep flesh-colored shades. In ornamental archi- 
tecture it is rarely surpassed. 

Gypsum and Lime. — Though no extensive beds of gypsum have 
been discovered in Missouri, there are vast beds of the pure white 
crystalline variety on the line of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, on Kan- 
sas River, and on Gypsum Creek. It exists also in several other 
localities accessible by both rail and boat. 

All of the limestone formations in the State, from the coal measures 
to fourth Magnesian, have more or less strata of very nearly pure car- 
bonate of pure lime. 

Clays and Paints. — Clays are found in nearly all parts of the State 
suitable for making bricks. Potters' clay and fire-clay are worked in 
many localities. 

There are several beds of purple shades in the coal measures whicli 
possess the properties requisite for paints used in outside work. Yel- 
low and red ochres are found in considerable quantities on the Missouri 



20 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

River. Some of these paints have been thoroughly tested and found 
tire-proof and durable. 

SPRINGS AND WATER POWER. 

No State is, perhaps, better supplied with cold springs of pure water 
than Missouri. Out of the bottoms, there is scarcely a section of 
land but has one or more perennial springs of good water. Even 
Avhere there are no springs, good water can be obtained by digging 
from twenty to forty feet. Salt springs are abundant in the central 
part of the State, and discharge their brine in Cooper, Saline, Howard, 
and adjoining counties. Considerable salt was made in Cooper and 
Howard Counties at an early day. 

Sulphur springs are also numerous throughout the State. The 
Chouteau Springs in Cooper, the Monagaw Springs in St. Clair, the 
Elk Springs in Pike, and the Cheltenham Springs in St. Louis County 
have acquired considerable reputation as salubrious waters, and have 
become popular places of resort. Many other counties have good 
sulphur springs. 

Among the Chalybeate springs the Sweet Springs on the Black- 
water, and the Chalybeate spring in the University campus are, perhaps, 
the most popular of the kind in the State. There are, however, other 
springs impregnated with some of the salts of iron. 

Petroleum springs are found in Carroll, Ray, Rjindolph, Cass, 
Lafayette, Bates, Vernon, and other counties. The variety called 
lubricating oil is the more common. 

The water power of the State is excellent. Large springs are 
particularly abundant on the waters of the Meramec, Gasconade, 
Bourbeuse, Osage, Niangua, Spring, White, Sugar, and other streams. 
Besides these, there are hundreds of springs sufficiently large to drive 
mills and factories, and the day is not far distant when these crystal 
fountains will be utilized, and a thousand saws will buzz to their 
dashing music. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 21 

CHAPTER TV, 

TITLE AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 

Title to Missouri Lands' — Eight of Discovery — Title of France and Spain — Cession 
to the United States — Territorial Changes — Treaties with Indians — First Settle- 
ment— Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon — St. Louis — When Incorporated — 
Potosi — St. Charles — Portage des Sioux — New Madrid — St. Francois County- 
Perry — Mississippi — Loutre Island — " Boone's Lick " — Cote Sans Dessein — 
Howard County — Some First Things — Counties — When Organized. 

The title to the soil of Missouri was, of course, primarily vested in 
the original occupants who inhabited the country prior to its discovery 
by the whites. But the Indians, being savages, possessed but few 
rights that civilized nations considered themselves bound to respect ; 
so, therefore, when they found this country in the possession of such 
a people they claimed it in the name of the King of France, by the 
right of discovery. It remained under the jurisdiction of France 
until 1763. 

Prior to the year 1763, the entire continent of North America was 
divided between France, England, Spain and Russia. France held all 
that portion that now constitutes our national domain west of the 
Mississippi River, except Texas, and the territory which we have 
obtained from Mexico and Russia. The vast region, while under the 
jurisdiction of France, was known as the " Province of Louisiana," 
and embraced the present State of Missouri. At the close of the 
*' Old French War," in 1763, France gave up her share of the con- 
tinent, and Spain came into the possession of the territory west of the 
Mississippi River, while Great Britain retained Canada and the regions 
northward, having obtained that territory by conquest, in the war 
with France. For thirty-seven years the territory now embraced 
within the limits of Missouri, remained as a part of the possession of 
Spain, and then went buck to France by the treaty of St. Ildefonso, 
October 1, 1800. On the 30th of April, 1803, France ceded it to the 
United States, in consideration of receiving $11,250,000, and the 
liquidation of certain claims, held by citizens of the United States 
against France, which amounted to the further sum of $3,750,000, 
making a total of $15,000,000. It will thus be seen that France has 
twice, and Spain once, held sovereignty over the territory embracing 



22 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

Missouri, "but the financial needs of Napoleon afforded our Govern- 
ment an opportunity to add another empire to its domain. 

On the 31st of October, 1803, an act of Congress was approved, 
authorizing the President to take possession of the newly acquired 
territory, and provided for it a temporary government, and another 
act, approved March 26, 1804, authorized the division of the *' Louis- 
iana Purchase," as it was then called, into two separate territories. 
All that portion south of the 33d parallel of north latitude was called 
the " Territory of Orleans," and that north of the said parallel was 
known as the " District of Louisiana," and was placed under the 
jurisdiction of what was then known as " Indian Territory." 

By virtue of an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1805, the 
*' District of Louisiana" was organized as the "Territory of Louis- 
iana," with a territorial government of its own, which went into 
operation July 4th of the same year, and it so remained till 1812. In 
this year the *' Territory of Orleans " became the State of Louisiana, 
and the " Territory of Louisiana" was organized as the *' Territory 
of Missouri." 

This change took place under an act of Congress, approved June 4, 
1812. In 1819, a portion of this territory was organized as " Arkan- 
sas Territory," and on August 10, 1821, the State of Missouri was 
admitted, being a part of the former " Territory of Missouri." 

In 1836, the " Platte Purchase," then being a part of the Indian 
Territory, and now composing the counties of Atchison, Andrew, 
Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway and Platte, was made by treaty with the 
Indians, and added to the State. It will be seen, then, that the soil 
of Missouri belonged : — 

1. To France, with other territory. 

2. In 1763, with other territory, it was ceded to Spain. 

3. October 1, 1800, it was ceded, with other territory from Spain, 
back to France. 

4. April 30, 1803, it was ceded, with other territory, by France to 
the United States. 

5. October 31, 1803, a temporary government was authorized by 
Congress for the newly acquired territory. 

6. October 1, 1804, it was included in the " District of Louisiana" 
and placed under the territorial government of Indiana. 

7. July 4, 1805, it was included as a part of the " Territory of 
Louisiana," then organized with a separate territorial government. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 23 

8. June 4, 1812, it was embraced in what was then made the " Ter- 
ritory of Missouri." 

9. August 10, 1821, it was admitted into the Union as a State. 

10. In 1836, the "Platte Purchase" was made, adding more ter- 
ritory to the State. 

The cession by France, April 30, 1803, vested the title in the United 
States, subject to the claims of the Indians, which it was very justly 
the policy of the Government to recognize. Before the Government 
of the United States could vest clear title to the soil in the grantee it 
was necessary to extinguish the Indian title by purchase. This was 
done accordingly by treaties made with the Indians at different times. 

EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 

The name of the first white man who set foot on the territory now 
embraced in the State of Missouri, is not known, nor is it known at 
what precise period the first settlements were made. It is, however, 
generally agreed that they were made at Ste. Genevieve and New 
Bourbon, tradition fixing the date of the settlements in the autumn of 
1735. These towns were settled by the French from Kaskaskia and 
St. Philip in Illinois. 

St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclede Liguest, on the 15th of 
February, 1764. He was a native of France, and was one of the 
members of the company of Laclede Liguest, Antonio Maxant & Co., 
to whom a royal charter had been granted, confirming the privilege 
of an exclusive trade with the Indians of IVIissouri as far north as St. 
Peter's River. 

While in search of a trading post he ascended the Mississippi as far 
as the mouth of the Missouri, and finally returned to the present town 
site of St. Louis. After the village had been laid off he named it St. 
Louis in honor of Louis XV., of France. 

The colony thrived rapidly by accessions from Kaskaskia and other 
towns on the east side of the Mississippi, and its trade was largely in_ 
creased by many of the Indian tribes, who removed a portion of their 
peltry trade from the same towns to St. Louis. It was incorporated 
as a town on the ninth day of November, 1809, by the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of the district of St. Louis ; the town trustees being 
Auguste Chouteau, Edward Hempstead, Jean F. Cabanne, Wm. C. 
Carr and William Christy, and incorporated as a city December 9, 
1822. The selection of the town site on which St. Louis stands was 
highly judicious, the spot not only being healthful and having the ad- 



24 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

vantages of water transportation unsurpassed, but surrounded by a 
beautiful region of country, rich in soil and mineral resources. St. 
Louis has grown to be the fifth city in population in the Union, and 
is to-day the great center of internal commerce of the Missouri, the 
Mississippi and their tributaries, and, with its railroad facilities, it is 
destined to be the greatest inland city of the American continent. 

The next settlement was made at Potosi, in Washington County, in 
1765, by Francis Breton, who, while chasing a bear, discovered the 
mine near the present town of Potosi, where he afterward located. 

One of the most prominent pioneers who settled at Potosi was 
Moses Austin, of Virginia, who, in 1795, received by grant from the 
Spanish government a league of land, now known as the "Austin Sur- 
vey." The grant was made on condition that Mr. Austin would es- 
tablish a lead mine at Potosi and work it. He built a palatial 
residence, for that day, on the brow of the hill in the little vilhige, 
which was for many years known as " Durham Hall." At this point 
the first shot-tower and sheet-lead manufactory were erected. 

Five years after the founding of St. Louis the first settlement made 
in Northern Missouri was made near St. Charles, in St. Charles 
County, in 1769. The name given to it, and which it retained till 
1784, was Les Petites Cotes, signifying. Little Hills. The town site 
was located by Blanchette, a Frenchman, surnamed LeChasseur, who 
built the first fort in the town and established there a military post. 

Soon after the establishment of the military post at St. Charles, the 
old French village of Portage des Sioux, was located on the Missis- 
sippi, iust below the mouth ot the Illinois River, and at about the 
same time a Kickapoo village was commenced at Clear Weather Lake. 
The present town site of New Madrid, in New Madrid county, was 
settled in 1781, by French Canadians, it then being occupied by Del- 
aware Indians. The place now known as Big River Mills, St. Fran- 
cois county, was settled in 1796, Andrew Baker, John Alley, Francis 
Starnater and John Andrews, each locating claims. The following 
year, a settlement was made in the same county, just below the pres- 
ent town of Farmington, by the Rev. William Murphy, a Baptist min- 
ister from East Tennessee. In 1796, settlements were made in Perry 
county by emigrants from Kentucky and Pennsylvania ; the latter lo- 
cating in the rich bottom lands of Bois Brule, the former generally 
settling in the " Barrens," and along the waters of Saline Creek. 

Bird's Point, in Mississippi county, opposite Cairo, Illinois, was 
settled August 6, 1800, by John Johnson, by virtue of a land-grant 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 25 

from the commandant under the Spanish Government. Norfolk and 
Charleston, in the same county, were settled respectively in 1800 and 
1801. Warren county was settled in 1801. Loutre Island, below 
the present town of Hermann, in the Missouri River, was settled by a 
few American families in 1807. This little company of pioneers suf- 
fered greatly from the floods, as well as from the incursions of thieving 
and blood-thirsty Indians, and many incidents of a thrilling character 
could be related of trials and struggles, had we the time and space. 

In 1807, Nathan and Daniel M. Boone, sons of the great hunter and 
pioneer, in company with three others, went from St. Louis to 
"Boone's Lick," in Howard county, where they manufactured salt 
and formed the nucleus of a small settlement. 

Cote Sans Dessein, now called Bakersville, on the Missouri River, 
in Callaway county, was settled by the French in 1801. This little 
town was considered at that time, as the " Far West" of the new 
world. During the war of 1812, at this place many hard-fought 
battles occurred between the whites and Indians, wherein woman's 
fortitude and courage greatly assisted in the defence of the settle- 
ment. 

In 1810, a colony of Kentuckians numbering one hundred and fifty 
families immigrated to Howard county, and settled on the Missouri 
River in Cooper's Bottom near the present town of Franklin, and 
opposite Arrow Rock. 

Such, in brief, is the history of some of the early settlements of 
Missouri, covering a period of more than half a century. 

These settlements were made on the water courses ; usually along 
the banks of the two great streams, whose navigation afi'orded them 
transportation for their marketable commodities, and communication 
with the civilized portion of the country. 

They not only encountered the gloomy forests, settling as they did 
by the river's brink, but the hostile incursion of savage Indians, by 
whom they were for many years surrounded. 

The expedients of these brave men who first broke ground in the 
territory, have been succeeded by the permanent and tasteful improve- 
ments of their descendants. Upon the spots where they toiled, dared 
and died, are seen the comfortable farm, the beautiful village, and 
thrifty city. Churches and school houses greet the eye on every 
hand ; railroads diverge in every direction, and, indeed, all the appli- 
ances of a higlier civilization are profusely strewn over the smiling 
surface of the State. 



26 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. ♦ 

Culture's hand 
Has scattered verdure o'er the land; 
And smiles and fragrance rule serene, 
Where barren wild usurped the scene. 

SOME FIRST THINGS. 

The first marriage that took place in Missouri was April 20, 1766, 
in St. Louis. 

The first baptism was performed in May, 1766, in St. Louis. 

The first house of worship, (Catholic) was erected in 1775, at St. 
Louis. 

The first ferry established in 1805, on the Mississippi River, at St. 
Louis. 

The first newspaper established in St. Louis {MissouH Gazette) y in 
1808. 

The first postoffice was established in 1804, in St. Louis — Rufus 
Easton, post-master. 

The first Protestant church erected at Ste. Genevieve, in 1806 — 
Baptist. 

The first bank established (Bank of St. Louis), in 1814. 

The first market house opened in 1811, in St. Louis. 

The first steamboat on the Upper Mississippi was the General Pike, 
Capt. Jacob Reid ; landed at St. Louis 1817. 

The first board of trustees for public schools appointed in 1817, St. 
Louis. 

The first college built (St. Louis College), in 1817. 

The first steamboat that came up the Missouri River as high as 
Franklin was the Independence, in May, 1819 ; Capt. Nelson, mas- 
ter. 

The first court house erected in 1823, in St. Louis. 

The first cholera appeared in St. Louis in 1832. 

The first railroad convention held in St. Louis, April 20, 1836. 

The first telegraph lines reached East St. Louis, December 20, 
1847. 

The first great fire occurred in St. Louis, 1849. 



HlbTOKY OF MISSOURI. 27 

CHAPTEK Y. 

TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION. 

Organization 1812 — Council— House of Representatives — William Clark first Terri- 
torial Governor— Edward Hempstead first Delegate — Spanish Grants — First 
General Assembly — Proceedings — Second Assembly — Proceedings — Population 
of Territory — Vote of Territory — Ruf us Easton — Absent Members — Third Assem- 
bly — Proceedings — Application for Admission. 

Congress organized Missouri as a Territory, July 4, 1812, with a 
Governor and General Assembly. The Governor, Legislative Coun- 
cil, and House of Representatives exercised the Legislative power of 
the Territory, the Governor's vetoing power being absolute. 

i he Legislative Council was composed of nine members, whose ten- 
ure of office lasted five years. Eighteen citizens were nominated by 
the House of Representatives to the President of the United States, 
from whom he selected, with the approval of the Senate, nine Coun- 
cillors, to compose the Legislative Council. 

The House of Representatives consisted of members chosen every 
two years by the people, the basis of representation being one mem- 
ber for every five hundred white males. The first House of Repre- 
sentatives consisted of thirteen members, and, by Act of Congress, the 
whole number of Representatives could not exceed twenty-five. 

The judicial power of the Territory, was vested in the Superior and 
Inferior Courts, and in the Justices of the Peace ; the Superior Court 
having three judges, whose term of office continued four years, hav- 
ing original and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases. 

The Territory could send one delegate to Congress. Governor 
Clark issued a proclamation, October 1st, 1812, required by Congress, 
reorganizing the districts of St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, 
Cape Girardeau, and New Madrid, into five counties, and fixed the 
second Monday in November following, for the election of a delegate 
to Congress, and the members of the Territorial House of Represen- 
tatives. 

William Clark, of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, was the first 
Territorial Governor, appointed by the President, who began his duties 
1813. 

Edward Hempstead, Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond, and Matthew 
Lyon were candidates in November for delegates to Congress. 



28 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

Edward Hempstead was elected, being the first Territorial Dele- 
gate to Congress from Missouri. He served one term, declining a 
second, and was instrumental in having Congress to pass the act of 
June 13, 1812, which he introduced, confirming the title to lands 
which were claimed by the people by virtue of Spanish grants. The 
same act confirmed to the people " for the support of schools," the 
title to villa<Te lots, out-lots or common field lots, which were held 
and enjoyed by them, at the time of the session in 1803. 

Under the act of June 4, 1812, the first General Assembly held its 
session in the house of Joseph Robidoux, in St. Louis, on the 7th of 
December, 1812. The names of the members of the House were : — 

St. Charles. — John Pitman and Robert Spencer. 

St. Louis. — David Music, Bernard G. Farrar, William C. Carr, 
and Richard Clark. 

Ste. Genevieve. — George Bullet, Richard S. Thomas, and Isaac 
McGready. 

Cape Girardeau. — George F. Bollinger, and Spencer Byrd. 

New Madrid. — John Shrader and Samuel Phillips. 

John B. C. Lucas, one of the Territorial Judges, administered the 
oath of office. William C. Carr was elected speaker, and Andrew 
Scott, Clerk. 

The House of Representatives proceeded to nominate eighteen per- 
sons from whom the President of the United States, with the Senate, 
was to select nine for the Council. From this number the President 
chose the following : 

St. Charles. — James Flaugherty and Benjamin Emmons. 

St. Louis. — Auguste Chouteau, Sr., and Samuel Hammond. 

Ste. Genevieve. — John Scott and James Maxwell. 

Cape Girardeau. — William Neeley and Joseph Cavenor, 

New Madrid. — Joseph Hunter. 

The Legislative Council, thus chosen by the President and Senate, 
was announced by Frederick Bates, Secretary and Acting-Governor of 
the Territory, by proclamation, June 3, 1813, and fixing the first 
Monday in July following, as the time for the meeting of the Legis- 
lature, 

In the meantime the duties of the executive office were assumed by 
William Clark. The Legislature accordingly met, as required by the 
Acting-Governor's proclamation, in July, but its proceedings were 
never officially published. Consequently but little is known in refer- 
ence to the workings of the first Territorial Legislature in Missouri. 



HISTORi' OF MISSOURI. "^ 



From the imperfect account, published in the Missouri Gazette, of 
that day ; a paper which had been in existence since 1808, it is tound 
that laws were passed regulating and establishing weights and meas- 
ures ; creating the office of Sheriff; providing the manner for taking 
the census; permanently fixing the seats of Justices, and an act to 
compensate its own members. At this session, laws were also passed 
defining crimes and penalties ; laws in reference to forcible entry and 
detaine"; establishing Courts of Common Pleas; incorporatmg the 
Bank of St. Louis; and organizing a part of Ste. Genevieve county 
into the county of Washington. 

The next session of the Legislature convened in St. Louis, Decem- 
ber 6 1813. George Bullet of Ste. Genevieve county, was speaker 
elect, 'and Andrew Scott, clerk, and William Sullivan, doorkeeper. 
Since the adjournment of the former Legislature, several vacancies 
had occurred, and new members had been elected to fill their places. 
Among these was Israel McCready, from the county ot Washington. 
The president of the legislative council was Samuel Hammond. 
No journal of the council was officially published, but the proceedings 
of the house are found in the Gazette. 

At this session of the Legislature many wise and useful laws were 
passed, having reference to. the temporal as well as the moral and 
spiritual welfare of the people. Laws were enacted for the suppres- 
sion of vice and immorality on the Sabbath day ; for the improve- 
ment of public roads and highways ; creating the offices of auditor, 
treasurer and county surveyor ; regulating the fiscal affairs of the 
Territory and fixing the boundary lines of New Madrid, Cape Girar- 
deau, Washington and St. Charles counties. The Legislature ad- 
journed on the 19th of January, 1814, sine die. 

The population of the Territory as shown by the United States 
census in 1810, was 20,845. The census taken by the Legislature in 
1814 gave the Territory a population of 25,000. This enumeration 
shows^the county of St. Louis contained the greatest number of in- 
habitants, aud the new county of Arkansas the least — the latter hav- 
ing 827, and the former 3,149. 

The candidates for delegate to Congress wereRufus Easton, Samuel 
Hammond, Alexander McNair and Thomas F. Eiddick. Rufus 
Easton and Samuel Hammond had been candidates at the preceding 
election. In all the counties, excepting Arkansas, the votes aggre- 
gated 2,599, of which number Mr. Easton received 965, Mr. Ham- 



30 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

mond 746, Mr. McNair 853, and Mr. Eiddick (who had withdrawn 
previously to the election) 35. Mr. Easton was elected. 

The census of 1814 showing a large increase in the population of 
the Territory, an appointment was made increasing the number of 
Representatives in the Territorial Legislature to twenty-two. The 
General Assembly began its session in St. Louis, December 5, 1814. 
There were present on the first day twenty Eepresentatives. James 
Caldwell of Ste. Genevieve county was elected speaker, and Andrew 
Scott who had been clerk of the preceding assembly, was chosen 
clerk. The President of the Council was William Neeley, of Cape 
Girardeau county. 

It appeared that James Maxwell, the absent member of the Council, 
and Seth Emmons, member elect of the House of Representatives ^ 
were dead. The county of Lawrence was organized at this session, 
from the western part of New Madrid county, and the corporate 
powers of St. Louis were enlarged. In 1815 the Territorial Legisla- 
ture again began its session. Only a partial report of its proceedings 
are siven in the Gazette. The county of Howard was then oro^anized 
from St. Louis and St. Charles counties, and included all that part of 
the State lying north of the Osage and south of the dividing ridge 
between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. (For precise bounda- 
ries, see Chapter I. of the History of Boone County.) 

The next session of the Territorial Legislature commenced its ses- 
sion in December, 1816. During the sitting of this Legislature many 
important acts were passed. It was then that the " Bank of Mis- 
souri " was chartered and went into operation. In the fall of 1817 the 
♦♦Bank of St. Louis" and the "Bank of Missouri" were issuing 
bills. An act was passed chartering lottery companies, chartering 
the academy at Potosi, and incorporating a board of trustees for 
superintending the schools in the town of St. Louis. Laws were also 
passed to encourage the " killing of wolves, panthers and wild-cats." 

The Territorial Legislature met again in December, 1818, and, 
among other things, organized the counties of Pike, Cooper, Jeffer- 
son, Franklin, Wayne, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, and three 
counties in the Southern part of Arkansas. In 1819 the Territory of 
Arkansas was formed into a separate government of its own. 

The people of the Territory of Missouri had been, for some time, 
anxious that their Territory should assume the duties and responsibilities 
of a sovereign State. Since 1812, the date of the organization of the 
Territory, the population had rapidly increased, many counties had 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 31 

been established, its commerce had grown into importance, its agri- 
cultural and mineral resources were being developed, and believing 
that its admission into the Union as a State would give fresh impetus 
to all these interests, and hasten its settlement, the Territorial Legis- 
lature of 1818-19 accordingly made application to Congress for the 
passage of an act authorizing the people of Missouri to organize a State 
government. 



CHAPTER YI. 



Application of Missouri to be admitted into tlie Union — Agitation of the Slavery 
Question — "Missouri Compromise" — Constitutional Convention of 1820 — Con- 
stitution presented to Congress — Further Resistance to Admission — Mr. Clay and 
his Committee make Report — Second Compromise — Missouri Admitted. 

With the application of the Territorial Legislature of Missouri for 
her admission into the Union, commenced the real agitation of the 
slavery question in the United States. 

Not only was our National Legislature the theater of angry discus- 
sions, but everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the Re- 
public the "Missouri Question" was the all-absorbing theme. The 
political skies threatened, 

"In forked flashes, a commanding tempest," 

Which was liable to burst upon the nation at any moment. Through 
such a crisis our country seemed destined to pass. The question as to 
the admission of Missouri was to be the beginning of this crisis, which 
distracted the public counsels of the nation for more than forty years 
afterward. 

Missouri asked to be admitted into the great family of States. 
" Lower Louisiana," her twin sister Territory, had knocked at the 
door of the Union eight years previously, and was admitted as stipu- 
lated by Napoleon, to all the rights, privileges and immunities of a 
State, and in accordance with the stipulations of the same treaty, 
Missouri now sought to be clothed with the same rights, privileges 
and immunities. 

As what is known in the history of the United States as the *' Mis- 
souri Compromise," of 1820, takes rank among the most prominent 



32 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

measures that had up to that day engaged the attention of our 
National Legislature, we shall enter somewhat into its details, being 
connected as they are with the annals of the State. 

February 15th, 1819. — After the House had resolved itself into a 
Committee of the Whole on the bill to authorize the admission of Mis- 
souri into the Union, and after the questipn of her admission had been 
discussed for some time, Mr. Tallmadge, of New York, moved to 
amend the bill, by adding to it the following proviso : — 

'■''And Provided, That the fnrther introduction of slavery or involun- 
tary servitude be prohibited, except for the punishment of crime, 
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, and that all chil- 
dren born within the said State, after the admission thereof into the 
Union, shall be free at the age of twenty-five years." 

As mio'ht have been expected, this proviso precipitated the angry 
discussions which lasted nearly three years, finally culminating in the 
Missouri Compromise. All phases of the slavery question were pre- 
sented, not in its moral and social aspects, but as a great constitu- 
tional question, affecting Missouri and the admission of future States. 
The proviso, when submitted to a vote, was adopted — 79 to 67, and 
so reported to the House. 

Hon. John Scott, who was at that time a delegate from the Terri- 
tory of Missouri, w^as not permitted to vote, but as such delegate he 
had the privilege of participating in the debates which followed. On 
the 16th day of February the proviso was taken up and discussed. 
After several speeches had been made, among them one b}^ Mr. Scott 
and one by the author of the proviso, Mr. Tallmadge, the amendment, 
or proviso, was divided into two parts, and voted upon. The first 
part of it, which included all to the word " convicted," was adopted — 
87 to 76. The remaining part was then voted upon, and also 
adopted, by 82 to 78. By a vote of 97 to 56 the bill was ordered to 
be engrossed for a third reading. 

The Senate Committee, to whom the bill was referred, reported the 
same to the Senate on the 19th of February, when that body voted 
first upon a motion to strike out of the proviso all after the word 
" convicted," which was carried by a vote of 32 to 7. It then voted 
to strike out the first entire clause, which prevailed — 22 to K!, 
thereby defeating the proviso. 

The House declined to concur in the action of the Senate, and the 
bill was again returned to that body, which in turn refused to recede 
from its position. The bill was lost and Congress adjourned. This 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



33 



was most unfortunate for the country. The people having already 
been wrought up to fever heat over the agitation of the question in 
the National Councils, now became intensely excited. The press 
added fuel to the flame, and the progress of events seemed rapidly 
tending to the downfall of our nationality. 

A long interval of nine months was to ensue before the meeting of 
Congress. The body indicated by its vote upon the " Missouri Ques- 
tion," that the two great sections of the country were politically 
divided upon the subject of slavery. The restrictive clause, which it 
was sought to impose upon Missouri as a condition of her admission, 
would in all probability, be one of the conditions of the admission of 
the Territory of Arkansas. The public mind was in a state of great 
doubt and uncertainty up to the meeting of Congress, which took 
place on the 6th of December, 1819. The memorial of the Legisla- 
tive Council and House of Representatives of the Missouri Territory, 
praying for admission into the Union, was presented to the Senate 
by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina. It was referred to the Judiciary 
Committee. 

Some three weeks having passed without any action thereon by the 
Senate, the bill was taken up and discussed by the House until the 
19th of February, when the bill from the Senate for the admission of 
Maine was considered. The bill for the admission of Maine included 
the " Missouri Question," by an amendment which read as follows : 

"And be it further enacted. That in all that territory ceded by 
France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies 
north of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes, north latitude (except- 
ing such part thereof as is) included within the limits of the State, 
contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, other- 
wise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall hiive 
been convicted, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited; Provided, 
always. That any person escaping into the same from whom labor or 
service is lawfully claimed, in any State or Territory of the United 
States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the 
person claiming his or her labor or services as aforesaid." 

The Senate adopted this amendment, which formed the basis of the 
"Missouri Compromise," modified afterward by striking out the 
words, '^'excepting only such part thereof.'' 

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 24 to 20. On the 2d day of 
March the House took up the bill and amendments for consideration, 
and bv a vote of 134 to 42 concurred in the Senate amendment, and 



34 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



the bill being passed by the two Houses, constituted section 8, of 
**An Act to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to form a 
Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such 
State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and 
to prohibit slavery in certain territory." 

This act was approved March 6, 1820. Missouri then contained fif- 
teen organized counties. By act of Congress the people of said State 
were authorized to hold an election on the first Monday, and two suc- 
ceeding days thereafter in May, 1820, to select representatives to a 
State convention. This convention met in St. Louis on the 12th of 
June, following the election in May, and concluded its labors on the 
19th of July, 1820. David Barton was its President, and Wm. G. 
Pettis, Secretary. There were forty-one members of this convention, 
men of ability and statesmanship, as the admirable constitution which 
they framed amply testifies. Their names and the counties repre- 
sented by them are as follows : — 

Cape Girardeau. —Stephen Byrd, James Evans, Kichard S. 
Thomas, Alexander Buckner and Joseph McFerron. 

Cooper. — Robert P. Clark, Robert Wallace, Wm. Lillard. 

Franklin. — John G. Heath. 

Howard. — Nicholas S. Burkhart, Duff Green, John Ray, Jonathan 
S. Findley, Benj. H. Reeves. 

Jefferson. — Daniel Hammond. 

Lincoln. — Malcom Henry. 

Montgomery. — Jonathan Ramsey, James Talbott. 

Madison. — Nathaniel Cook. 

New Madrid. — Robert S. Dawson, Christopher G. Houts. 

Pike. — Stephen Cleaver. 

St. Charles. — Benjamin Emmons, Nathan Boone, Hiram H. Baber. 

Ste. Genevieve. — John D. Cook, Henry Dodge, John Scott, R. T. 
Brown. 

St. Louis. — David Barton, Edward Bates, Alexander McNair, 
Wm. Rector, John C. Sullivan, Pierre Chouteau, Jr., Bernard Pratte, 
Thomas F. Riddick. 

Washington. — John Rice Jones, Samuel Perry, John Hutchings. 
Wayne. — Elijah Bettis. 

On the 13th of November, 1820, Congress met again, and on the 
sixth of the same month Mr. Scott, the delegate from Missouri, pre- 
sented to the House the Constitution as framed by the convention. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 35 

The same was referred to a select committee, who made thereon a 
favorable report. 

The admission of the State, however, was resisted, because it was 
claimed that its constitution sanctioned slavery, and authorized the 
Legislature to pass laws preventing free negroes and mulattoes from 
settling in the State. The report of the committee to whom was 
referred the Constitution of Missouri was accompanied by a preamble 
and resolutions, offered by Mr. Lowndes, of South Carolina. The 
preamble and resolutions were stricken out. 

The application of the State for admission shared the same fate in 
the Senate. The question was referred to a select committee, who, 
on the 29th of November, reported in favor of admitting the State. 
The debate, which followed, continued for two weeks, and finally Mr. 
Eaton, of Tennessee, offered an amendment to the resolution as fol- 
lows : — 

*' Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as 
to give the assent of Congress to any provision in the Constitution of 
Missouri, if any such there be, which contravenes that clause in the 
Constitution of the Unite<l States, which declares that the citizens of 
each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of 
citizens in the several States." 

The resolution, as amended, was adopted. The resolution and 
proviso were again taken up and discussed at great length, when the 
committee agreed to report the resolution to the House. 

The question on agreeing to the amendment, as reported from the 
committee of the whole, was lost in the House. A similar resolution 
afterward passed the Senate, but was again rejected in the House. 
Then it was that that great statesman and pure patriot, Henry Clay, 
of Kentucky, feeling that the hour had come when angry discussions 
should cease, 

" With grave 

Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd 

A pillar of state ; deep on his front engravei 

Deliberation sat and public care ; 

And princely counsel in his face yet shone 

Majestic" •*♦**♦ 

proposed that the question of Missouri's admission be referred to a 
committee consisting of twenty-three persons (a number equal to the 
number of States then composing the Union), be appointed to act in 
conjunction with a committee of the Senate to consider and report 
whether Missouri should be admitted, etc. 



36 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

The motion prevailed ; the committee was appointed and Mr. Clay 
made its chairman. The Senate selected seven of its members to act 
with the committee of twenty-three, and on the 26th of February the 
following report was made by that committee : — 

" Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Conjjress assembled : That Missouri shall 
be admitted into the Union, on an equal footing with the original 
States, in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition that 
the fourth clause, of the twenty-sixth section of the tWrd article of 
the Constitution submitted on the part of said State to Congress, shall 
never be construed to authorize the passage of any law, and that no 
law shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen of 
either of the States in this Union shall be excluded from the enjoy- 
ment of any of the privileges and immunities to which such citizen is 
entitled, under the Constitution of the United States ; provided, That 
the Legislature of said State, by a Solemn Public Act, shall declare 
the assent of the said State, to the said fundamental condition, and 
shall transmit to the President of the United States, on or before the 
fourth Monday in November next, an authentic copy of the said act ; 
upon the receipt whereof, the President, by proclamation, shall an- 
nounce the fact ; whereupon, and without any further proceeding on 
the part of Congress, the admission of the said State into the Union 
shall be considered complete." 

This resolution, after a brief debate, was adopted in the House, and 
passed the Senate on the 28th of February, 1821. 

At a special session of the Legislature held in St. Charles, in June 
following, a Solemn Public Act was adopted, giving its assent to the 
conditions of admission, as expressed in the resolution of Mr. Clay. 
August 10th, 1821, President Monroe announced by proclamation the 
admission of Missouri into the Union to be complete. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 37 

CHAPTER VII. 

MISSOURI AS A STATE. 

First Election for Governoi',and other State Officers — Senators and Representatives to 
General Assembly — Sheriffs and Coroners — U. S. Senators — Representatives in 
Congress — Supreme Court Judges — Counties Organized — Capital Moved to St, 
Charles — Official Record of Territorial and State Officers. 

By the Constitution adopted by the Convention on the 19th of July, 
1820, the General Assembly was required to meet in St. Louis on the 
third Monday in September of that year, and an election was ordered 
to be held on the 28th of August for the election of a Governor and 
other State officers, Senators and Representatives to the General 
Assembly, Sheriffs and Coroners, United States Senators and Repre- 
sentatives in Congress. 

It will be seen that Missouri had not as yet been admitted as a 
State, but in anticipation of that event, and according to the provi- 
sions of the constitution, the election was held, and the General As- 
sembly convened. 

William Clark (who had been Governor of the Territory) and 
Alexander McNair were the candidates for Governor. McNair re- 
ceived 6,576 votes, Clark 2,556, total vote of the State 9,132. There 
were three candidates for Lieutenant-Governor, to wit : William H. 
Ashley, Nathaniel Cook and Henry Elliot. Ashley received 3,907 
votes, Cook 3,212, Elliot 931. A Representative was to be elected 
for the residue of the Sixteenth Congress and one for the Seventeenth. 
John Scott who was at the time Territorial delegate, was elected to 
both Congresses without opposition. 

The General Assembly elected in August met on the 19th of Sep- 
tember, 1820, and organized by electing James Caldwell, of Ste. 
Genevieve, speaker, and John McArthur clerk; William H. Ashley, 
Lieutenant-Governor, President of the Senate ; Silas Bent, President, 
pro tern. 

Mathias McGirk, John D. Cook, and John R. Jones were appointed 
Supreme Judges, each to hold office until sixty-five years of acre. 

Joshua Barton was appointed Secretary of State ; Peter Didier, 
State Treasurer; Edward Bates, Attorney-General, and William 
Christie, Auditor of Public Accounts. 



38 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



David Barton and Thomas H. Benton were elected by the General 
Assembly to the United States Senate. 

At this session of the Legislature the counties of Boone, Callaway, 
Chariton, Cole, Gasconade, Lillard, Perry, Ralls, Ray and Saline 
were organized. 

We should like to give in details the meetings and proceedings of 
the different Legislatures which followed ; the elections for Govern- 
ors and other State officers ; the elections for Congressmen and United 
States Senators, but for want of space we can only present in a con- 
densed form the official record of the Territorial and State officers. 



i 



OFFICIAL BKCORD — TERKITORIAX OFFICERS. 

Governors. 
Frederick Bates, Secretary and William Clark . . 

Acting-Governor .... 1812-13 

OFFICERS OF STATE GOVERNMENT. 



Governors. 

Alexander McNair 1820-24 

Frederick Bates 1824-25 

Abraham J. Williams, vice 

Bates 1825 

John Miller, vice Bates . . . 1826-28 

John Miller 1828-32 

Daniel Dunklin, (1832-36) re- 
signed; appointed Surveyor 
General of the U. S. Lilburn 

W. Boggs, vice Dunklin . . 1836 

Lilburn W. Boggs 1836-40 

Thomas Reynolds (died 1844), . 1840-44 
M. M. Marmaduke vice Key- 

nolds — John 0. Edwards . 1844-48 

Austin A. King . ... 1848-52 

Sterling Price 1852-56 

Trusten Polk (resigned) . . . 1856-57 

Hancock Jackson, vice Polk . 1857 

Robert M. Stewart, vice Polk . 1857-60 
C. F. Jackson (1860), office va- 
cated by ordinance ; Hamil- 
ton R. Gamble, vice Jackson; 
Gov. Gamble died 1864. 

Willard P. Hall, vice Gamble . 1864 

Thomas C. Fletcher .... 1864-68 

Jos«ph W. McClurg .... 1868-70 

B. Gratz Brown 1870-72 

Silas Woodson 1872-74 

Charles H. Hardin 1874-76 

John S. Phelps 1876-80 

Thomas T. Crittenden (now 

Governor) 1880 



Lieutenant-Oovemora. 
William H. Ashley 
Benjamin H. Reeves 
Daniel Dunklin . . 
Lilburn W. Boggs . 
Franklin Cannon . 
M. M. Marmaduke . 
James Young . . 
Thomas L Rice. 
Wilson Brown , . 
Hancock Jaclcson . 
Thomas C. Reynolds 
Willard P. Hall . 
George Smith . . 
Edwin O. Stanard 
Joseph J. Gravelly. 
Charles P. Johnson 
Norman J. Coleman 
Henry C. Brockmeyer 
Robert A. Campbell (present 
incumbent) 

Secretaries of State. 

Joshua Barton 

William G. Pettis 

Hamilton R. Gamble .... 

Spencer Pettis 

P. H. McBride 

John C. Edwards (term expired 
1835, reappointed 1837, re- 
signed 1837) 

Peter G. Glover 

James L. Minor 



1813-20 



1820-24 
1824-28 
1828-32 
1832-36 
1836-40 
1840-44 
1844-48 
1848-52 
1852-55 
1855-56 
1860-61 
1861-64 
1864-68 
1868-70 
1870-72 
1872-74 
1874-76 
1876-80 

1880 



1820-21 
1821-24 
1824-26 
1826-28 
1829-30 



1830-37 
1837-39 
1839-45 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



39 



OFFICERS OF 


STATE G( 


F. H. Martin 


1845-49 


Ephraim B. Ewing . . .. 


1849-52 


John M. Richardson .... 


1852-56 


Benjamin F. Massey (re-elected 




1860, for four years) .... 


1856-60 


Mordecai Oliver ...'... 


1861-64 


Francis Rodman (re-elected 1868 




for two years) 


1804-68 


Eugene F. Weigel, (re-elected 




1872, for two years) .* . . . 


1870-72 


Michael K. McGrath (present 




incumbent) 


1874 



STATE GOVERNMENT — Continued. 

Auditors of Public Accounts. 

William Christie ] 820-21 

William V. Rector 
Elias Barcroft . 
Henry Shurlds . 
Peter G. Glover . 



State Treasurers. 



Peter Didier 

Nathaniel Simonds . . . . 

James Earickson 

John Walker 

Abraham McClellan . . . . 

Peter G. Glover 

A. W. Morrison 

George 0. Bingham . . . . 

William Bishop 

William Q. Dallmeyer . . , 

Samuel Hays 

Harvey W. Salmon . . . . 

Joseph W. Mercer 

Elijah Gates 

Phillip E. Chappell (present in- 
cumbent) 



Attomey-Qenerals. 



Edward Bates 

Rufus Easton 

Robt. W. Wells 

William B. Napton . . . . 

8. M. Bay 

B. F. Stringfellow 

William A. Robards . . . . 
James B. Gardenhire . . . . 
Ephraim W. Ewing . . . . 

James P. Knott 

Aikman Welch 

Thomas T. Crittenden . , . 

Robert F. Wingate 

Horace P. Johnson 

A. J. Baker 

Henry Clay Ewing 

John A. Hockaday 

Jackson L. Smith 

D. H. Mclntire (present in- 
cumbent) 



1820-21 

1821-28 

1829-33 

1833-38 

1838^3 

1843-51 

1S51-60 

1 862-64 

1864-08 

1868-70 

1872 

1872-74 

1874-76 

1876-80 

1380 



1820-21 

1821-26 

1826-36 

H36-39 

1839-45 

1 845^9 

1849-51 

1 851-56 

1856-59 

1859-61 

1S61-64 

1864 

1864-68 

1868-70 

1870-72 

1872-74 

1874-76 

1870-80 



18S0 



Hiram H. Baber 
William Monroe 
J. R. McDermon 
George W. Miller 
Wilson Brown . 
William H. Buffington 
William S. Moseley 
Alonzo Thompson . 
Daniel M. Draper . 
George B. Clark 
Thomas Holladay . 
John Walker (present incnm 
bent) 



1821-23 

1823-33 

1 .33-35 

1S35-37 

1837^5 

1845 

1845-48 

1848^9 

1849-52 

1852-60 

1860-64 

1864-68 

1868-72 

1872-74 

187 -80 

1880 



Judges of Supreme Court. 

Matthias McGirk 1822-41 

John D. Cooke 1822-23 

John R. Jones 1822-24 

Rufus Pettibone 1823-25 

Geo. Tompkins 1824-45 

Robert Wash 1825-87 

John C. Edwards 1837-39 

Wm. Scott, (appointed 1841 till 
meeting of General Assem- 
blj' in place of McGirk, re- 
signed; reappointed . . . 1843 

P. H. McBrlde 1845 

Wm. B. Napton 1849-62 

John F. Ryland 1849-51 

John H. Birch 1849-51 

Wm. Scott, John F. Ryland, 
and Hamilton R. Gamble 
(elected by the people, for six 

years) 1851 

Gamble (resigned) 1854 

Abiel Leonard elected to fill va- 
cancy of Gamble. 
Wm. B. Napton (vacated by 

failure to file oath). 
Wm. Scott and John C. Rich- 
ardson (resigned, elected Au- 
gust, for six years) .... 1857 
E. B. Ewing, (to fill Richard- 
son's resignation) .... 1859 
Barton Bates (appointed) . . 1862 
W. V. N. Bay (appointed) . . 1862 



40 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



OFFICERS OF 


STATE GO 


John D. S. Dryden (appointed) 


1862 


Barton Bates 


1863-65 


W. V. N. Bay (elected) . . . 


1863 


John D, S. Dryden (elected) . 


1863 


David Wagner (appointed) . , 


1865 


"Wallace L. Lovelace (appoint- 




ed) 


1865 


Nathaniel Holmes (appointed) 


1865 


Thomas J. C. Fagg (appointed) 


1866 


James Baker (appointed) . . 


1868 


David Wagner (elected) . . . 


1868-70 


Philemon Bliss 


1868-70 


Warren Currier 


1868-71 


Washington Adams (appointed 




to fill Currier's place, whore- 




signed) 


1871 


Epbraim B. Ewing (elected) . 


1872 


Thomas A. Sherwood (elected) 


1872 


W. B. Napton (appointed in 




place of Ewing, deceased) . 


1873 


Edward A. Lewis (appointed, 




in place of Adams, resigned) 


1874 


Warwick Hough (elected) . . 


1874 


William B. Napton (elected) . 


1874-80 


John W. Henry 


1876-86 


Robert D. Ray succeeded Wm. 




B. Napton in . . . . . . 


1880 


Elijah H. Norton (appointed in 




1876), elected 


1878 


T. A. Sherwood (re-elected) 


1882 


United States Senators. 




T. H. Benton 


1820-50 


D. Barton 


1820-30 


Alex. Buckner 


1830-33 


L. F. Linn 


1833-43 


D. R. Atchison 


1843-55 


H. S. Geyer 


1851-57 


James S. Green 


1857-61 


T. Polk 


1857-63 
1861 


Waldo P. Johnson 


Robert Wilson 


1861 


B. Gratz Brown (for unexijiied 




term of Johnson) .... 


1863 


J. B. Henderson 


1863-69 


Charles D. Drake 


1867-70 


Carl Schurz 


1869-75 


D. F. Jewett (in place of Drake, 




resigned) 


1870 


P. P. Blair 


1871-77 


li. V.Bogy 


1873 


James Shields (elected for unex- 




pired term of Bogy) . . , 


1879 



STATE GOVERNMENT — Continued. 

D. H. Armstrong appointed for 

unexpired term of Bogy. 
F. M. Cockrell (re-elected 1881) 1876-81 
George G. Vest 1879 

Representatives to Congress. 



ted 



1846 



iec 



led 



John Scott . . . 
Ed. Bates .... 
Spencer Pettis . . 
William H. AiUl, y 
John Bull .... 
Albert G. Harrison . 
John Miller . . . 
John Jameson (re-ele 

for two years) 
John C. Edwards . 
James M. Hughes . 
James H. Relfe . . 
James B. Bowlii) . 
Gustavus M. Bownr 
Sterling Price . . 
William McDanicl . 
Leonard H. Sims . 
John S. Phelps . . 
James S. Green ( 

1856, resigned) . 
Will aid P. Hall . . 
William V. N. Buy 
John F. Darby . . 
Gilchrist Porter . . 
John G. Miller . . 
Alfred W. Lamb . 
Thomas H. Bentuii . 
Mordecai Oliver 
James J. Lindley . 
Samuel Caruthers . 
Thomas P. Akers (lo 

pi red term of J. G, 

deceased) . . 
Francis P. Blair, Jr. (re-elected 

1860, resigned) . 
Thomas L. Anderson 
James Craig . . . 
Samuel H. Woodson 
John B. Clark, Sr. . 
J. Richard Barrett . 
John W. Noel . . 
James S. Rollins 
Elijah H, Norton . 
John W. Reid . . 
William A. Hall . 
Thomas L. Price (in pi 



fill u 



leX- 
Miller, 



1820-26 
1826-28 
1828-31 
1831-36 
1832-34 
1834-39 
1886-42 

1839-44 

1840-42 

1842-44 

1842-46 

1842-50 

1842-44 

1844-46 

1846 

1844-46 

1844-60 

1846-50 
1846-53 
1848-61 
1850-53 
1850-57 
1850-56 
1852-54 
1852-54 
1852-57 
1852-56 
1852-58 



1855 

1856 
1856-60 
1856-60 
1856-60 
1857-61 
1860 
1858-63 
1860-64 
1860-63 
1860-61 
.1862-64 



ice of 



Reid, expelled) 1852 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



41 



OFriCKKS OF 

Henry T. Blow 

Bempronius T. Boyd, (elected in 

1862, and again in 1868, for 

two years. ) 
Joseph W. McClurg .... 

Austin A. King 

Benjamin F. Loan 

John G. Scott (in place of Noel, 

deceased) 

John Hogan .... . . 

Thomas F. Noel 

John R. Kelsoe 

Kobert T. Van Horn . . . 

John F. Benjamin 

George W. Anderson .... 

"William A. Pile 

C. A, Newcomb 

Joseph J. Gravelly 

James R. McCormack . . . 
John H. Stover (in place of 

McClurg, resigned) . . 

Erastus Wells 

6. A. Finklenburg ... 

Samuel S. Burdett 

Joel F. Asper 

David P. Dyer 

Harrison E. Havens .... 

Isaac G. Parker 

James G. Blair 

Andrew King .... . . 

Edwin O. Stanard 

"William H. Stone 

Robert A. Hatcher (elected) . 

Richard B. Bland 

Thomas T. Crittenden . . . 

Ira B.Hyde 

John B. Clark, Jr 

John M. Glover 



STATE GOVBRNMKNT — Continued. 



1862-66 



1862-66 
1862-64 
1862-69 

1863 

1864-66 

1864-67 

1864-66 

1864-71 

1864-71 

1864-69 

1866-68 

1866-68 

1866-68 

1866-73 

1867 

1868-82 

1868-71 

1868-71 

1868-70 

1868-70 

1870-75 

1870-75 

1870-72 

1870-72 

1872-74 

1872-78 

1872 

1872 

1872-74 

1872-74 

1872-78 

1872 



Aylett H. Buckner 1872 

Edward C. Kerr 1874-78 

Charles H. Morgan .... 1874 

John F. Philips 1874 

B, J. Franklin 1874 

David Rea 1874 

Rezin A. De Bolt 1874 

Anthony Ittner 1876 

Nathaniel Cole 1876 

Robert A. Hatcher 1876-78 

R. P. Bland 1876-78 

A. H. Buckner 1876-78 

J. B. Clark, Jr 1876-78 

T. T. Crittenden 1876-78 

B. J. Franklin 1876-78 

John M. Glover 1876-78 

Robert A. Hatcher 1876-78 

Chas. H. Morgan 1876-78 

L. S. Metcalf 1876-78 

H.M. Pollard 1876-78 

David Rea 1876-78 

S. L. Sawyer 1878-80 

N. Ford 1878-82 

G. F. Rothwell 1878-82 

John B. Clark, Jr 1878-82 

W. H. Hatch 1878-82 

A. H. Buckner 1878-82 

M. L. Clardy 1878-82 

R. G.Frost 1878-82 

L. H.Davis 1878-82 

R. P. Bland 1878-82 

J.R. Waddell 1878-80 

T.Allen 1880-82 

R. Hazeltino 1880-82 

T.M.Rice 1880-82 

R.T. Van Horn 1880-82 

Nicholas Ford 1880-82 

J. G. Burrows 1880-82 



COUNTIES 

Adair January 29, 

Andrew January 29, 

Atchison January 14, 

Audrain December 17, 

Barry January 5, 

Barton December 12, 

Bates January 29, 

Benton Januarys, 

Bollinger March 1, 

Boone November 16, 

Buchanan February 10, 



— WHEN ORGANIZED. 

1841 

1841 

1845 
18;-]6 
1835 
1835 
1841 
1835 
1851 
1820 
1839 



Caldwell December 26, 1836 

Callaway November 25, 1820 

Camden January 29, 1841 

Cape Girardeuu October 1, 1812 

Carroll January 3, 1833 

Carter March 10, 1859 

Cass September 14, 1835 

Celar .. February 14. 1845 

Chariton November 16, 1820 

Christian March 8, 1860 

Clark December 15. 1818 



42 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



COTTNTIKS, WHEN ORGANIZED — Continued. 



Butler , February 27, 1849 

Clay January 2, 1822 

Clinton January 15, 1833 

Cole November 16, 1820 

Cooper December 17, 1818 

Crawford January 23, 1829 

Dade January 29, 1841 

Dallas December 10, 1844 

Daviess December 29, 1836 

DeKalb February 25, 1845 

Dent February 10, 1851 

Douglas October 19, 1857 

I'u iklin February 14, 1845 

Franklin December 11, 1818 

Gasconade November 25, 1820 

Gentry February 12, 1841 

Greene January 2. 1833 

Grundy January 2, 1843 

Harrison February 14, 1845 

Henry December 13, 1834 

Hickory February 14, 1845 

Holt .'.February 15, 1841 

Howard January 23, 1816 

Howell March 2, 1857 

Iron February 17, 1857 

Jackson December 15, 1826 

Jasper lanuary 29, 1841 

Jefferson December 8, 1818 

Johnson December 13, 1834 

Knox February 14, 1846 

Laclede February 24, 1849 

Lafayette November 16, 1820 

Lawrence February 25, 1845 

Lewis January 2, 1833 

Lincoln December 14, 1818 

Linn January 7, 1837 

Livingston January 6, 1837 

McDonald March 3, 1849 

Macon January 6, 1837 

Madison December 14, 1818 

Maries March 2, 1855 

Marion December 23, 1826 

Mercer February 14, 1845 

Miller February 6, 1837 

Mississippi February 14, 1845 

Moniteau February 14, 1845 



Monroe January 6, 1831 

Montgomery December 14, 1818 

Morgan January 5, 1833 

New Madrid October 1, 1812 

Newton December 31, 1838 

Nodaway ?"ebruary 14, 1845 

Oregon February 14, 1845 

Osage January 29, 1841 

Ozark January 29, 1841 

Pemiscot February 19, 1861 

Perr^' November 16, 1820 

Pettis January 26, 1833 

Phelps November IS, 1857 

Pike December 14, 1816 

Platte December 31, 1838 

Polk March 13, 1835 

Pulaski December 15, 1818 

Putnam February 28, 1845 

Ralls November 16, 1820 

Randolph January 22, 1829 

Ray November 16, 1820 

Reynolds February 25, 1846 

Ripley January 5, 1833 

St. Charles October 1, 1812 

St. Clair January 29, 1841 

St. Francois December 19, 1821 

Ste. Genevieve October 1, 1812 

St. Louis October 1, 1812 

Saline November 25, 1820 

Schuyler February 14, 1845 

Scotland January 29, 1841 

Scott December 28, 1821 

Shannon January 29, 1841 

Shelby January 2, 1835 

Stoddard January 2, 1835 

Stone February 10, 1861 

Sullivan February 16, 1846 

Taney January 16, 1837 

Texas February 14, 1836 

Vernon February 17, 1861 

Warren January 5, 1833 

Washington August 21, 1813 

Wayne December 11, 1818 

Webster March 3, 1855 

Worth February 8, 1861 

Wright January 29, 1841 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 43 

CHAPTER VIII. 
CIVIL WAR IN MISSOURI. 

Fort Sumter fired upon — Call for 75,000 men — Gov. Jackson refuses to furnish a 
man — U. S. Arsenal at Liberty, Mo., seized — Proclamation of Gov. Jackson — 
Greneral Order No. 7 — Legislature convenes — Camp Jackson organized — Sterling 
Price appointed Major-General — Frost's letter to Lyon — Lyon's letter to Prost — 
Surrender of Camp Jackson — Proclamation of Gen. Harney — Conference between 
Price and Harney — Harney superseded by Lyon — Second Conference — Gov. Jack- 
son burns the bridges behind him — Proclamation of Gov. Jackson — Gen. Blair 
takes possession of Jefferson City — Proclamation of Lyon — Lyon at Springfield — 
State offices declared vacant — Gen. Fremont assumes command — Proclamation of 
Lieut.-Gov. Reynolds — Proclamation of Jeff. Thompson and Gov. Jackson — Death 
of Gen. Lyon — Succeeded by Sturgis — Proclamation of McCuUoch and Gamble — 
Martiallaw declared — Second proclamation of Jeff. Thompson — President modi- 
fies Fremont's order — Fremont relieved by Hunter — Proclamation of Price — Hun- 
ter's Order of Assessment — Hunter declares Martial Law — Order relating to 
Newspapers — Halleck succeeds Hunter — Halleck's Order 81 — Similar order by 
Halleck — Boone County Standard confiscated — Execution of prisoners at Macon 
and Palmyra — Gen.Ewing's Order No. 11 — Gen.Rosecrans takes command — Mas- . 
sacre at Centralia — Death of Bill Anderson — Gen. Dodge succeeds Gen. Eose- 
crans — List of Battles. 

" Lastly stood war — 
With visage grim, stern looks, and blackly hued, 

*: Hi * * » * * 

Ah ! why will kings forget that they are men? 
And men that they are brethren? Why delight 
In human sacrifice? Why burst the ties 
Of nature, that should knit their souls together 
In one soft bond of amity and love?" 

Fort Sumter was fired upon April 12, 1861. On April 15th, Presi- 
dent Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 men, from the 
the militia of the several States, to suppress combinations in the South- 
ern States therein named. Simultaneously therewith, the Secretar}'^ of 
War sent a telegram to all the governors of the States, excepting 
those mentioned in the proclamation, requesting them to detail a cer- 
tain immber of militia to serve for three months, Missouri's quota 
being four regiments. 

In response to this telegram. Gov. Jackson sent the following answer : 

Executive Department of Missouri, 
Jefferson City, April 17, 1861. 
To the Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, Washington, B.C.: 
Sir: Your dispatch of the 15th inst., making a call on Missouri for 



44 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

four regiments of men for immediate service, has been received. There 
can be, I apprehend, no doubt but these men are intended to form a 
part of the President's army to make war upon the people of the 
seceded States. Your requisition, in my judgment, is illegal, unconsti- 
tutional, and can not be complied with. Not one man will the State of 
Missouri furnish to carry on such an unholy war. 

C. F. Jackson, 

Governor of Missouri. 

April 21, 1861. U. S. Arsenal at Liberty was seized by order of 
Governor Jackson. 

April 22, 1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation convening 
the Legislature of Missouri, on May following, in extra session, to take 
into consideration the momentous issues which were presented, and 
the attitude to be assumed by the State in the impending struggle. 

On the 22nd of April, 1861, the Adjutant-General of Missouri issued 
the following military order : 

Headquarters Adjutant-General's Office, Mo., 
Jefferson City, April 22, 1861. 
{General Orders No. 7.) 

I. To attain a greater degree of efficiency and perfection in organ- 
ization and discipline, the Commanding Officers of the several Military 
districts in this State, having four or more legally organized compa- 
nies therein, whose armories are within fifteen miles of each other, will 
assemble their respective commands at some place to be by them sever- 
ally designated, on the 3rd day of May, and to go into an encampment 
for a period of six days, as provided by law. Captains of companies 
not organized into battalions will report the strength of their compa- 
nies immediately to these headquarters, and await further orders. 

II. The Quartermaster-General will procure and issue to Quarter- 
masters of Districts, for these commands not now provided for, all 
necessary tents and camp equipage, to enable the commanding officers 
thereof to carry the foregoing orders into effect. 

m. The Light Battery now attached to the Southwest Battalion, 
and one company of mounted riflemen, including all officers and sol- 
diers belonging to the First District, will proceed forthwith to St. Louis, 
and report to Gen. D. M. Frost for duty. The remaining companies 
of said battalion will be disbanded for the purpose of assisting in the 
organization of companies upon that frontier. The details in the exe- 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 45 

cution of the foregroino: are intrusted to Lieuteuant-Colouel John S. 
Bowen, commanding the Battalion. 

IV. The strength, organization, and equipment of the several com- 
panies in the District will be reported at once to these Headquarters, 
and District Inspectors will furnish all information which may be ser- 
viceable in ascertaining the condition of the State forces. 
By order of the Governor. 

Warwick Hough, 
Adjutant- General of Missouri. 

May 2, 1861. The Legislature convened in extra session. Many 
acts were passed, among which was one to authorize the Governor to 
purchase or lease David Ballentine's foundry at Boonville, for the man- 
ufacture of arms and munitions of war; to authorize the Governor to 
appoint one Major-General ; to authorize the Governor, when, in his 
opinion, the security and welfare of the State required it, to take pos- 
session of the railroad and telegraph lines of the State ; to provide for 
the organization, government, and support of the military forces ; to 
borrow one million of dollars to arm and equip the militia of the State 
to repel invasion, and protect the lives and property of the people. 
An act was also passed creating a " Military Fund," to consist of all 
the money then in the treasury or that might thereafter be received 
from the one-tenth of one per cent, on the hundred dollars, levied by 
act of November, 1857, to complete certain railroads ; also the pro- 
ceeds of a tax of fifteen cents on the hundred dollars of the assessed 
value of the taxable property of the several counties in the State, and 
the proceeds of the two-mill tax, which had been theretofore appro- 
priated for educational purposes. 

May 3, 1861. *' Camp Jackson" was organized. 

May 10, 1861. Sterling Price appointed Major-General of State 
Guard. 

May 10, 1861. General Frost, commanding " Camp Jackson," ad- 
dressed General N. Lyon, as follows : — 

Headquarters Camp Jackson, Missouri Militia, May 10, 1861. 
Capt. N. Lyon, Commanding U. S. Troops in and about St. Lo^iin 
Arsenal : 

Sir : I am constantly in receipt of information that you contem- 
plate an attack upon my camp, whilst I understand that you are im- 
[)ressed with the idea that an attack upon the Arsenal and United 
States troops is intended on the part of the Militia of Missouri. I am 



46 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

greatly at a loss to know what could justify you in attacking citizens 
of the United States, who are in lawful performance of their duties, 
devolving upon them under the Constitution in organizing and instruct- 
ing the militia of the State in obedience to her laws, and, therefore, 
have been disposed to doubt the correctness of the information I have 
received. 

I would be glad to know from you personally whether there is any 
truth in the statements that are constantly pouring into my ears. So 
far as regards any hostility being intended toward the United States, 
or its property or representatives by any portion of my command, or, 
as far as I can learn (and I think I am fully informed), of any other 
part of the State forces, I can positively say that the idea has never 
been entertained. On the contrary, prior to your taking command of 
the Arsenal, I proffered to Major Bell, then in command of the very 
few troops constituting its guard, the services of myself and all my 
command, and, if necessary, the whole power of the State, to protect 
the United States in the full possession of all her property. Upon 
General Harney taking command of this department, I made the same 
proffer of services to him, and authorized his Adjutant- General, Capt. 
Williams, to communicate the fact that such had been done to the 
War Department. I have had no occasion since to change any of the 
views I entertained at the time, neither of my own volition nor through 
orders of my constitutional commander. 

1 trust that after this explicit statement that we may be able, by 
fully understanding each other, to keep far from our borders the mis- 
fortunes which so unhappily affect our common country. 

This communication will be handed you by Colonel Bowen, my 
Chief of Staff, who will be able to explain anything not fully set forth 
in the foregoing. 

I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant. 

Brigadier-General D. M. Frost, 
Commanding Camp Jackson^ M. V. M. 

May 10, 1861. Gen. Lyon sent the following to Gen. Frost: 

Headquarters United States Troops, 
St. Louis, Mo., May 10, 1861. 
Gen. D. M. Frost, Commanding Camp Jackson: 

Sir : Your command is regarded as evidently hostile toward the 
Government of the United States. 

It is, for the most part, made up of those Secessionists who have 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 47 

(t )p»ily avowed their hostility to the General Government, and have 
been plotting at the seizure of its property and the overthrow of its 
authority. You are openly in communication with the so-called 
Southern Confederacy, which is now at war with the United States, 
and you are receiving at your camp, from the said Confederacy and 
under its flag, large supplies of the material of war, most of which is 
known to be the property of the United States. These extraordinary 
preparations plainly indicate none other than the well-known purpose 
of the Governor of this State, under whose orders you are acting, and 
whose communication to the Legislature has just been responded to 
by that body in the most unparalleled legislation, having in direct 
view hostilities to the General Government and co-operation with its 
enemies. 

In view of these considerations, and of your failure to disperse in 
obedience to the proclamation of the President, and of the imminent 
necessities of State policy and warfare, and the obligations imposed 
upon me by instructions from Washington, it is my duty to demand, 
and I do hereby demand of you an immediate surrender of your com- 
mand, with no other conditions than that all persons surrendering 
under this command shall be humanely and kindly treated. Believing 
myself prepared to enforce this demand, one-half hour's time before 
doing so will be allowed for your compliance therewith. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

N. Lyon, 
Captain Second Infantry^ Commanding Troops. 

May 10, 1861. Camp Jackson surrendered and prisoners all 
released excepting Capt. Emmet McDonald, who refused to subscribe 
to the parole. 

May 12, 1861. Brigadier-General Wm. S. Harney issued a procla- 
mation to the people of Missouri, saying '< he would carefully abstain 
from the exercise of any unnecessary powers," and only use "the 
military force stationed in this district in the last resort to preserve 
peace." 

May 14, 1861. General Harney issued a second proclamation. 

May 21, 1861. General Harney held a conference with General 
Sterling Price, of the Missouri State Guards. 

May 31, 1861. General Harney superseded by General Lyon. 

June 11, 1861. A second conference was held between the National 
and State authorities in St. Louis, which resulted in nothing. 



48 



HSTORY OF MISSOURI. 



June 11, 1861. Gov. Jackson left St. Louis for Jefferson City, 
burning the railroad bridges behind him, and cutting telegraph wires. 

June 12, 1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation calling 
into active service 50,000 militia, "to repel invasion, protect life, 
property," etc. 

June 15, 1861. Col. F. P. Blair took possession of the State Capi- 
tal, Gov. Jackson, Gen. Price and other officers having left on the 13th 
of June for Boonville. 

June 17, 1861. Battle of Boonville took place between the forces 
of Gen. Lyon and Col. John S. Marmaduke. 

June 18, 1861. General Lyon issued a proclamation to the people 
of Missouri. 

July 5, 1861. Battle at Carthage between the forces of Gen. Sigel 
and Gov. Jackson. 

July 6, 1861. Gen. Lyon reached Springfield. 

July 22, 1861. State convention met and declared the offices of 
Governor, Lieutenant-Governor and Secretary of State vacated. 

July 26, 1861. Gen. John C. Fremont assumed command of the 
Western Department, with headquarters in St. Louis. 

July 31, 1861. Lieutenant-Governor Thomas C. Reynolds issued 
a proclamation at New Madrid. 

August 1, 1861. General Jeff. Thompson issued a proclamation at 
Bloomfield. 

August 2, 1861. Battle of Dug Springs, between Captain Steele's 
forces and General Rains. 

August 5, 1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation at New 
Madrid. 

August 5, 1861. Battle of Athens. 

August 10, 1861. Battle of Wilson's Creek, between the forces 
under General Lyon and General McCuUoch. In this engagement 
General Lyon was killed. General Sturgis succeeded General Lyon. 

August 12, 1861. McCulloch issued a proclamation, and soon left 
Missouri. 

August 20, 1861. General Price issued a proclamation. 

August 24, 1861. Governor Gamble issued a proclamation calling 
for 32,000 men for six months to protect the property and lives of the 
citizens of the State. 

August 30, 1861. General Fremont declared martial law, and 
de(;lared that the slaves of all persons who should thereafter take an 
active part with the enemies of the Government should be free. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 49 

September 2, 1861. General JefF. Thompson issued a proclamatioa 
in response to Fremont's proclamation. 

September 7, 1861. Battle at Dry wood Creek. 

September 11, 1861. President Lincoln modified the clause in Gen. 
Fremont's declaration of martial law, in reference to the confiscation 
of property and liberation of slaves. 

September 12, 1861, General Price begins the attack at Lexing- 
ton on Colonel Mulligan's forces. 

September 20, 1861. Colonel Mulligan with 2,640 men surren- 
dered, 

October 25, 1861. Second battle at Springfield. 

October 28, 1861. Passage by Governor Jackson's Legislature, 
at Neosho, of an ordinance of secession. 

November 2, 1861. General Fremont succeeded by General David 
Hunter. 

November 7, 1861. General Grant attacked Belmont. 

November 9, 1861. General Hunter succeeded by General Halleck, 
who took command on the 19th of same month, with headquarters in 
St. Louis. 

November 27, 1861. General Price issued proclamation calling for 
50,000 men, at Neosho, Missouri. 

December 12, 1861. General Hunter issued his order of assess- 
ment upon certain wealthy citizens in St. Louis, for feeding and cloth- 
ing Union refugees. 

December 23-25. Declared martial law in St. Louis and the 
country adjacent, and covering all the railroad lines. 

March 6, 1862. Battle at Pea Ridge between the forces under Gen- 
erals Curtis and Van Dorn. 

January 8, 1862. Provost Marshal Farrar, of St. Louis, issued the 
following order in reference to newspapers : 

Office of the Provost Marshal, ^ 

General Department of Missouri, > 
St. Louis, January 8, 1862. ^ 
(General Order No. 10.) 

It is hereby ordered that from and after this date the publishers of 
newspapers in the State of Missouri (St. Louis City papers excepted ), 
furnish to this office, immediately upon publication, one copy of each 
issue, for inspection. A faihire to comply with this order will render 
the newspaper liable to suppression. 



50 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

Local Provost Marshals will furnish the proprietors with copies of 
this order, and attend to its immediate enforcement. 

Bernard G. Farrar, 
Provost Marshal General. 

January 26, 1862. General Halleck issued order (No. 18) which 
forbade, among other things, the display of Secession flags in the 
hands of women or on carriages, in the vicinity of the military prison 
in McDowell's College, the carriages to be confiscated and the ofiend- 
ing women to be arrested. 

February 4, 1862. General Halleck issued another order similar to 
Order No. 18, to railroad companies and to the professors and direct- 
ors of the State University at Columbia, forbidding the funds of the 
institution to be used " to teach treason or to instruct traitors." 

February 20, 1862. Special Order No. 120 convened a military 
commission, which sat in Columbia, March following, and tried Ed- 
mund J. Ellis, of Columbia, editor and proprietor of " The Boone 
County Standard i^^ for the publication of information for the benefit 
of the enemy, and encouraging resistance to the United States Gov- 
ernment. Ellis was found guilty, was banished during the war from 
Missouri, and his printing materials confiscated and sold. 

April, 1862. General Halleck left for Corinth, Mississippi, leaving 
General Schofield in command. 

June, 1862, Battle at Cherry Grove between the forces under 
Colonel Joseph C. Porter and Colonel H. S. Lipscomb. 

June, 1862. Battle at Pierce's Mill between the forces under Major 
John Y. Clopper and Colonel Porter. 

July 22, 1862. Battle at Florida. 

July 28, 1862. Battle at Moore's Mill. 

August 6, 1862. Battle near Kirksville. 

August 11, 1862. Battle at Independence. 

August 16, 1862. Battle at Lone Jack. 

September 13, 1862. Battle at Newtonia. 

September 25, 1862. Ten Confederate prisoners were executed at 
Macon, by order of General Merrill. 

October 18, 1862. Ten Confederate prisoners executed at Palmyra, 
by order of General McNeill. 

January 8, 1868. Battle at Springfield between the forces of Gen- 
eral Marmadnko and General E. B. Brown. 

April 26, 1863. Battle at Cape Girardeau. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 51 

August — , 1863. General Jeff. Thompson captured at Pocahontas, 
Ai'kansas, with his staff. 

August 25, 1863. General Thomas Ewing issued his celebrated 
Order No. 11, at Kansas City, Missouri, which is as follows : — 

Headquarters District of the Border, 
Kansas City, Mo., August 25, 1863. 
(General Order No. 11.) 

First. — All persons living in Cass, Jackson and Bates Counties, 
Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except 
those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's 
Mills, Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville, and except those in that part 
of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west 
of the Big Blue, embracing Kansas City and Westport, are hereby 
ordered to remove from their present places of residence within fifteen 
days from the date hereof. 

Those who, within that time, establish their loyalty to the satisfac- 
tion of the commanding officer of the military station nearest their 
present place of residence, will receive from him certificates stating 
the fact of their loyalty, and the names of the witnesses by whom it 
can be shown. All who receive such certificate will be permitted to 
remove to any military station in this district, or to any part of the 
State of Kansas, except the counties on the eastern borders of the 
State. All others shall remove out of this district. Officers com- 
manding companies and detachments serving in the counties named, 
will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed. 

Second. — All grain and hay in the field, or under shelter, in the 
district from which the inhabitants are required to remove within reach 
of military stations, after the 9th day of September next, will be 
taken to such stations and turned over to the proper officer there, and 
report of the amount so turned over made to district headquarters, 
specifying the names of all loyal owners and the amount of such 
produce taken from them. All grain and hay found in such district 
after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such stations, 
will be destroyed. 

Third. — The provisions of General Order No. 10, from these 
headquarters, will at once be vigorously executed by officers com- 
manding in the parts of the district, and at the stations not subject to 
the operations of paragraph First of this Order — and especially in 
the towns of Independence- Westport and Kansas City. 



52 



HISTORY OF MISSOUKI. 



Fourth. — Paragraph 3, General Order No. 10, is revoked as to all 
who have borne arms against the Government in the district since 
August 20, 1863. 

By order of Brigadier-General Ewiug : 

H. Hannahs, Adjutant. 

October 13. Battle of Marshall. 

January, 1864. General Rosecrans takes command of the Depart- 
ment. 

September, 1864. Battle at Pilot Knob, Harrison and Little Mo- 
reau River. 

October 5, 1864. 
farm. 

October 8, 1864. 

October 20, 1864. 

September 27, 1864. 
derson. 

October 27, 1864. Captain Bill Anderson killed. 

December — , 1864. General Rosecrans relieved 
Dodge appointed to succeed him. 

Nothing occnrred specially, of a military character, in the State after 
December, 1864. We have, in the main, given the facts as they 
occurred without comment or entering into details. Many of the 
minor incidents and skirmishes of the war have been omitted because 
of our limited space. 

It is utterly impossible, at this date, to give the names and dates of 
all the battles fought in Missouri during the Civil War. It will be 
found, however, that the list given below, which has been arranged for 
convenience, contains the prominent battles and skirmishes which took 
place within the State : — 



Battle at Prince's Ford and James Gordon's 

Battle at Glasgow. 
Battle at Little Blue Creek. 

Massacre at Centralia, by Captain Bill An- 



and General 



Potosi, May 14, 1861. 
Boonville, June 17, 1861. 
Carthage, July 5, 1861. 
Monroe Station, July 10, 1861. 
Overton's Run, July 17, 1861. 
Dug Spring, August 2, 1861. 
Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861. 
Athens, August 5, 1861. 
Moreton, August 20, 1861. 
Bennett's Mills, September — , 1861. 
Drywood Creek, September 7, 1861. 
Norfolk, September 10, 1861. 
Loxiiiglon, September 12-20, 1861. 



Blue Mills Landing, September 17, 1861. 
Glasgow Mistake, September 20, 1861. 
Osceola, September 25, 1861. 
Shanghai, October 13, 1861. 
Lebanon, October 13, 1861. 
Linn Creek, October 16, 1861. 
Big River Bridge, October 15, 1861. 
Fredericktown, October 21, 1861. 
Springtield, October 25, 1861. 
Belmont, November 7, 1861. 
Piketon, November 8, 1861. 
Little Blue, November 10, 1861. 
Clark's Station, November 11, 1861. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



53 



Mt. Zion Church, December 28, 1861. 
Silver Creek, January 15, 1862. 
New Madrid, February 28, 1862. 
Pea Ridge, March 6, 1862. 
Neosho, April 22, 1862. 
Eose Hill, July 10, 1862. 
Chariton River, July 30, 1862. 
Cherry Grove, June — , 1862. 
Pierce's Mill, June — , 1862. 
Florida, July 22, 1862. 
Moore's Mill, July 28, 1862. 
Kirksville, August 6, 1862. 
Compton's Ferry, August 8, 1862. 
Yellov? Creek, August 13, 1862. 
Independence, August 11, 1862. 



Lone Jack, August 16, 1862. 
Newtonia, September 13, 1862. 
Springfield, January 8, 1863. 
Cape Girardeau, April 29, 1863. 
Marshall, October 13, 18G3. 
Pilot Knob, September—, 1864. 
Harrison, September — , 1864. 
Jloreau River, October 7, 1864. 
Prince's Ford, October 5, 1864. 
Glasgow, October 8, 1864. 
Little Blue Creek, October 20, 1864. 
Albany, October 27, 1864. 
Near Rocheport, September 23, 1864. 
Centralia, September 27, 1864. 



CHAPTER IX. 



EARLY MILITARY RECORD. 



Black Hawk War — Mormon Difficulties — Florida War — Mexican War. 

On the fourteenth day of May, 1832, a bloody engagement took 
place between the regular forces of the United States, and a part of 
the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebago Indians, commanded by Black 
Hawk and Keokuk, near Dixon's Ferry in Illinois. 

The Governor (John Miller) of Missouri, fearing these savages 
would invade the soil of his State, ordered Major-General Kichard 
Gentry to raise one thousand volunteers for the defence of the fron- 
tier. Five companies were at once raised in Boone county, and in 
Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Marion, Kails, 
Clay and Monroe other companies were raised. 

Two of these companies, commanded respectively by Captain John 
Jamison of Callaway, and Captain David M. Hickman of Boone 
county, were mustered into service in July for thirty days, and put 
under command of Major Thomas W. Conyers. 

This detachment, accompanied by General Gentry, arrived at Fort 
Pike on the 15th of July, 1832. Finding that the Indians had not 
crossed the Mississippi into Missouri, General Gentry returned to 
Columbia, leaving the fort in charge of Major Conyers. Thirty days 
having expired, the command under Major Conyers was relieved by two 



54 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI, 



other companies under Captains Sinclair Kirtley, of Boone, and Patrick 
Ewing, of Callaway. This detachment was marched to Fort Pike by 
Col. Austin A. King, who conducted the two companies under Major 
Conyers home. Major Conyers was left in charge of the fort, where 
he remained till September following, at which time the Indian troub- 
les, so far as Missouri was concerned, having all subsided, the frontier 
forces were mustered out of service. 

Black Hawk continued the war in Iowa and Illinois, and was finally 
defeated and captured in 1833. 

MORMON DIFFICULTIES. 

In 1832, Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormons, and the chosen 
prophet and apostle, as he claimed, of the Most High, came with 
many followers to Jackson county, Missouri, where they located and 
entered several thousand acres of land. 

The object of his coming so far West — upon the very outskirts of 
civilization at that time — was to more securely establish his church, 
and the more effectively to instruct his followers in its peculiar tenets 
and practices. 

Upon the present town site of Independence the Mormons located 
their " Zion," and gave it the name of "The New Jerusalem." 
They published here the Evening Star, and made themselves gener- 
ally obnoxious to the Gentiles, who were then in a minority, by their 
denunciatory articles through their paper, their clannishness and their 
polygamous practices. 

Dreading the demoralizing influence of a paper which seemed to be 
inspired only with hatred and malice toward them, the Gentiles 
threw the press and type into the Missouri River, tarred and feathered 
one of their bishops, and otherwise gave the Mormons and their lead- 
ers to understand that they must conduct themselves in an entirely 
different manner if they wished to be let alone. 

After the destruction of their paper and press, they became fu- 
riously incensed, and sought many opportunities for retaliation. Mat- 
ters continued in an uncertain condition until the 31st of October, 
1833, when a deadly conflict occurred near Westport, in which two 
Gentiles and one Mormon were killed. 

On the 2d of October following the Mormons were overpowered, 
and compelled to lay down their arms and agree to leave the county 
with their families by January 1st on the condition that the owner 
would be paid for his printing press. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 55 

Leaving Jackson county, they crossed the Missouri and located in 
Clay, Carroll, Caldwell and other counties, and selected in Caldwell 
county a town site, which they called " Far West," and where they 
entered more land for their future homes. 

Throuo-h the influence of their missionaries, who were exerting 
themselves in the East and in different portions of Europe, converts 
had constantly flocked to their standard, and " Far West," and other 
Mormon settlements, rapidly prospered. 

In 1837 they commenced the erection ot a magnificent temple, but 
never finished it. As their settlements increased in numbers, they 
became bolder in their practices and deeds of lawlessness. 

Durino- the summer of 1838 two of their leaders settled in the town 
of De Witt, on the Missouri River, having purchased the land from 
an Illinois merchant. De Witt was in Carroll county, and a good 
point from which to forward goods and immigrants to their town — 
Far West. 

Upon its being ascertained that these parties were Mormon leaders, 
the Gentiles called a public meeting, which was addressed by some of 
the prominent citizens of the county. Nothing, however, was done at 
this meeting, but at a subsequent meeting, which was held a few days 
afterward, a committee of citizens was appointed to notify Col. Hin- 
kle (one of the Mormon leaders at De Witt), what they intended to 
do. 

Col. Hinkle upon being notified by this committee became indig- 
nant, and threatened extermination to all who should attempt to molest 
him or the Saints. 

In anticipation of trouble, and believing that the Gentiles would 
attempt to force them from De Witt, Mormon recruits flocked to the 
town from every direction, and pitched their tents in and around the 
town in great numbers. 

The Gentiles, nothing daunted, planned an attack upon this en- 
campment, to take place on the 21st day of September, 1838, and, 
accordingly, one hundred and fifty men bivouacked near the town on 
that day. A conflict ensued, but nothing serious occurred. 

The Mormons evacuated their works and fled to some log houses, 
where they could the more successfully resist the Gentiles, who had 
in the meantime returned to their camp to await reinforcements. 
Troops from Saline, Ray and other counties came to their assist- 
ance, and increased their number to five hundred men. 

Cono-reve Jackson was chosen Brigadier- General ; Ebenezer Price, 



56 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



Colonel ; Siiiofleton Vaughan, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Sarshel Woods, 
Major. After some days of discipline, this brigade prepared for an 
assault, but before the attack was commenced Judge James Earickson 
and William F. Dunnica, influential citizens of Howard county, asked 
permission of General Jackson to let them try and adjust the difficul- 
ties without any bloodshed. 

It was finally agreed that Judge Earickson should propose to the 
Mormons, that if they would pay for all the cattle they had killed be- 
longing to the citizens,- and load their wagons during the night and be 
ready to move by ten o'clock next morning, and make no further 
attempt to settle in Carroll county, the citizens would purchase at 
first cost their lots in De Witt and one or two adjoining tracts of 
land. 

Col. Hinkle, the leader of the Mormons, at first refused all atten^its 
to settle the difficulties in this way, but finally agreed to the proposi- 
tion. 

In accordance therewith, the Mormons without further delay, 
loaded up their wagons for the town of Far West, in Caldwell county. 
Whether the terms of the agreement were ever carried out, on the 
part of the citizens, is not known. 

The Mormons had doubtless suff'ered much and in many ways — the 
result of their own acts — but their trials and sufferings were not at 
an end. 

In 1838 the discord between the citizens and Mormons became so 
great that Governor Boggs issued a proclamation ordering Major- 
General David R. Atchison to call the militia of his division to enforce 
the laws. He called out a part of the first brigade of the Missouri 
State Militia, under command of Gen. A. W. Doniphan, who pro- 
ceeded to the seat of war. Gen. John B. Clark, of Howard county, 
was placed in command of the militia. 

The Mormon forces numbered about 1,000 men, and were led by 
G. W. Hinkle. The first engagement occurred at Crooked river, 
where one Mormon was killed. The principal fight took place at 
Haughn's Mills, where eighteen Mormons were killed and the balance 
captured, some of them being killed after they had surrendered. 
Only one militiaman was wounded. 

In the month of October, 1838, Joe Smith surrendered- the town of 
Far West to Gen. Doniphan, agreeing to his conditions, viz. : That 
they should deliver up their arms, surrender their prominent leaders 
for trial, and the remainder of the Mormons should, with their 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



57 



families, leave the State. Indictments were found against a number 
of these leaders, including Joe Smith, who, while being taken to 
Boone county for trial, made his escape, and was afterward, in 1844, 
killed at Carthage, Illinois, with his brother Hiram. 

FLORIDA WAR. 

In September, 1837, the Secretary of War issued a requisition on 
Governor Boggs, of Missouri, for six hundred volunteers for service 
in Florida against the Seminole Indians, with whom the Creek nation 
had made common cause under Osceola. 

The first regiment was chiefly raised in Boone county by Colonel 
Eichard Gentry, of which he was elected Colonel ; John W. Price, of 
Howard county, Lieutenant-Colonel ; Harrison H. Hughes, also of 
Howard, Major. Four companies of the second regiment were raised 
and attached to the first. Two of these companies were composed of 
Delaware and Osage Indians. 

October 6, 1837, Col. Gentry's regiment left Columbia for the seat 
of war, stopping on the way at Jefi'erson barracks, where they were 
mustered into service. 

Arriving at Jackson barracks, New Orleans, they were from thence 
transported in brigs across the Gulf to Tampa Bay, Florida. Gen- 
eral Zachary Taylor, who then commanded in Florida, ordered Col. 
Gentry to march to Okee-cho-bee Lake, one hundred and thirty-five 
miles inland by the route traveled. Having reached the Kissemmee 
river, seventy miles distant, a bloody battle ensued, in which Col. 
Gentry was killed. The Missourians, though losing their gallant 
leader, continued the fight until the Indians were totally routed, leav- 
ing njany of their dead and wounded on the field. There being no 
further service required of the Missourians, they returned to their 
homes in 1838. 

MEXICAN WAR. 

Soon after Mexico declared war, against the United States, on the 
8th and 9th of May, 1846, the battles of Palo Alto and Eesaca de la 
Palma were fought. Great excitement prevailed throughout the 
country. In none of her sister States, however, did the fires of 
patriotism burn more intensely than in Missouri. Not waiting for the 
call for volunteers, the " St. Louis Legion " hastened to the field of 
conflict. The " Legion " was commanded by Colonel A. R. Easton. 
During the month of May, 1846, Governor Edwards, of Missouri, 



58 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



called for volunteers to join the "Army of the West," an expedition 
to Sante Fe — under command of General Stephen W. Kearney. 

Fort Leavenworth was the appointed rendezvous for the volunteers. 
By the 18th of June, the full complement of companies to compose 
the first regiment had arrived from Jackson, Lafayette, Clay, Sa- 
line, Franklin, Cole, Howard and Callaway counties. Of this regi- 
ment, A. W. Doniphan was made Colonel ; C. F. Ruff, Lieutenant- 
Colonel, and Wm. Gilpin, Major. The battalion of light artillery 
from St. Louis was commanded by Captains R. A. Weightman and 
A. W. Fischer, with Major M. L. Clark as field officer ; battalions of 
infantry from Platte and Cole counties commanded by Captains 
Murphy and W. Z. Augney respectively, and the " Laclede Rangers," 
from St. Louis, by Captain Thomas B. Hudson, aggregating all told, 
from Missouri, 1,658 men. In the summer of 1846 Hon. Sterling 
Price resigned his seat in Congress and raised one mounted regiment, 
one mounted extra battalion, and one extra battalion of Mormon in- 
fantry to reinforce the "Army of the West." Mr. Price was made 
Colonel, and D. D. Mitchell Lieutenant-Colonel. 

In August, 1847, Governor Edwards made another requisition for 
one thousand men, to consist of infantry. The regiment was raised 
at once. John Dougherty, of Clay county, was chosen Colonel, but 
before the regiment marched the President countermanded the order. 

A company of mounted volunteers was raised in Ralls county, com- 
manded by Captain Wm. T. Lafland. Conspicuous among the en- 
gagements in which the Missouri volunteers participated in Mexico 
were the battles of Bracito, Sacramento, Canada, El Embudo, Taos 
and Santa Cruz de Rosales. The forces from Missouri were mustered 
out in 1848, and will ever be remembered in the history of the Mexi- 
can war, for 

"A thousand glorious actions that might claim 
Triumphant laurels and immortal fame. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 59 

CHAPTER X. 
AGRICULTURE AND MATERIAL WEALTH. 

Missouri as an Agricultural State — The Different Crops — Live Stoclj — Horses — 
Mules — Milch Cows — Oxen and other Cattle— Sheep — Hogs — Comparisons — 
Missouri adapted to Live Stock — Cotton — Broom-Corn and other Products — 
Fruits — Berries — Grapes — Railroads — First Neigh of the "Iron Horse" in Mis- 
souri — Names of Railroads — Manufactures — Great Bridge at St. Louis. 

Agriculture is the greatest among all the arts of man, as it is the 
first in supplying his necessities. It favors and strengthens popula- 
tion ; it creates and maintains manufactures ; gives employment to 
navigation and furnishes materials to commerce. It animates every 
species of industry, and opens to nations the safest channels of 
wealth. It is the strongest bond of well regulated society, the surest 
basis of internal peace, and the natural associate of correct morals. 
Among all the occupations and professions of life, there is none more 
honorable, none more independent, and none more conducive to health 
and happiness. 

" In ancient times the sacred plow employed 
The kings, and awful fathers of mankind ; 
And some, with whom compared your insect tribes 
Axe but the beings of a summer's day. 

Have held the scale of empire, rulod the storm 

Of mighty war with unwearied hand, 

Disdaining little delicacies, seized 

The plow and greatly independent lived." 

As an agricultural region, Missouri is not suipassed by any State in 
the Union. It is indeed the farmer's kingdom, where he always reaps 
an abundant harvest. The soil, in many portions of the State, has 
an open, flexible structure, quickly absorbs the most excessive rains, 
and retains nioisture with great tenacity. This being the case, it is 
not so easily aifected by drouth. The prairies are covered with sweet, 
luxuriant grass, equally good for grazing and hay ; grass not sur- 
passed by the Kentucky blue grass — the best of clover and timothy 
in growing and fattening cattle. This grass is now as full of life-giv- 
ing nutriment as it was when cropped by the buffalo, the elk, the an- 
telope, and the deer, and costs the herdsman nothing. 



60 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

No State or territory has a more complete and rapid system of nat- 
ural drainage, or a more abundant supply of pure, fresh water than 
Missouri. Both man and beast may slake their thirst from a thousand 
perennial fountains, which gush in limpid streams from the hill-sides, 
and wend their way through verdant valleys and along smiling prai- 
ries, varying in size, as they onward flow, from the diminutive brooklet 
to the giant river. 

Here, nature has generously bestowed her attractions of climate, 
soil and scenery to please and gratify man while earning his bread in 
the sweat of his brow. Being thus munificently endowed, Missouri 
oflers superior inducements to the farmer, and bids him enter her 
broad domain and avail himself of her varied resources. 

We present here a table showing the product of each principal crop 
in Missouri for 1878 : — 

Indian Com 93,062,000 bushels. 

Wheat 20,196,000 

Eye 732,000 

Oats 19,584,000 

Buckwheat 46,400 

Potatoes 5,415,000 

Tobacco 23,028,000 pounds. 

Hay 1,620,000 tons. 

There were 3,552,000 acres in corn ; wheat, 1,836,000 ; rye, 
48,800; oats, 640,000 ; buckwheat, 2,900; potatoes, 72,200; to- 
bacco, 29,900; hay, 850,000. Value of each crop: corn, $24,196,- 
224; wheat, $13,531,320; rye, $300,120; oats, $3,325,120; buck- 
wheat, $24,128; potatoes, $2,057,700; tobacco, $1,151,150; hay, 
$10,416,600. 

Average cash value of crops per acre, $7.69 ; average yield of corn 
per acre, 26 bushels ; wheat, 11 bushels. 

Next in importance to the corn crop in value is live stock. The fol- 
lowing table shows the number of horses, mules, and milch cows in 
the different States for 1879 ; — 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



61 



States. 


Horses. 


Moles. 


MUch 
Cows. 




81,700 

57,100 

77,400 

131,000 

16,200 

53,500 

898,900 

114,500 

614,500 

19,900 

108,600 

208,700 

144,200 

59,(500 

119,200 

22,400 

112,800 

97,200 

79,300 

618,000 

180,500 

323,700 

122,200 

386,900 

772,700 

333,800 

688,800 

1,100,000 

384,400 

247,300 

770,700 

627,300 

275,000 

157,200 

273,000 

109.700 

250,000 


11,800 
14,400 
24,900 
4,000 
11,300 
30,600 
74,000 
61,500 
97,200 
11,900 

111,700 

100,000 
80,700 

180,200 

89,300 

99,700 

2,400 

117,800 

26,700 

4,800 

61,200 

138,000 

8,700 

7,000 

43,400 

191,900 
50,000 
13,600 
25,700 
3,500 
25,700 


196,100 


New Hampshire 


98,100 




217,800 




160,700 


Rhode Island 


22,000 


Connecticut 


116,500 


New York 


1,446,200 


New Jersey 


152,200 


Pennsylvania 


828,400 


Delaware 


23,200 


Mar3'land 


100,500 


Virginia 


236,200 


North Carolina 


232,300 


South Carolina 


131,300 


Georgia 


273,100 


Florida 


70,000 


Alabama 


215,200 


Mississippi 


188,000 




110,900 


Texas 


544,500 




187,700 




245,700 


W^est Virginia 


130,500 


Kf ntncky........ 


257,200 


Ohio 


714,100 


Michigan 


416,900 


Indiana 


439,200 


Illinois 


702,400 


Wisconsin 


477,300 


Minnesota . .. 


278,900 


Iowa 


676,200 


Missouri 


516,200 


Kansas 


321,900 


Nebraska . . 


127,600 




495,600 


Oregon > 


112,400 


Nevada, Colorado, and Territories 


423,600 



It will be seen from the above table, that Missouri is the fifth State 
in the number of horses ; fifth in number of milch cows, and the 
leading State in number of mules, having 11,700 more than Texas, 
which produces the next largest number. Of oxen and other cattle, 
Missouri produced in 1879, 1,632,000, which was more than any other 
State produced excepting Texas, which had 4,800,00. In 1879 Mis- 
souri raised 2,817,600 hogs, which was more than any other State 
produced, excepting Iowa. The number of sheep was 1,296,400. 
The number of hogs packed in 1879, by the different States, is as 
follows : — 



states. 



Ohio.... 
Indiana 
Illinois 
Iowa.... 



No. 



932,878 

622,321 

3,214,896 

669,763 



states. 



Missouri.. 
Wisconsin 
Kentuckj-. 



No. 



965,839 
472,108 
212,412 



62 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 



AVBRAQK "WTKIGHT PER HEAD FOR EACH STATB. 



States. 


Ponnds. 


States. 


Pounds. 


Ohio 


210.47 
193.80 
225.71 
211.98 




211 32 


Indiana 




220 81 


Illinois 




210 11 


Iowa 







From the above it will be seen that Missouri annually packs more 
hogs than any other State excepting Illinois, and that she ranks third 
in the averao^e weisfht. 

We see no reason why Missouri should not be the foremost stock- 
raising State of the Union. In addition to the enormous yield of 
corn and oats upon which the stock is largely dependent, the climate 
is well adapted to their growth and health. Water is not only inex- 
haustible, but everywhere convenient. The ranges of stock are 
boundless, affording for nine months of the year, excellent pasturage 
of nutritious wild grasses, which grow in great luxuriance upon the 
thousand prairies. 

Cotton is grown successfully in many counties of the southeastern 
portions of the State, especially in Stoddard, Scott, Pemiscot, Butler, 
New Madrid, Lawrence and Mississippi. 

Sweet potatoes are produced in abundance and are not only sure 
but profitable. 

Broom corn, sorghum, castor beans, white beans, peas, hops, thrive 
well, and all kinds of garden vegetables, are produced in great abun- 
dance and are found in the markets during all seasons of the year. 
Fruits of every variety, including the apple, pear, peach, cherries, 
apricots and nectarines, are cultivated with great success, as are also, 
the strawberry, gooseberry, currant, raspberry and blackberry. 

The grape has not been produced with that success that was at first 
anticipated, yet the yield of wine for the year 1879, was nearly half a 
million gallons. Grapes do well in Kansas, and we see no reason 
why they should not be as surely and profitably grown in a similar 
climate and soil in Missouri, and particularly in many of the counties 
north and east of the Missouri River. 



RAILROADS. 

Twenty-nine years ago, the neigh of the »< iron horse ** was heard 
for the first time, within the broad domain of Missouri. His coming 
presaged the dawn of a ])rightcr and grander era in the history of the 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 63 

State. Her fertile prairies, and more prolific valleys would soon be 
of easy access to the oncoming tide of immigration, and the ores and 
minerals of her hills and mountains would be developed, and utilized 
in her manufacturing and industrial enterprises. 

Additional facilities would be opened to the marts of trade and 
commerce ; transportation from the interior of the State would be se- 
cured ; a fresh impetus would be given to the growth of her towns 
and cities, and new hopes and inspirations would be imparted to all 
her people. 

Since 1852, the initial period of railroad building in Missouri, be- 
tween four and five thousand miles of track have been laid ; addi- 
tional roads are now being constructed, and many others in contem- 
plation. The State is already well supplied with railroads which 
thread her surface in all directions, bringing her remotest districts 
into close connection with St. Louis, that great center of western 
railroads and inland commerce. These roads have a capital stock ag- 
gregating more than one hundred millions of dollars, and a funded 
debt of about the same amount. 

The lines of roads which are operated in the State are the follow- 
ing:— 

Missouri Pacific — chartered May 10th, 1850; The St. Louis, Iron 
Mountain & Southern Railroad, which is a consolidation of the Arkan- 
sas Branch ; The Cairo, Arkansas & Texas Railroad ; The Cairo & 
Fulton Railroad ; The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway ; St. 
Louis & San Francisco Railway ; The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis 
Railroad ; The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad ; The Missouri, Kan- 
sas & Texas Railroad ; The Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Blufis 
Railroad ; The Keokuk & Kansas City Railway Company ; The St. 
Louis, Salem & Little Rock Railroad Company ; The Missouri & 
Western ; The St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railroad ; The St. 
Louis, Hannibal & Keokuk Railroad ; The Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska 
Railway ; The Qiiincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad ; The Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railway; The Burlington & Southwestern 
Railroad. 

MANUFACTURES. 

The natural resources of Missouri especially fit her for a great man- 
ufacturing State. She is rich in soil ; rich in all the elements which 
supply the furnace, the machine shop and the planing mill ; rich in 
the multitude and variety of her gigantic forests ; rich in her marble, 
stone and granite quarries; rich in her mines of iron, coal, lead and 



64 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

zinc ; rich in strong arms and willing hands to apply the force ; rich 
in water power and river navigation ; and rich in her numerous and 
well-built railroads, whose numberless engines thunder along their 
multiplied track- ways. 

Missouri contains over fourteen thousand manufacturing establish- 
ments, 1,965 of which are using steam and give employment to 
80,000 hands. The capital employed is about $100,000,000, the 
material annually used and worked up, amounts to over $150,000,- 
000, and the value of the products put upon the markets $250,000,000, 
while the wages paid are more than $40,000,000. 

The leadino- manufacturing counties of the State, are St. Louis, 
Jackson, Buchanan, St. Charles, Marion, Franklin, Greene, Lafay- 
ette, Platte, Cape Girardeau, and Boone. Three-fourths, however, of 
the manufacturing is done in St. Louis, which is now about the second 
manufacturing city in the Union. Flouring mills produce annually 
about $38,194,000 ; carpentering $18,763,000 ; meat-packing $16,- 
769,000 ; tobacco $12,496,000 ; iron and castings $12,000,000 ; liquors 
$11,245,000; clothing $10,022,000; lumber $8,652,000; bagging 
and bao^s $6,914,000, and many other smaller industries in propor- 
tion. 

GREAT BRIDGE AT ST. LOUIS. 

Of the many public improvements which do honor to the State and 
reflect great credit upon the genius of their projectors, we have space 
only, to mention the great bridge at St. Louis. 

This trul}' wonderful construction is built of tubular steel, total 
length of Avhich, with its approaches, is 6,277 feet, at a cost of nearly 
$8,000,000. The bridge spans the Mississippi from the Illinois to 
the Missouri shore, and has separate railroad tracks, roadways, and 
foot paths. In durability, architectural beauty and practical utility, 
there is, perhaps, no similar piece of workmanshij) that approximates 
it. 

The structure of Darius upon the Bosphorus ; of Xerxes upon the 
Hellespont ; of Csesar upon the Rhine ; and Trajan upon the Danube, 
famous in ancient history, were built for military purposes, that over 
them might pass invading armies with their nninitions of war, to de- 
stroy commerce, to lay in waste the provinces, and to slaughter the 
people. 

But the erection of this was for a higher and nobler purpose. Over 
it are coming the trade and merchandise of the opulent East, and 
thence are passing the untold riches of the West. Over it are crowd- 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 65 

ing legions of men, armed not with the weapons of war, but with the 
implements of peace and industry ; men who are skilled in all the arts 
of ajrriculture, of manufacture and of mining; men who will hasten 
the day when St. Louis shall rank in population and importance, sec- 
ond to no city on the continent, and when Missouri shall proudly fill 
the measure of greatness, to which she is naturally so justly entitled. 



CHAPTER XL 

EDUCATION. 

Public School System — Public School System of Missouri — Lincoln Institute — Offi- 
cers of Public School System — Certificates of Teachers — University of Missouri — 
Schools — Colleges — Institutions of Learning — Location — Libraries — Newspa- 
pers and Periodicals — No. of School Children — Amount expended — Value of 
Grounds and Buildings — " The Press." 

The first constitution of Missouri provided that "one school or more 
shall be established in each township, as soon as practicable and neces- 
sary, where the poor shall be taught gratis." 

It will be seen that even at that early day (1820) the framers of the 
constitution made provision for at least a primary education for the 
poorest and the humblest, taking it for granted that those who were 
able would avail themselves of educational advantages which were not 
gratuitous. 

The establishment of the public-school system, in its essential fea- 
tures, was not perfected until 1839, during the administration of Gov- 
ernor Boggs, and since that period the system has slowly grown into 
favor, not only in Missouri, but throughout the United States. The 
idea of a free or public school for all classes was not at first a popular 
one, especially among those who had the means to patronize private 
institutions of learning. In upholding and maintaining public schools 
the opponents of the system felt that they were not only compromis- 
ing their own standing among their more wealthy neighbors, bub that 
they were, to some extent, bringing opprobrium upon their children. 
Entertaining such prejudices, they naturall}' thought that the training 
received at public schools could not be otherwise than defective ; hence 
many years of probation passed before the popular mind was prepared 



66 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

to appreciate the benefits and blessings which spring from these insti- 
tutions. 

Every year only adds to their popularity, and commends them the 
more earnestly to the fostering care of our State and National Legis- 
latures, and to the esteem and favor of all classes of our people. 

We can hardly conceive of two grander or more potent promoters of 
civilization than the i'ree school and free press. They would indeed 
seem to constitute all that was necessary to the attainment of the hap- 
piness and intellectual growth of the Republic, and all that was neces- 
sary to broaden, to liberalize and instruct. 

*♦ Tis education forms the common mind ; 

****** 

For noble youth there is nothing so meet 
As learning is, to know the good from ill ; 
To know the tongues, and perfectly indite, 
And of the laws to have a perfect skill, 
Things to reform as right and justice will; 
Eor honor is ordained for no cause 
But to see right maintained by the laws." 

All the States of the Union have in practical operation the public- 
school system, governed in the main by similar laws, and not differing 
materially in the manner and methods by which they are taught ; but 
none have a wiser, a more liberal and comprehensive machinery of 
instruction than Missouri. Her school laws, since 1839, have under- 
gone many changes, and always for the better, keeping pace with the 
most enlightened and advanced theories of the most experienced edu- 
cators in the land. But not until 1875, when the new constitution was 
adopted, did her present admirable system of public instruction go 
into effect. 

Provisions were made not only for white, but for children of African 
descent, and are a part of the organic law, not subject to the caprices 
of unfriendly legislatures, or the whims of political parties. The Lin- 
coln Institute, located at Jefferson Cit}^ for the education of col- 
ored teachers, receives an annual appropriation from the General 
Assembly. 

For the support of the public schools, in addition to the annual 
income derived from the public school fund, which is set apart by law, 
not less than twenty-five per cent, of the State revenue, exclusive of 
the interest and sinking fund, is amiually applied to this purpose. 

The officers having in charge the public school interests are the State 
" Board of Education," the State Superintendent, County Commission- 



a 

c 
o 

> 

H 

> 

l?g 

Q 
»— I 

;> 
o 

a 




68 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

ers, County Clerk and Treiisui-er, Board of Directors, City and Town 
School Board, and Teacher. The State Board of Education is composed 
of the State Superintendent, the Governor, Secretary of State, and the 
Attorney-General, the executive officer of this Board being the State Su- 
perintendent, who is chosen by the people every four years. His duties 
are numerous. He renders decisions concerning the local application of 
school law ; keeps a record of the school funds and annually distributes 
the same to the counties ; supervises the work of county school officers ; 
delivers lectures ; visits schools ; distributes educational information ; 
o-rants certificates of higher qualifications, and makes an annual report 
to the General Assembly of the condition of the schools. 

The County Commissioners are also elected by the people for two 
years. Their work is to examine teachers, to distribute blanks, and 
make reports. County clerks receive estimates from the local direct- 
ors and extend them upon the tax-books. In addition to this, they 
keep the general records of the county and township school funds, and 
return an annual report of the financial condition of the schools of 
their county to the State Superintendent. School taxes are gathered 
with other taxes by the county collector. The custodian of the school 
funds belonging to the schools of the counties is the county treasurer, 
except in counties adopting the township organization, in which case 
the township trustee discharges these duties. 

Districts organized under the special law for cities and towns are 
governed b}"^ a board of six directors, two of whom are selected annu- 
ally, on the second Saturday in September, and hold their office for 
three years. 

One director is elected to serve for three years in each school dis- 
trict, at the annual meeting. These directors may levy a tax not 
exceeding forty cents on the one hundred dollars' valuation, pro- 
vided such annual rates for school purposes may be increased in dis- 
tricts formed of cities and towns, to an amount not exceeding one 
dollar on the hundred dollars' valuation, and in other districts to an 
amount not to exceed sixty-five cents on the one hundred dollars' val- 
uation, on the condition that a majority of the voters who are tax-pay- 
ers, voting at an election held to decide the question, vote for said 
increase. For the purpose of erecting public buildings in school dis- 
tricts, the rates of taxation thus limited may be increased when the 
rate of such increase and the purpose for which it is intended shall 
have been submitted to a vote of the people, and two-thirds of the 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 69 

qualified voters of such school district voting at such election shall 
vote therefor. 

Local directors may direct the management of the school in respect 
to the choice of teachers and other details, but in the discharire of 
all important business, such as the erection of a school house or the 
extension of a term of school beyond the constitutional period, they 
ip imply execute the will of the people. The clerk of this board may 
be a director. He keeps a record of the names of all the children and 
youth in the district between the ages of five and twenty-one ; records 
all business proceedings of the district, and reports to the annual 
meeting, to the County Clerk and County Commissioners. 

Teachers must hold a certificate from the State Superintendent or 
County Commissioner of the county where they teach. State certifi- 
cates are granted upon personal written examination in the common 
branches, together with the natural sciences and higher mathematics. 
The holder of such certificate may teach in any public school of the 
State without further examination. Certificates granted by County 
Commissioners are of two classes, with two grades in each class. Those 
issued for a longer term than one year, belong to the first class and are 
sus^ceptible of two grades, ditfering both as to length of time and attain- 
ments. Those issued for one year may represent two grades, marked by 
qualification alone. The township school fund arises from a grant of 
land by the General Government, consisting of section sixteen in each 
congressional township. The annual income of the township fund is ap- 
propriated to the various townships, according to their respective 
proprietary claims. The support from the permanent funds is supple- 
mented by direct taxation laid upon the taxable property of each dis- 
trict. Tlie greatest limit of taxation for the current expenses is one 
per cent ; the tax permitted for school house building cannot exceed 
the same amount. 

Among the institutions of learning and ranking, perhaps, the first 
in importance, is the State University located at Columbia, Boone 
Countv. When the State was admitted into the Union, Cono-ress 
granted to it one entire township of land (46,080 acres) for the sup- 
port of "A Seminary of Learning." The lands secured for this pur- 
l>ose are among the best and most valuable in the State. These 
lands were put into the market in 1832 and brought $75,000, which 
amount was invested in the stock of the old bank of the State of Mis- 
souri, where it remained and increased by accumulation to the sum of 
$100,000. In 1839, by an act of the General Assembly, five commis- 



70 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

sioners were appointed to select a site for the State University, the 
site to contain at least fifty acres of land in a compact form, within 
two miles of the county seat of Cole, Cooper, Howard, Boone, Calhi- 
way or Saline. Bids were let among the counties named, and the 
county of Boone having subscribed the sum of $117,921, some 
$18,000 more than any other county, the State University was located 
in that county, and on the 4th of July, 1840, the corner-stone was 
laid with imposing ceremonies. 

The present annual income of the University is nearly $65,000. 
The donations to the institutions connected therewith amount to 
nearly $400,000. This University with its different departments, 
is open to both male and female, and both sexes enjoy alike its 
rights and privileges. Among the professional schools, which form a 
part of the University, are the Normal, or College of Instruction in 
Teaching; Agricultural and Mechanical College; the School of Mines 
and Metallurgy ; the College of Law ; the Medical College ; and the 
Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry. Other departments 
are contemplated and will be added as necessity requires. 

The following will show the names and locations of the schools and 
institutions of the State, as reported by the Commissioner of Education 
in 1875: — 

tTNTTERSITIES AND COLLEGES. 

Christian Universitj' Canton. 

St. Vincent's College Cape Girardeau 

University of Missouri Columbia. 

Central College Fayette. 

Westminster College Fulton. 

Lewis College Glasgow, 

Pritchett School Institute Glasgow. 

Lincoln College Greenwood. 

Hannibal College Hannibal. 

Woodland College Independence. 

Thayer College Kidder. 

La Grange College La Grange. 

William Jewell College Liberty. 

Baptist College Louisiana. 

St. Joseph College St Joseph. 

College of Christian Brothers St. Louis. 

St. Louis University St. Louis. 

Washington University St. Louis. 

Drury College Springfield. 

Central Wesleyan College Warrenton. 

FOR SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION OF "WOMEN. 

St Joseph Female Seminary St Joseph. 

Christian Collegf Columbia. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 71 

Stephens' College Columbia. 

Howard College Fayette. 

Independence Female College Independence. 

Central Female College Lexington. 

Clay Seminary Liberty. 

Ingleside Female College Falmyra- 

Lindenwood College for Young Ladies St. Charles. 

Mary Institute (Washington University) St. Louis. 

St Louis Seminary St. Louis. 

Ursuline Academy ^t- ^^o^^^^- 

FOR SECONDART IKSTRITCTION'. 

Arcadia College - Arcadia. 

St. Vincent's Academy Cape Girardeau. 

Chillicothe Academy Chillicothe. 

Grand River College Edinburgh. 

Marionville Collegiate Institute, Marionville. 

Palmyra Seminary Palmyra. 

St. Paul's College Palmyra- 
Van Rensselaer Academy Rensselaer. 

Shelby High School Shelbyville. 

Stewartsville Male and Female Seminary Stewartsville. 

SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE. 

Missouri Agricultural and Mechanical College (University of Missouri) Columbia. 

Schools of Mines and Metallurgy (University of Missouri) ....Rolla. 

Polytechnic lustitute (Washington University) St. Louis. 

SCHOOLS OF THEOLOQX. 

St. Vincent's College (Theological Department) Cape Girardeau. 

Westminster College (Theological School) Fulton. 

Vardeman School of Theology (William Jewell College) Liberty. 

Concordia College St. Louis. 

SCHOOLS OF LAW. 

Law School of tbe University of Missouri Columbia. 

Law School of the Washington University St. Louis. 

SCHOOLS OF MEDICrNB. 

Medical College, University of Missouri Columbia 

College of Physicians and Surgeons St. Joseph. 

Kansas City College of Physicians and Surgeons Ka-nsas City. 

Hospital Medical College St. Joseph. 

Missouri Medical College .St. Louis. 

Northwestern Medical College ^t. Joseph. 

St. Louis Medical College S*. Louis. 

Homeopathic Medical College of Missouri St. Louis. 

Missouri School of Midwifery and Diseases of Women and Children St. Louis. 

Missouri Central College St. Louis. 

St. Louis College of Pharmacy ^^ ^o"^^' 



72 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

LARGEST PUBLIC LIBRARIKS. 



Name. 



St, Vincent's College 

Southeast Missouri State Normal School 

University of Missouri 

Athenian Society 

Union Literary SocitLv 

Law College '. 

Westminster College 

Lewis College 

Mercantile Libiurv 

Library Association 

Fruitland Normal Listitute 

State Library 

Fetterman's Circulating Library 

Law Library 

"Whittemore's Circulating Library 

North Missouri State Normal School 

"William Jewell College 

St. Paul's College 

Missouri School ot Mines and Metallurgy 

St. Charles Catholic Library 

Carl Frielling's Library 

Law Library 

Public School Library 

Walworth & Colt's Circulating Library 

Academy of Science 

Academy of Visitation 

College of the Christian Brothers 

Deutsche Institute 

German Evangelical Lutheran, Concordia College. 

Law Library Association 

Missouri Medical College 

Mrs. Cuthbert's Seminary (Young Ladies) 

Odd Fellow's Library 

Public School Library 

St. Louis Medical College 

St. Louis Mercantile Library 

St. Louis Seminar}' 

St. Louis Turn Verein 

St. Louis University 

St. Louis University Society Libraries 

Ursuline Academy 

Washington Univeraily 

St. Louis Law School.. 

Young Men's Sodality . 

Library Association 

Public School Library 

Drury College 



Location. 



Cape Girardeau. 
Cape Girardeau. 

Columbia 

Columbia 

Columbia 

Columbia 

Fulton 

Glasgow 

Hannibal 

Independence.... 

Jackson 

Jefferson City... 

Kansas City 

Kansas City 

Kansas City 

Kirksville 

Liberty 

Palmyi.i , 

RoUa 

St. Chanes 

St. Joseph 

St. Joseph 

St. Joseph 

St. Joseph..: 

St. Louis 

Loui^ 

Louis 

Loui< 

Louis 

Loui- 

St. Louis 

St. Loui- 

St. Loui- 

St. Louis , 

St. Louis , 

St. Louis 

St. Louis 

St. Louis , 

St. Louis , 

St. Louis 

St. Louis 

St. Loui> 

St. Louis 

St. Louis , 

Sedalia 

Sedalia , 

Springlield 



Volumes. 



5,500 
1,226 

10,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
5,000 
8,000 
2,219 
1,100 
1,000 

13,000 
1,800 
3,000 
1,000 
1,050 
4,000 
2,000 
1,478 
1,716 
6,000 
2,000 
2,500 
1,500 
2,744 
4,000 

22,000 
1,000 
4,800 
8,000 
1,000 
1,500 
4,000 

40,097 
1,100 

45,000 
2,000 
2,000 

17,000 
8,000 
2,000 
4,500 
8,000 
1,327 
1,500 
1,015 
2,000 



IN 1880. 
Newspapers and Periodicals 481 



CHARITIES. 

State Asylum for Deaf and Dumb , 

St. Bridget's Institution for Deaf and Dumb 

Institution for the Education of the Blind 

State Asylum for Insane 

State Asylum for the Insane 



....Fulton. 
•St. Louis. 
.St. Louis. 
....Fulton. 
.St. Louis. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 73 

NORMAL SCHOOLS. 

Normal Institute Bolivar. 

Southeast Missouri State JSormai Scliool ' Cape Girardeau. 

Normal School (University of Missouri) Columbia. 

Fruitland Normal Institute Jackson. 

Lincoln Institute (for colored) Jefferson City. 

City Normal School , St. Louis. 

Missouri State Normal School Warrensburg. 

IN 1880. 
Number of school children 



IN 1878. 

Estimated value of school property $8,321,399 

Total receipts for public schools 4,207,617 

Total expenditures 2,406,139 

NUMBER OF TEACHERS. 

Male teachers 6,239; average monthly pay $36.36 

Female teachers 5,060; average monthly pay 28.09 

The fact that Missouri supports and maintains four hundred and 

seventy-one newspapers and periodicals, shows that her inhabitants 

are not only a reading and reflecting people, but that they appreciate 

" The Press," and its wonderful influence as an educator. The poet 

has well said : — 

But mightiest of the mighty means, 
On which the arm of progress leans, 
Man's noblest mission to advance, 
His woes assuage, his weal enhance. 
His rights enforce, his wrongs redress — 
Mightiest of mighty is the Press. 



CHAPTER XII. 

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 

Baptist Church — Its History — Congregational — When Founded — Its History — 
Christian Church — Its History — Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Its History — 
Methodist Episcopal Church — Its History — Presbyterian Church — Its History — 
Protestant Episcopal Church — Its History — United Presbyterian Church — Its 
History — Unitarian Church — Its History — Roman Catholic Church — Its History. 

The first representatives of religious thought and training, who 
penetrated the Missouri and Mississippi Valleys, were Pere Marquette, 
La Salle, and others of Catholic persuasion, who performed missionary 



74 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

labor among the Indians. A century afterward came the Protestants. 
At that early period 

" A church in every grove that spread 
Its living roof above their heads," 

constituted for a time their only house of worship, and yet to them 

♦* No Temple built with hands could vie 
In glory veith its majesty." 

In the course of time, the seeds of Protestantism were scattered 
along the shores of the two great rivers which form the eastern and 
western boundaries of the State, and still a little later they were sown 
upon her hill-sides and broad prairies, where they have since bloomed 
and blossomed as the rose. 

BAPTIST CHURCH. 

The earliest anti-Catholic religious denomination, of which there is 
any record, was organized in Cape Girardeau county in 1806, through 
the efforts of Rev. David Green, a Baptist, and a native of Virginia. 
In 1816, the first association of Missouri Baptists was formed, which 
was composed of seven churches, all of which were located in the 
southeastern part of the State. In 1817 a second association of 
churches was formed, called the Missouri Association, the name being 
afterwards changed to St. Louis Association. In 1834 a general con- 
vention of all the churches of this denomination, was held in Howard 
county, for the purpose of effecting a central organization, at which 
time was commenced what is now known as the " General Association 
of Missouri Baptists." 

To this body is committed the State mission work, denominational 
education, foreign missions and the circulation of religious literature. 
The Baptist Church has under its control a number of schools and 
colleges, the most important of which is William Jewell College, 
located at Liberty, Clay county. As shown by the annual report for 
1875, there were in Missouri, at that date, sixty-one associations, one 
thousand four hundred churches, eight hundred and twenfy-four min- 
isters and eighty-nine thousand six hundred and fifty church members. 

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 

The Congregationalists inaugurated their missionary labors in the 
State in 1814. Rev. Samuel J. Mills, of Torringford, Connecticut, 
and Rev. Daniel Smith, of Bennington, Vermont, were sent west by 
the Massachusetts Congregational Home Missionary Society during 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 75 

that year, and in November, 1814, they preached the first regular 
Protestant sermons in St. Louis. Rev. Samuel Giddings, sent out 
under the auspices of the Connecticut Congregational Missionary 
Societ}', organized the first Protestant church in the city, consistino- 
of ten members, constituted Presbyterian. The churches orsranized 
by Mr. Giddings were all Presbyterian in their order. 

No exclusively Congregational Church was founded until 1852, 
when the " First Trinitarian Congregational Church of St. Louis " 
was organized. The next church of this denomination was organized 
at Hannibal in 1859, Then followed a Welsh cliurch in New Cambria 
in 1864, and after the close of the war, fifteen churches of the same 
order were formed in different parts of the State. In 1866, Pilgrim 
Church, St. Louis, was organized. The General Conference of 
Churches of Missouri was formed in 1865, which was changed in 1868, 
to General Association. In 1866, Hannibal, Kidder, and St. Louis 
District Associations were formed, and following these were the Kan- 
sas City and Springfield District Associations. This denomination in 
1875, had 70 churches, 41 ministers, 3,363 church members, and had 
also several schools and colleges and one monthly newspaper. 

CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 

The earliest churches of this denomination were organized in Cal- 
laway, Boone and Howard Counties, some time previously to 1829. 
The first church was formed in St. Louis in 1836 by Elder R. B. 
Fife. The first State Sunday School Convention of the Christian- 
Church, was held in Mexico in 1876. Besides a number of private 
institutions, this denomination has three State Institutions, all of 
which have an able corps of professors and have a good attendance of 
pupils. It has one religious paper published in St. Louis, " The Ghris- 
tiauy' which is a weekly publication and well patronized. The mem- 
bership of this church now numbers nearly one hundred thousand in 
the State and is increasing rapidly. It has more than five hundred 
organized churches, the greater portion of which are north of the 
Missouri River. 

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

In the spring of 1820, the first Presbytery of this denomination 
west of the Mississippi, was organized in Pike County. This Pres- 
bytery included all the territory of Missouri, western Illinois and 
Arkansas and numbered only four ministers, two of whom resided at 



76 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

that time in Missouri. There are now in the State, twelve Presby- 
teries, three Synods, nearly three hundred ministers and over twenty 
thousand members. The Board of Missions is located at St. Louis. 
They have a number of High Schools and two monthly papers pub- 
lished at St. Louis. 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

In 1806, Rev. John Travis, a young Methodist minister, was sent 
out to the " Western Conference," which then embraced the Missis- 
sippi Valley, from Green County, Tennessee. During that year Mr. 
Travis organized a number of small churches. At the close of his 
conference year, he reported the result of his labors to the Western 
Conference, which was held at Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1870, and showed 
an asrsfreojate of one hundred and six members and two circuits, one 
called Missouri and the other Meramec. In 1808, two circuits had 
been formed, and at each succeeding year the number of circuits and 
members constantly increased, until 1812, when what was called the 
Western Conference was divided into the Ohio and Tennessee Confer- 
ences, Missouri falling into the Tennessee Conference. In 1816, 
there was another division when the Missouri Annual Conference was 
formed. In 1810, there were four traveling preachers and in 1820, lif- 
teen travelling preachers, with over 2,000 members. In 1836, the terri- 
tory of the Missouri Conference was again divided when the Missouri 
Conference included only the State. In 1840 there were 72 traveling 
preachers, 177 local ministers and 13,992 church members. Between 
1840 and 1850, the church was divided by the organization of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1850, the membership of the 
M. E. Church was over 25,000, and during the succeeding ten years 
the church prospered rapidly. In 1875, the M. E. Church reported 
274 church edifices and 34,156 members; the M. E. Church South, 
reported 443 church edifices and 49,588 members. This denomina- 
tion has under its control several schools and colleges and two weekly 
newspapers. 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The Presbyterian Church dates the beginning of its missionary 
efit)rts in the State as far back as 1814, but the first Presbyterian 
Church was not organized until 1816 at Bellevue settlement, eight 
miles from St. Louis. The next churches were formed in 1816 and 
1817 at Bonhomme, Pike County. The First Presbyterian Church 
was organized in St. Louis in 1817, by Rev. Salmon Gidding. The 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. "7 

first Presbytery was organized in 1817 by the Synod of Tennessee 
with four ministers and four churches. The first Presbyterian house 
of worship (which was the first Protestant) was commenced in 1819 
and completed in 1826. In 1820 a mission was formed among the 
Osage Indians. In 1831, the Presbytery was divided into three: 
Missouri, St. Louis, and St. Charles. These were erected with a 
Synod comprising eighteen ministers and twenty-three churches. 

The church was divided in 1838, throughout the United States. In 
1860 the rolls of the Old and New School Synod together showed 109 
ministers and 146 churches. In 1866 the Old School Synod was di- 
vided on political questions springing out of the war — a part form- 
ing the Old School, or Independent Synod of Missouri, who are con- 
nected with the General Assembly South. In 1870, the Old and New 
School Presbyterians united, since which time this Synod has steadily 
increased until it now numbers more than 12,000 members with more 
than 220 churches and 150 ministers. 

This Synod is composed of six Presbyteries and has under its con- 
trol one or two institutions of learning and one or two newspapers. 
That part of the original Synod which withdrew from the General 
Assembly remained an independent body until 1874 when it united 
with the Southern Presbyterian Church. The Synod in 1875 num- 
bered 80 ministers, 140 churches and 9,000 members. It has under 
its control several male and female institutions of a high order. The 
St. Louis Presbyterian, a weekly paper, is the recognized organ of 
the Synod. 

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

The missionary enterprises of this church began in the State in 
1819, when a parish was organized in the City of St. Louis. In 1828, 
an agent of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, visited the 
city, who reported the condition of things so favorably that Rev. 
Thomas Horrell was sent out as a missionary and in 1825, he began 
his labors in St. Louis. A church edifice was completed in 1830. In 
1836, there were five clergymen of this denomination in Missouri, 
who had organized congregations in Boonville, Fayette, St. Charles, 
Hannibal, and other places. In 1840, the clergy and laity met in 
convention, a diocese was formed, a constitution, and canons adopted, 
and in 1844 a Bishop was chosen, he being the Rev. Cicero S. 
Huwks. Through the efforts of Bishop Kemper, Kemper College was 
founded near St. Louis, but was afterward given up on account of 



78 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

pecuniary troubles. In 1847, the Clark Mission began and in 1849 
the Orphans' Home, a charitable institution, was founded. In 1865, 
St. Luke's Hospital was established. In 1875, there were in the city 
of St. Louis, twelve parishes and missions and twelve clergymen. 
This denomnatiou has several schools and colleges, and one newsj[japer. 

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

This denomination is made up of the members of the Associate and 
Associate Reformed churches of the Northern States, which two 
bodies united in 1858, taking the name of the United Presbyterian 
Church of North America. Its members were generally bitterly 
opposed to the institution of slavery. The first congregation was 
organized at Warrensburg, Johnson County, in 1867. It rapidly 
increased in numbers, and had, in 1875, ten ministers and five hundred 
members. 

UNITARIAN CHURCH. 

This church was formed in 1834, by the Rev. W. G. Eliot, in St. 
Louis. The churches are few in number throughout the State, the 
membership being probably less than 300, all told. It has a mission 
house and free school, for poor children, supported by donations. 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

The earliest written record of the Catholic Church in Missouri shows 
that Father Watrin performed ministerial services in Ste. Genevieve, 
in 1760, and in St. Louis in 1766. In 1770, Father Menrin erected a 
small log church in St. Louis. In 1818, there were in the State four 
chapels, and for Upper Louisiana seven priests. A college and semi- 
nary were opened in Perry County about this period, for the 
education of the young, being the first college west of the Mississippi 
River. In 1824, a college was opened in St. Louis, which is now 
known as the St. Louis University. In 1826, Father Rosatti was 
appointed Bishop of St. Louis, and through his instrumentality the 
Sisters of Charity, Sisters of St. Joseph and of the Visitation were 
founded, besides other benevolent and charitable institutions. In 
1834 he completed the present Cathedral Church. Churches were 
built in diflerent portions of the State. In 1847 St. Louis was created 
an arch-diocese, with Bishop Kenrick, Archbishop. 

In Kansas City there were five parish churches, a hospital, a con- 
vent and several parish schools. In 1868 the northwestern portion of 
the State was erected into a separate diocese, with its seat at St.Joseph, 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 79 

and Riofht-Reverend John J. Hogan appointed Bishop. There were, 
in 1875, in the city of St. Louis, 34 churches, 27 schools, 5 hospitals, 
3 colleges, 7 orphan asylums and 3 female protectorates. There were 
also 105 priests, 7 male and 13 female orders, and 20 conferences of 
St. Vincent de Paul, numbering 1,100 members. In the diocese, out- 
side of St. Louis, there is a college, a male protectorate, 9 convents, 
about 120 priests, 150 churches and 30 stations. In the diocese of 
St. Joseph there were, in 1875, 21 priests, 29 churches, 24 stations, 
1 college, 1 monastery, 5 convents and 14 parish schools : 

Number of Sunday Schools in 1878 , , 2,067 

Number of Teachers in 1878 ... , . . 18,010 

Number of Pupils in 1878 . 189,578 

THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS. 

Instruction preparatory to ministerial work is given in connection 
with collegiate study, or in special theological courses, at : 

Central College (M. E. South) . . Fayette. 

Central Wesleyan College (M. E. Church) . Warrenton. 

Christian University (Christian) Canton. 

Concordia College Seminary CEvangelical Lutheran) ... .St. Louis. 

Lewis College (M. E. Church) Glasgow. 

St. Vincent College (Roman Catholic) Cape Girardeau. 

Vardeman School of Theology (Baptist) . ..... Liberty. 

The last is connected with William Jewell College. 



CHAPTER Xin. 

ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR CRITTENDEN. 

Nomination and election of Thomas T. Crittenden — Personal Mention — Marmaduke's 
candidacy — Stirring events — Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad — Death of Jesse 
James — The Fords — Pardon of the Gamblers. 

It is the purpose in this chapter to outline the more important 
events of Governor Crittenden's unfinished administration, stating 
briefly the facts in the case, leaving comment and criticism entirely to 
the reader, the historian having no judgment to express or prejudice 
to vent. 

Thomas T. Crittenden, of Johnson county, received the Demo- 
cratic nomination for Governor of Missouri at the convention at Jeffer- 



80 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

son City, July 22cl, 1880. Democratic nomination for a State office in 
Missouri is always equivalent to election, and the entire State ticket 
was duly elected in November. Crittenden's competitors before the 
convention were Gen. John S. Marmaduke, of St. Lonis, and John 
A. Hockaday, of Callaway county. Before the assembling of the 
convention many persons who favored Marmaduke, both personally 
and politically, thought the nomination of an ex-Confederate might 
prejudice the prospects of the National Democracy, and therefore, as 
a matter of polic}^ supported Crittenden. 

His name, and the fame of his family in Kentucky — Thomas T. 
being a scion of the Crittendens of that State, caused the Democracy 
of Missouri to expect great things from their new Governor. This, 
together with the im[)ortant events which followed his inauguration, 
caused some people to overrate him, while it prejudiced others against 
him. The measures advocated by the Governor in his inaugural 
address were such as, perhaps, the entire Democracy could endorse, 
especially that of refunding, at a low interest, all that part of the State 
debt that can be so refunded ; the adoption of measures to relieve the 
Supreme Court docket ; a compromise of the indebtedness of some of 
the counties, and his views concerning repudiation, which he con- 
temned. 

HANNIBAL & ST. JOE RAILROAD CONTROVERSY. 

By a series of legislative acts, beginning with the act approved 
Fel)ruary 22, 1851, and ending with that of March 26, 1881, the 
State of Missouri aided with great liberality in the construction of a 
sj'stem of railroads in this State. 

Among the enterprises thus largely assisted was the Hannibal and 
St. Joseph Railroad, for the construction of which the bonds of the 
State, to the amount of $3,000,000, bearing interest at 6 per cent per 
annum, payable semi-annually, were issued. One half of this amount 
was issued under the act of 1851, and the remainder under the act of 
1855. The bonds issued under the former act were to run twenty 
years, and those under the latter act were to run thirty years. Some 
of the bonds have since been funded and renewed. Coupons for the 
interest of the entire $3,000,000 were executed and made payable in 
New York. These acts contain numerous provisions intended to 
secure the State against loss and to require the railroad company to 
pay the interest and principal at maturity. It was made the duty of 
the railroad company to save and keep the State from all loss on 
account of said bonds and coupons. The Treasurer of the State was 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 81 

to be e^fonerated from any advance of money to meet either principal 
or interest. .The State contracted with the railroad company for com- 
plete indemnity. She was required to assign her statutory mortirao-e 
lien only upon payment into the treasury of a sum of money equal to 
all indebtedness due or owing by said company to the State by reason 
of having issued her bonds and loaned them to the company. 

In June, 1881, the raih-oad, through its attorney, Geo. W. Easley, 
Esq., paid to Phil. E. Chappell, State Treasurer, the sum of $3,000,- 
000, and asked for a receipt in full of all dues of the road to the 
State. The Treasurer refused to give such a receipt, but instead gave 
a receipt for the sum " on account." The debt was not yet due, but 
the authorities of the road sought to discharge their obligation pre- 
maturely, in order to save interest and other expenses. The railroad 
company then demanded its bonds of the State, which demand the 
State refused. The company then demanded that the $3,000,000 be 
paid back, and this demand was also refused. 

The railroad company then brought suit in the United States Court 
for an equitable adjustment of the matters in controversy. The $3, 
000,000 had been deposited by the State in one of the banks, and was 
drawing interest only at the rate of one-fourth of one per cent. It 
was demanded that this sum should be so invested that a laro-er rate 
of interest might be obtained, which sum of interest should be allowed 
to the company as a credit in case any sum should be found due from 
it to the State. Justice Miller, of the United States Supreme Court, 
who heard the case upon preliminary injunction in the sprino- of 1882, 
decided that the unpaid and unmatured coupons constituted a liability 
of the State and a debt owing, though not due, and until these Were 
provided for the State was not bound to assign her lien uj)on the road. 

Another question which was mooted, but not decided, was this : 
That, if any, what account is the State to render for the use of the 
$3,000,000 paid into the treasury by the complainants on the 20th of 
June? Can she hold that large sum of money, refusing to make any 
account of it, and still insist upon full payment by the railroad 
compan}^ of all outstanding coupons? 

Upon this subject Mr. Justice Miller, in the course of his opinion, 
said : " I am of the opinion that the State, having accepted or got this 
money into her possession, is under a moral obligation (and I do not 
pretend to commit anybody as to how far its legal obligation goes) to 
so use that money as, so far as possible, to protect the parties who 
have paid it against the loss of the interest which it might accumulate, 



82 HISTORY OF 311S.SOUR1. 

and which would go to exthiguish the interest on the State's obliga- 
tions." 

March 26, 1881, the Legislature, in response to a special message of 
Gov. Crittenden, dated February 25, 1881, in Avhich he informed 
the Legislature of the purpose of the Hannibal and St. Joseph com- 
pany to discharge the full amount of what it claims is its present 
indebtedness as to the State, and advised that provision be made 
for the " profitable disposal" of the sum when paid, passed an act, 
the second section of which provided. 

'* Sec. 2. Whenever there is sufficient money in the sinkiug fund to 
redeem or purchase one or more of the bonds of the State of Missouri, 
such sum is hereby appropriated for such purpose, and the Fund 
Commissioners shall immediately call in for payment a like amount 
of the option bonds of the State, known as the "5-20 bonds," 
provided, that if there are no option bonds which can be called in for 
payment, they may invest such money in the purchase of any of the- 
bonds of the State, or bonds of the United States, the Hannibal and 
St. Joseph railroad bonds excepted." 

On the 1st of January, 1882, the regular semi-annual payment of 
interest on the railroad bonds became due, but the road refused to 
pay, claiming that it had already discharged the principal, and of 
course was not liable for the interest. Thereupon, according to the 
provisions of the aiding act of 1855, Gov. Crittenden advertised the 
road for sale in default of the payment of interest. The company 
then brought suit before U. S. Circuit Judge McCrary at Keokuk, 
Iowa, to enjoin the State from selling the road, and for such other 
and further relief as the court might see fit and proper to grant. 
Auo-ust 8, 1882, Judge McCrary delivered his opinion and judgment, 
as follows : 

^^ First. That the payment by complainants into the treasury of the 
State of the sum of $3,000,000 on the 26th of June, 1881, did not 
satisfy the claim of the State in full, nor entitle complainants to an 
assignment of the State's statutory mortgage. 

^^jSecond. That the State was bound to invest the principal sum 
of $3,000,000 so paid by the complainants without unnecessary delay 
in the securities named in the act of March 26, 1881, or some of 
them, and so as to save to the State as large a sum as possible, 
which sum so saved would have constituted as between the State and 
complainants a credit pro tanto upon the unmatured coupons now in 
controversy. 



HISTORY OF MISSOURI. S3 

** Third. That the rights and equity of the parties are to be deter- 
mined upon the foregoing principles, and the State must stand 
charged with what would have been realized if the act of March, 
1881, had been complied with. It only remains to consider what the 
rights of the parties are upon the principles here stated. 

" In order to save the State from loss on account of the default of 
the railroad company, a further sum must be paid. In order to deter- 
mine what that further sum is an accounting must be had. The ques- 
tion to be settled by the accounting is, how much would the State 
have lost if the provisions of the act of March, 1881, had been 
complied with ?****! think a perfectly fair basis of settle- 
ment would be to hold the State liable for whatever could have been 
saved by the prompt execution of said act by taking up such 5-20 
option bonds of the State as were subject to call when the money was 
paid to the State, and investing the remainder of the fund in the 
bonds of the United States at the market rates. 

" Upon this basis a calculation can be made and the exact sum still to 
be paid by the complainant in order to fully indemnify and protect the 
State can be ascertained. For the purpose of stating an account 
upon this basis and of determining the sum to be paid by the com- 
plainants to the State, the cause will be referred to John K. Cravens, 
one of the masters of this court. In determining the time when the 
investment should have been made under the act of March, 1881, the 
master will allow a reasonable period for the time of the receipt of the 
said sum of $3,000,000 by the Treasurer of the State — that is to say, 
such time as would have been required for that purpose had the offi- 
cers charged with the duty of making said investment used reason- 
able diligence in its discharge. 

•' The Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad is advertised for sale for the 
amount of the instalment of interest due January 1, 1882, which 
instalment amounts to less than the sum which the company must pay 
in order to discbarge its liabilities to the State upon the theory of this 
opinion. The order will, therefore, be that an injunction be granted 
to enjoin the sale of the road upon the payment of the said instal- 
ment of interest due January 1, 1882, and if such payment is made 
the master will take it into account in making the computation above 
mentioned." 

KILLIXG OF JESSE JAMES. 

The occurrence during the present Governor's administration which 
did most to plage his name in everybody's mouth, and even to herald 



84 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 

it abroad, causing the European press to teem with leaders announcing 
the ftict to the continental world, was the " removal" of the famous 
Missouri brigand, Jesse W. James. The career of the James boys, 
and the banditti of whom they were the acknowledged leaders, is too 
well-known and too fully set forth in works of a more sensational 
character, to deserve further detail in these pages ; and the " removal " 
of Jesse will be dealt with only in its relation to the Governor. 

It had been long conceded that neither of the Jameses would ever be 
taken alive. That experiment had been frequently and vainly tried, 
to the sorrow of good citizens of this and other States. It seems to 
have been one of the purposes of Gov. Crittenden to break up this 
band at any cost, by cutting off its leaders. Soon after the Winston 
train robbery, on July 15, 1881, the railroads combined in empower- 
ing the Governor, by placing the money at his disposal, to offer heavy 
rewards for the capture of the two James brothers. This was ac- 
cordingly done by proclamation, and, naturally, many persons were 
on the^liokout to secure the large rewards. Gov. Crittenden worked 
quietly, but determinedly, after offering the rewards, and by some 
means learned of the availability of the two Ford boys, young men 
from Kay county, who had been tutored as juvenile robbers by the 
skillful Jesse. An understanding was had, when the Fords declared 
they could find Jesse — that they were to "turn him in." ^ Eobert 
Ford and brother seem to have been thoroughly in the confidence of 
James, who then (startling as it was to the entire State) resided m 
the citv of St. Joseph, with his wife and two children ! The Fords 
went there, and when the robber's back was turned, Eobert shot Jam 
dead i7i the hack of the head! The Fords told their story to the 
authorities of the city, who at once arrested them on a charge of mur- 
der, and they, when arraigned, ^plead guilty to the charge. Promptly, 
however, came a full, free and unconditional pardon from Gov. Crit- 
tenden, and the Fords were released. In regard to the Governor's 
course in ridding the State of this notorious outlaw, people were 
divided in sentiment, some placing him in the category with the Ford 
boys and bitterly condemning his action, while others — the majority 
of law-abiding people, indeed, —though deprecating the harsh meas- 
ures which James' course had rendered necessary, still upheld the 
Governor for the part he played. As it was, the "Terror of Mis- 
souri " was effectually and finally " removed," and people were glad 
that he was dead. Eobert Ford, the pupil of the dead Jesse, had 



HISTORY or MISSOURI. 85 

been selected, and of all was the most fit tool to use in the extermina- 
tion of his preceptor in crime. 

The killing of James would never have made Crittenden many ene- 
mies among the better class of citizens of this State ; but, when it 
came to his 

PARDON OF THE GAMBLERS. 

The case was different. Under the new law making gaminghouse- 
keeping a felony, several St. Louis gamblers, with Robert C. Pate at 
their head, were convicted and sentenced to prison. The Governor, 
much to the surprise of the more rigid moral element of the State, 
soon granted the gamblers a pardon. This was followed by other 
pardons to similar offenders, which began to render the Governor quite 
unpopular which one element of citizens, and to call forth from some 
of them the most bitter denunciations. The worst feature of the case, 
perhaps, is the lack of explanation, or the setting forth of sufficient 
reasons, as is customary in issuing pardons. This, at least, is the bur- 
den of complaint with the faction that opposes him. However, it 
must be borne in mind that his terra of office, at this writing, is but 
half expired, and that a full record can not, therefore, be given. Like 
all mere men. Gov. Crittenden has his good and his bad, is liked by 
some and disliked by others. The purpose of history is to set forth 
the facts and leave others to sit in judgment ; this the historian has 
tried faithfully to do, leaving all comments to those who may see fit to 
make them. 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 



ST. LOUIS. 

Her First Settlement — Arrival of the First Steamboat — Eemoval of the Capital to 
Jefferson City — When Incorporated — Population by Decades — First Lighted by 
Gas — Death of one of her Founders, Pierre Chouteau — Cemeteries — Financial 
Crash — Bondholders and Coupon-clippers — Value of Eeal and Personal Property- 
Manufactures — Criticism. 

It was nearly a century and a quarter ago that St. Louis's first 
arrival proclaimed the site of the future metropolis of the Mississippi 
"Valley. In 1762 M. Pierre Laclede Liguest and his two companions, 
Auguste and Pierre Chouteau, landed upon the site which was des- 
tined to become a great city. They were the avant-couriers and 
principal members of a company which had certain privileges secured 
to them by the Governor of the Territory of Louisiana, which then 
included the whole of Missouri, that of trading with the Indians, and 
which was known as the Louisiana Fur Company, with the privilege 
further granted of establishing such posts as their business might 
demand west of the Mississippi and on the Missouri rivers. They 
had been on a prospecting tour and knew something of the country, 
and on February 15, 1774, Laclede with the above named companions, 
took possession of the ground which is now the city of St. Louis. 
They established a trading post, took formal possession of the coun- 
try, and called their post St. Louis. In 1768 Captain Eios took 
possession of the post as a part of Spanish territory ceded to it by 
France by the treaty of Paris, and it remained under the control of suc- 
cessive Spanish Governors until March 10, 1804. The Spanish govern- 
ment, by the treat}'^ of San Ildefonso in 1800, retroceded the territory 
to France, and, by purchase, France ceded the whole country to the 
C86) 



HISTOKY OF ST. LOUIS. 



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HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 



United States, April 80, 1803. In October of the same year Congress passed 
an act approving the purchase, and authorizing the President to take posses- 
sion of the country or Territory of Louisiana. This was done February 15, 



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1804, when Captain Amos Stoddard, of the United States army, and the agent 
of the United States, received from Don Cark)S Dehault Delassns, a surrender of 
the post of St. Louis and the Territory of Upper Louisiana. On the 10th ot 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS, 89 



March the keys to the government house and the archives and public 
property were turned over or delivered to the representative of the 
United States, the Spanish flag was lowered, the stars and stripes 
thrown to the breeze, accompanied with the roar of artillery and 
music, and thetransfer was complete. In 1805 St. Louis had its first 
post-office established, and the place was incorporated as a town m 
1809. It did not ^row very fast, but was the recognized headquarters 
for the territory of^the west and northwest, The French, from Indiana 
and other points had settled there, and the town was decidedly French m 
its character and population. The Missouri Fur Company, which had 
its headquarters there, was organized in 1808, of which Pierre Chou- 
teau was the head. His associates were Manuel Lisa, Wm. Clark, 
Sylvester Labadie, and others, and such familiar names as the Astors, 
Bent, Sublette, Cabanne, General Ashly and Robert Campbell were 
prominently identified with the town and its progress. The first 
paper was issued July 2, 1808. 

In 1812 the Territory of Louisiana, or that part north, was changed 
and named the Territory of Missouri, and was given Territorial rights, 
with a representation on the floor of Congress. St. Louis was the 
seat of the Territorial government until 1820, and the first legislature 
met in that town, and part of its proceedings was the removal of the 
seat of the o-overnment to St. Charles, where it remained until located 
at Jefi-erson City in 1826. In 1822 St. Louis began to take on more 
style, and was incorporated as a city December 9th ot that year. 
There had been a bank established in 1817, and quite a large number 
of business houses were built and occupied, and a number ot loan 
offices chartered. When St. Louis became an American city her 
population was 925; this was in 1804. When the Territory was 
named Missouri, and she was the seat of government in 1812, 
her population had reached 2,000. William Deckers laid the first 
pavement in 1818. A ferry boat had been started in 1804. The 
first steamboat arrived in 1817. It was a low-pressure steamboat, 
built at Pittsburgh, and named the General Pilce. It arrived August 
2d and was greeted by the entire population, who gazed upon her 
with wonder and astonishment. The Indians were a badly scared 
crowd and could not be induced to come near it. The first steamboat 
stemmed the tide of the Missouri in May, 1819, and the same year 
the first steamboat from New Orleans put in an appearance at St. 
Louis. It was twenty-seven days en route. 



90 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 



BOUNDARIES AND INCORrORATION. 



In 



1820 the population had reached 4,928, and when incorporatea in 
wns believed to number about 5,000, not much immigration having 




conic in. The boundary lines of the city when she received her charter were 
defined as follows : The line commencing at the middle of Mill Creek, 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 91 

just below the gas works, thence west to Seventh Street, and up 
Seventh Street to a point due west of "Koy's Tower," thence to the 
river. The city plat embraced 385 acres of ground. 

The first church was built in 1824, and was of the Presbyterian 
denomination. The second was an Episcopal Church, erected in 1825. 
A new court-house was built in 1827, and also a market-house. These 
old-time landmarks have long since disappeared, and no mark is left 
to tell the tale of their being. The spot or location is recorded, but 
what that availeth is not of comprehension to the generation of to-day. 

ADVANCEMENT. 

The first brick house is said to have been erected in 1814, The 
first mayor of the city was Wm. C. Lane. The St. Louis University 
was founded in 1829 ; the Catholic Cathedral was completed in 1832 
and consecrated by Bishop Eosetti. 

In 1833 the population of St. Louis was about six thousand, and 
the taxable property, real and personal, aggregated $2,745,000. St. 
Louis, like all other cities, felt the blighting effects of the financial 
5rash of 1837, still her progress was not wholly checked. Her vitality 
was great, and her resources spread over the territory, in many cases, 
out of the reach of the troubles of the times. Her fur trade was 
immense, and the crash had little to do with that, so that while she 
fclt the depression in her financial circles, her commercial prosperity 
was in no wise checked. There is very little more in the history of 
St. L mis to record than the noting of her general prosperity and 
steady onward progress for the next decade. 

Hei population in 1840 had risen to 16,469, and in 1844, 34,140. 
The population had more than doubled in four years. Fine buildings 
had arisen in place of the old fur warehouses of the early French 
settlers. Stately residences appeared in the suburbs ; and in all that 
gave promise of a great and influential city, she had advanced and 
was advancing rapidly. The Mercantile Library was founded in 1848, 
and gas had been introduced the year previous, the city being first 
lio-hted on the night of November 4, 1847. In the great cholera year, 
1849, the disease assumed an epidemic form, and of that dread scourge 
the people had a fearful experience. The progress of St. Louis had 
been handsomely commemorated on the eighty-third anniversary of 
its founding, the date being February 15, 1847. Among the living, 
and the only survivor of the memorable trio who first landed and 
• located the city, was the venerable Pierre Chouteau, who, with his 



92 HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 

brother, had accompanied Laclede Liguest, to locate a trading-post 
for the fur company of which they were members. He was a promi- 
nent figure in the celebration, and though at an advanced age, he was 
in the enjoyment of his full faculties, and was keenly alive to the won- 
derful progress of the city in the 3ighty-three years of its life. In 
1849, the epidemic year, all that was mortal of Pierre Chouteau was 
consigned to its last resting-place, and with him all living memory 
ceased of the first settlement and of the rise and progress of the city. 
From that date history could record but written facts, the oral record 
had ceased to exist. His elder brother, Auguste Chouteau, had pre- 




NEW CUSTOM HOUSE, ST. LOUIS. 

ceded him to the mystic beyond, having departed this life in February, 
1829. 

EXTENSION OF CITY LIMITS. 

The city limits had been greatly extended in 1841, embracing an 
area of two thousand six hundred and thirty acres, inste'ad of the three 
hundred and eighty-five acres in December, 1822. This showed the 
wonderful growth of the city, which, even then, was contracted, and 
its suburbs were fast filling up. 

The Institution for the Blind was incorporated in 1851, and the pop- 
ulation had increased to 94,000 in 1852. 



HISTORY OF ST, LOUIS. 93 



CEMETERIES. 

St. Louis took pride in her "cities of the dead," for she has sev- 
eral cemeteries, with wooded dales and sylvan retreats, well suited as 
the last resting-place of those whose remains are deposited in the 
" Silent City." We will speak here of only two, because of the care 
taken of them, their size, and their rich and diversified surroundings, 
which give them a lonely, yet pleasant, look to all who visit them. 
The Bellefontaine was purchased by an association of gentlemen who 
secured an act of incorporation in 1849, and at once commenced the 
improvement of the ground. In 1850 the first sale of lots took place. 
The cemetery comprises two hundred and twenty acres of land. The 
Calvarv Cemetery has 320 acres, of which 100 are laid out and im- 
proved^. This, resting-place of the dead was purchased in 1852, by 
the Archbishop of the Diocese ot St. Louis, and like the first above 
mentioned, is a lovely and secluded spot, well suited for the purpose 
intended. 

BRIDGE DISASTER. 

In 185^ tHe terrible accident, known as the Gasconade Bridge dis- 
aster, occurred, when many prominent citizens of St. Louis lost their 
lives. 

FINANCIAL CRASH. 

In 1857 the financial crash had a greater effect upon St. Louis than 
the one of 1837. Her merchants had been prosperous and extended 
their line of credits, and the rapidly growing city had brought many 
new and venturesome people, who, believing in its future, had em- 
barked in business enterprises which required a few more years of 
steady rise and progress to place them on a stable foundation. These, 
of course, went down in the general crash, but the stream was only 
temporarily dammed, and the debris was soon cleared away. The 
flood-tide had set toward the west, and the greater the crash the 
greater swelled the tide of immigration toward the setting sun. 
"^ The era of a healthy, and it would seem, permanent prosperity, 
asain dawned upon the metropolis of the Mississippi Valley in 1861, 
and this time not even the civil war, which then began to cast its bale- 
ful shadow over the Union, checked its onward career, and at the 
opening of this terrible drama St. Louis claimed a population of 187,- 
000 souls. The war added to its financial and commercial prosperity, 
for it became the entrepot of supplies for the army of the southwest, 
and the headquarters of army operations. The valuation of real es- 



94 HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 

tate and personal property, which had only been a little rising two and a half 
millions of dollars in 1833, Avasnow, in 18G0, $73,765,670. 

What the war added was more in the line of its financial and commercial 
development than in the spreading of its area or the building up of its waste 
places, but when war's fierce alarm had ceased the tide began to flow west- 
ward, and with it came the building mania, for homes and houses had to be 
provided for the rush of new-comers. 

Chicago, which had nearly monopolized the railroads as an objective point, 
seemed now to have secured all that would pay, and St. Louis became the 
focus of all eyes. Kansas, Colorado and the Southwest began to loom up in 
its agricultural and mineral resources ; the vast quantities of land which had 
been voted by venal congressmen to great railroad corporations were now 
thrown upon the market, and Kansas became a leading State for the attrac- 




ST. LOUIS UNION DEPOT, 
tion of the emigrant. In this more railroads were necessary, and the great 
crossing of the Mississippi was at St. Louis. Then the bridging of that 
great river commenced, Capt. Eads having made known his plans for this 
imj)ortantwork soon after the close of the war. The jubilee was not enjoyed, 
however, until 1874, when, on July 4th, the bridge was completed and opened 
to the railway companies. This was another era which marked a rapid prog- 
ress in the future city of the valley. Sixteen separate and distinct lines of 
railway centered at St. Louis with completion of the bridge, and from those 
lines and the river traffic, St. Louis was evidently sure of her future. 

BONDHOLDERS AND COUPON-CLIPPERS. 

It was only when a concentration of wealth took a new departure that the 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 95 

glorious future which appeared so near became so far. The energy 
and enterprise of the people had, in a large measure, previous to 
the war, been used toward building up the city, and embarking in 
manufactures, etc., but soon after the war that wealth was turned into 
government bonds and the energy and enterprise were concentrated 
by these rich holders in cutting coupons off of these same bonds every 
three months, and with few exceptions they are still at the exhaustive 
work. Whatever of advanced progress has been given to St. Louis 
the past ten years, outside of her Aliens, Stannards, and perhaps a 
score of others, has been by the new arrivals. It was, in '69 or '70, 
that her local papers were prospecting on the enervating influence that 
a hundred first-class funerals would have on the material prosperity 
of the *' Future Great." The light and airy business of coupon-clip- 
ping had become epidemic, and millions of dollars which ought to 
have been invested in manufacturing and other enterprises, were sunk 
in the maelstrom of government bonds, and, so far as the material 
advancement of the city was concerned, might as well have been bur- 
ied in the ocean. Still St. Louis improved, for new arrivals of the 
progressive order, seeing an opening, would drop in, and those who 
could not clip coupons for a business worked on as their limited capi- 
tal would permit. And so it was found that in 1870 real estate had 
reached $119,080,800, while personal property was $147,969,660. 
In 1875 the value of real estate had advanced $12,000,000, reaching 
the gross sum of $131,141,000, and personal property $166,999,660, 
a gain of nearly $20,000,000 in five years. The valuation January 1, 
1879, was, of real estate, $140,976,540, and personal property, $172,- 
829,980, or a total valuation of real and personal property of $313,- 
806,520, with a population of about 340,000. Great advancement 
had taken place in blocks of magnificent buildings, in the increase of 
her wholesale trade, in the area of her city limits, in the enlargement 
of her working population, so that the coupon-clippers who had stood 
at the front in 1870 now held a rear position, and were rather looked 
down upon as drones of society, wrapped in self and the vanity of self- 
importance, and of little use to the progress or to the detriment of the 
great city. Railroads run to every point of the compass. Her tunnel 
and the union depot had become a fixed fact, macadamized roads led 
to all parts of the country, miles upon miles of streets were paved 
and sidewalks laid with substantial brick or stone, street cars to every 
part of the city, and the river-front flashing with traffic, which, in 
point of development, has exccQded the most sanguine expectation 



96 



HI8TOEY OF S'l\ LOUIS. 




VIEW IN SHAW'S BOTANICAL GARDENS, ST. LOUIS. 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 97 

of those who had believed in its future, while the expressions of 
those who hud built their faith on the railroads depriving a free 
water-course of the wealth of her offering has been simply one of 
astonishment. 

ST. LOUIS PARKS. 

In one respect St. Louis has exhibited commendable sense in having 
secured a number of parks, breathing-places for her industrial popu- 
lation and pleasant drives for her wealthy citizens. There are no less 
than seventeen of these beautiful places, many of them small, but so 
scattered about the city as to be convenient to all her citizens. Her 
great park, which is called " Forest Park," has 1,372 acres, and the 
city has expended in purchases, laying out and beautifying the grounds, 
nearly one million of dollars. Carondelet Park has an area of 183.17 
acres; O'Fallon Park has an area of 158.32 acres, and Tower Grove 
Park 270 acres. These are the largest ; the others represent but a 
small number of acres each. Of the smaller ones, Lafayette Park 
leads with twentj^-six acres, while the smallest, eTackson Place, has less 
than two acres. 

BUILDINGS AND BANKS. 

There were 1,318 brick and 369 frame buildings put up in 1878, at 
a cost of $3,000,000. A very fine custom-house is approaching com- 
pletion. They had, January 1, 1879, twentj'-nine banks in St. Louis, 
five of which were national banks. The combined capital of all was 
$12,406,019. This shows a health}'^ progress, but one of not more 
than ordinary in the line of building improvements. It should have 
reached ten millions to show that advanced progress becoming a city 
which claims it is destined to become the central sun of the great 
Mississippi Valley. 

In 1878 there were 2,291 arrivals of steamboats, and 2,348 depart- 
ures. The commerce of the river was some half a million of dollars. 
The new barge lines and the wheat movement down the Mississippi for 
the year 1881, including her other river traffic, will undoubtedly double 
the business of 1878. The figures are not in, but the first half year 
has made a wonderful mcrease. Her commerce is steadily improving. 
There is not an article of domestic produce but has rapidly advanced 
in the amount received the past few years. The cereals and stock, 
cattle, sheep, and hogs, also the roots and vegetables, have rapidly 
grown in quantity. St. Louis is the greatest mule market in the 
world. 

In its public buildings, the United States custom-house stands first — 



98 



HISTOKY OF ST. LOUIS. 



a massive building of white granite, occupying a whole scjuare, and 
when finished will have cost $6,000,000. The business in the custom 
department will exceed two million dollars the first year of its opening. 
The Chamber of Commerce is another magnificent structure just com- 
pleted at a cost of $1,800,000. The county court-house, which also 
takes a square of ground, and is built in the shape of a Greek cross, 
with a fine dome, cost $2,000,000. The county building known as the 
" Four Courts," and the city prison, is a beautiful three-story-and-a- 
half basement structure, which cost $1,250,000. The Polytechnic 
Institute cost $800,000, and the magnificen't Southern Hotel, finished, 




HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, ST. LOUIS, 
and occupied May, 1881, cost $1 250,000 for building and furni- 
ture. 

There arc public buildings of lesser note, many private structures of 
magnificent proportions, with a wealth of beautiful surroundings ; the- 
aters, hotels, etc., all that go to make up a great city ; school-houses 
of ample proportions ; churches beautiful in architectural design of 
Grecian, Doric, and Gothic, many of them being very costly in their 
build. One hundred and seventy-one churches are found within her 
limits, and the denominations cover all that claim the Protestant or 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 99 

Catholic faith. The Cathedral on Walnut Street is the oldest church 
edifice, but not the most costly, in the city. 

The public school library was founded in 1872, and numbers 36,000 
volumes. The Mercantile Library has 42,090 volumes, and contains 
not only many valuable literary works, but many choice works of art. 

MANUFACTURES. 

In this line St. Louis is fast reaching a commanding situation. So 
long as railroads commanded the freighting facilities of the city, and 
the great highway to the sea which Providence had placed at her door 
was ignored for man's more expensive route by rail, St. Louis remained 
but an infant in manufacturing enterprises — and these had succumbed 
in many instances to the power of monopolies, or to the tarifi* of freight 
which took off all the profits, and her more eastern competitors were 
the gainers. But in the last two years Nature's great highway to the 
sea has begun to be utilized, and St. Louis has all at once opened her 
eyes to the fact that she has a free railway of water to the sea, the 
equal of twenty railroads by land, and it only needs the cars (the 
barges) to revolutionize the carrying trade of the Mississippi and Mis- 
souri valleys. The track is free to all. He who can build the cars 
can have the track ready at all times for use. The Father of Waters 
lies at her door ; a mountain of iron is but a few miles awa}^ ; coal, 
also, lies nearly at her gates ; and while she has slept the sleep of years, 
these vast opportunities might have made her, ere this, the equal of 
any manufacturing city on the globe. She will become such, for no 
other city can show such vast resources or such rapid and cheap facil- 
ities for distribution. Even the coupon-clippers are waking up, and 
believe there are higher and nobler aims for man than the lavish expen- 
diture of wealth in indolence and selfish pleasure. The surplus wealth 
of St. Louis, if invested in manufacturing enterprises, would make her 
the wonder of the continent. She may realize this some day ; when 
she does, she will wonder at the stupidity and lolly that has controlled 
her for so many years. Foundries, machine-shops, rolling-mills, cot- 
ton and woolen factories, car-shops, these and a thousand other indus- 
tries are but waiting for the magic touch of an enterprising people to 
give them life. 

The year 1882 opens auspiciously for a new life. St. Louis now 
begins to consider the question of progress from a more enlightened 
standpoint, and with a look of intelligent action. It may take a little 
time yet to drive sleep from her eyelids and sloth from her limbs, but 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 101 

it looks now more than ever as though she would accomplish this and 
wake up to the full fruition of her great opportunities — in fact, to 
her manifest destiny. Missouri ought to be proud of St. Louis, but 
that cannot be while sloth lies at the portals of her gates and the dry- 
rot of old fogyism guides her present course. 

The brewery business of St. Louis is one of her leading depart- 
ments of trade. She has the largest establishment in the world for 
bottling beer, a building two hundred feet long and thirty feet broad. 
The manufacture of wine is another important business which has 
assumed immense proportions. Distilling, rectifying and wholesale 
dealing in liquors is another branch that adds a large revenue to the 
taxable wealth of the city. There is nothing in the manufacturers' 
line but what could sustain a healthy growth in St. Louis, if even plain 
business sense is at command. Her future may be said to be all before 
her, for her manufacturing interests are yet in their infancy. She can 
become the manufacturing centre of the continent. The centre or 
receiving point for the greatest amount of cereals any cit}'' can han- 
dle, and the stock centre also of the country, St. Louis may, with the 
opportunities within her grasp, well be called the " Future Great." 

CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 

But the name ^'■Future Great " is used at this time by her rivals in 
tones of derision. That she should have ignored so many years the 
great and bountiful resources nature has so lavishly bestowed upon 
her, aye ! it would seem, even spurned them through an ignorance as 
dense as it is wonderful, is very strange, and has brought a stigma of 
disgrace upon the character of her people. This action on her part 
has not escaped the notice of men of wealth, of towering ambition, of 
nerve force and of unlimited energy, and to-day one of the railway 
kings of the country, Jay Gould, of New York, has grasped the 
sceptre of her commercial life and rules with a grasp of steel, and 
through his iron roadways run the commercial life-blood which flows 
through the arteries of her business life. That this neglect of her 
great opportunities should have placed it in the power of one man to 
become the arbiter of her fate is as humiliating as it has proved costly. 
Millions have poured into the coffers of Jay Gould, who, seeing this 
vast wealth of resources lying idle or uncared for, had the nerve to 
seize and the far-seeing judgment and enterprise to add them to his 
own personal gains. The world can admire the bold energy of the 
man, and the genius that can grasp and guide the commercial desti- 



102 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 



nies of an Empire, but it is none the less a blot upon the fair name, 
capital and enterprise of a great city, and should mantle the cheek of 
every St. Louisian with shame. The writer feels all that he has here 
written, but his pride as a Missourian cannot blind him to the faults of 
her people 

St. Louis is an old city and there has been much written of her 
extraordinary progress, and yet whatever that progress is, has beea 
caused far more by her people being compelled to take advantage of 




WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. LOUIS. 

the opportunities within their reach than making such by their own 
energy and enterprise. If she has grown in population and in wealth, 
it is because she could not help herself. After forty years of life, as 
late as 1812, the currency of St. Louis was still confined to peltries, 
trinkets, maple sugar, honey, beeswax, venison, hams, etc., in fact, 
all barter and trade, and yet those who have compiled her local history 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 103 

talk wildly of her destiny and prophesy wonders for her in the near 
future. It is best to look at St. Louis as she is to-day. It is to be 
hoped that her future growth may not take pattern after her past, and 
that the new men who have taken her commercial future into their 
keeping will still exhibit that towering genius for the development of 
St. Louis that has characterized them in their eastern home. 

The future of St. Louis would seem to be one of a rapidly growing 
city, not only in population, but in commercial and financial strength, 
as though founded upon a rock. This is the present outlook. While 
the genius of Gould and his associates has secured millions of dollars 
by their business ventures, there are other millions still left to build 
up and add to her prosperity and greatness if rightly managed. 

The tremendous energy of Gould has astonished the sleepy St. 
Louisians as much as if they had been treading upon live coals, and 
in waking up they have discovered that their sleep and indolence have 
cost them several millions. Gould, Keene, Dillon, Sage and their 
associates do not work for nothing, and the people who claim the 
"Future Great" as their abiding place should lose no time in taking 
a firm hold of the present and guiding her toward the great destiny 
which awaits her, with the winning cards in their own hands. The 
New Yorkers have shown them a will and a way, and now let them 
practice the lesson it has cost them so much to learn. 

It has been over a century since St. Louis took a start into life, and 
it is quite that since the ring of the pioneer's axe and the sharp crack 
of his rifle reverberated through her streets. The slow progress of 
pioneer life has departed and modern civilization, with the light of 
genius for its guide, is rapidly progressing and recording history for 
future generations. When in 1817 the first steamboat landed at St. 
Louis, the possibilities of what the future might be began to dawn 
upon the minds of her people, and that year may be well proclaimed 
as the dividing line between the old and the new era of St. Louis's 
destiny. From that day she looked forward, not backward, and while 
up to that time she seemed to have lived in the past, it was the future 
before her that then riveted her attention. She kept up a lively step 
to the music of progress for several years, and the Father of Waters 
and the mighty Missouri with their fleets of water-craft attested her 
enterprise, and she grew apace. But in a few years she again fell 
asleep, and slept until the snort of the iron horse awoke her rudely 
from slumber. . She had grown even while she slept, because the great 
water-way which passed her door had become the pathway of a mighty 




"ms$i 



HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. l05 

business. But this grand highway to the sea which had nourished 
her while she slept was at once forgotten or relegated to the rear, and 
her awakened energies were given to the prancing steed whose breath 
was fire, that made the earth tremble at his strength, and whose speed 
was like the wings of the wind. The railroad fever had taken posses- 
sion of the Queen City of the Valley. She grew apace and for years 
she has reveled in the new love, and the grand old Father of Waters 
which had nurtured her into life was forgotten. But she has again 
awakened from her quiet dreams, and the iron horse which had lulled 
her to repose was found while bringing millions to her door to have 
taken millions more away. And in this year of 1882 she opens her 
eyes to her true destiny, and the grand Old Father of Waters, which 
she had striven to drive from her, was once more recognized as the 
very foundation or bed-rock of her commercial life, the power that 
was to keep in check the absorption of her wealth, from the monopo- 
lizing influence and insatiable maw of the railway kings. She now 
proudly points to the grand old river, and the fleets of barges borne 
upon its bosom filled with the wealth of an empire, and calls on her 
sister, Chicago, to look at this glorious sight. The " Garden City" 
has already snuffed the battle from afar, and is ready to struggle for 
a commercial supremacy in which there are literally millions, for 
nature has done the work, and St. Louis will win. The "City by 
the Lake" is deserving, and had she the opportunities which have 
lain so long dormant in possession of her rival, would have been to- 
day the wonder of the world. But it is the rugged path that brings 
out man's energy and endurance, not the smooth road. So it is with 
cities. And so the majestic Mississippi flows on, bearing upon its 
waters the riches of the valley, and pouring into the lap of the Queen 
City upon its banks millions upon millions of wealth. If the spirit 
of 1882 shall continue, then St. Louis will soon become the pride of 
the State. In reality she will be the " Future Great" of the Ameri- 
can Continent. She that stands on the bank of this great inland sea, 
the commerce of an empire flowing at her feet, her sails in every 
clime and country, she is indeed to become a great city, the arbiter of 
the commercial world and the Queen City whose wealth, commanding 
influence, culture and refinement will attest the greatness of her peo- 
ple and command the homage of the world. Such is to be the 
"Future Great" city,- St. Louis. 



106 HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS. 

STATISTICS . 

Debt of St. Louis, January 1, 1881, $22,507,000 ; rate of taxation 
on the $100, $1.75. 

The receipts of all kinds of grain, 51,958,177 bushels. 

Twenty-four flouring-mills manufactured 2,077,625 barrels of flour 
in 1880. 

The receipts of cotton for 1880 were 496,570 bales. 

There were 12,846,169 pounds of tobacco manufactured into plug, 
fine-cut and smoking tobacco. 

There were 330,935,973 feet of lumber received in 1880. 

St. Louis received for the year 1880, 41,892,356 bushels of coal. 

Seven elevators have a total capacity of 5,650,000 bushels, and 
three more are being erected and one other enlarged. 

The aggregate of bank clearing for 1880 amounted to $1,422,- 
918,978. 

The post-office distributed in 1880, 43,731,844 pieces, weighing 
4,250,000 pounds. 

Post-office orders issued numbered 53,337, and represented $879,- 
943.90. 

The value of school property is $2,851,133. 

The steel bridge cost $13,000,000, and tunnel $1,500,000. 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 



HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION LAW. 



The homestead exemption law of the State of Missouri has been one 
of the most enlightened laws passed for the benefit of the people. In 
the last session of the general assembly of the State, the spring of 
1880-81, there was a material change in the law, and it is given here 
in full. Thus every head of a family can be secure in a home of 
moderate value, if he will not waive his right to it. There are printed 
notes now drawn up in which there is a clause printed waiving the 
right of holding such property under that law. When a man signs 
such a note, his home stands in the same light as his other property. 
These notes should never be signed unless by or with the consent of 
the wife as well as the husband. The law reads, as amended, as fol- 
lows, and is in full force at this time : 

Section 1. Section twenty-six hundred and eighty-nine (2689) of 
the Revised Statutes of Missouri, is hereby amended by striking out, 
*' or incorporated towns and villages having a less population," and 
inserting in lieu thereof, ♦' having a population of ten thousand or 
less," in twelfth line, and by inserting immediately after " dollars," 
fifteenth line, the words " and in cities and incorporated towns and 
villages having a population less than ten thousand, such homesteads 
shall not include more than five acres of ground or exceed the total 
value of $1,500," so that said section as amended shall read as fol- 
lows : 

Sec. 2689. The homestead of every housekeeper or head of a 
family, consisting of a dwelling-house and appurtenances, and the 
land in connection therewith, not exceeding the amount and value 
herein limited, which is or shall be used by such housekeeper, or head 
of a family as such homestead shall, together with the rents, issues 

(107) 



108 LAAVS OF MISteOUKI. 

and products thereof, be exempt from attachment and execution, 
except as herein provided ; such homestead in the country shall not 
include more than one hundred and sixty acres of land, or exceed the 
total value of fifteen hundred dollars ; and in cities having a popula- 
tion of forty thousand or more, such homestead shall not include 
more than eighteen square rods of ground, or exceed the total value 
of three thousand dollars ; and in cities having a population of ten 
thousand and less than forty thousand, such homestead shall not in- 
clude more than thirty square rods of ground, or exceed the total value 
of fifteen hundred dollars ; and in cities and incorporated towns and 
villages having a population less than ten thousand, such homestead 
shall not include more than five acres of ground, or exceed the total 
value of fifteen hundred dollars ; and any married woman may file her 
claim to the tract or lot of land occupied by her and her husband, or by 
her, if abandoned by her husband, as a homestead ; said claim shall 
set forth the tract or lot claimed, that she is the wife of the person in 
whose name the said tract or lot appears of record, and said claim 
shall be acknowledged by her before some officer authorized to take 
proof or acknowledgments of instruments of writing, affecting real 
estate, and be filed in the recorder's office, and it shall be the duty of 
the recorder to receive and record the same. After the filing of such 
claims, duly acknowledged, the husband shall be debarred from, and 
incapable of selling, mortgaging or alienating the homestead in any 
manner whatever, and every such sale, mortgage or alienation is hereby 
declared null and void ; and the filing of any such claims, as aforesaid, 
with the recorder, shall impart notice to all persons of the contents 
thereof, and all subsequent purchasers and mortgagers shall be 
deemed, in law and equity, to purchase with notice ; Provided^ how- 
ever^ that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent 
the husband and wife from jointly conveying, mortgaging, alienating 
or in any other manner disposing of such homestead, or any part 
thereof. 

Approved, March 26, 1881. 

HUSBAND NOT LIABLE. 

An Act to exempt the husband from the payment of the debts of he wife, contracted 
before marriage. 

Section 1. The property owned by a man before his marriage, 
and that which he may acquire after his marriage by purchase, descent, 
gift, grant, devise, or any other manner whatsoever, and the profits 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. ' 109 

thereof, except such as may be acquired from the wife, shall be 
exempt from all debts and liabilities contracted or incurred by his wife 
before their marriage. 

Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are 
hereby repealed. 

Approved, March 25, 1881. 

RIGHTS OF MARRIED WOMEN. 

The law passed by the General Assembly on the rights and privi- 
leges of married women is full and complete, is composed of fourteen 
sections, and too long to be embodied in this work. The law can be 
found in the " Revised Statutes of Missouri, volume 1, 1876." It is 
chapter 51, and found on pages 557 to 561. 

HEDGES TRIMMED. 

It may not be known to all that a law was passed by the General 
Assembly (1880-1881), that "every person having a hedge fence, 
over five years old, upon the line of any public r6ad or highway in 
this State, is hereby required to cut down the same, to the height of 
not more than five feet nor less than four feet, every two years : Pro- 
vided, that hedge fences inclosing orchards, house-yards and stock- 
yards, shall be exempt from the provisions of this act." 

The overseer of roads is to serve the notice and the owner has 
thirty days to commence, and if he fail to do it the overseer shall 
have it done, and the owner must pay all expenses of the same. It 
can be collected of him by law, same as revenue for road purposes. 

The law passed and took efi'ect March 16, 1881. 

CHANGING SCHOOL-HOUSE SITES. 

Section 1. The voters of any school-district in this State may 
change the location of a school-house site when the same, for any 
cause, may be deemed necessary and notice of such contemplated 
change shall have been given by the directors at least twenty days 
prior thereto by posting at least three written notices in three of the 
most public places in the district where such school-house site shall 
be located ; Provided, that in every case a majority of the voters of 
said district shall only be necessary to remove a site nearer the center 
of a school district, but in all cases to remove a site further from the 
center of a school district it shall require two-thirds of the legal 
voters of such school district. 



110 LAWS OF MISSOURI. 

Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are 
hereby repealed. 

Approved March 24, 1881. 

MARRIAGE LICENSE. 

The legislature of 1880-81 passed a marriage license act which 
makes it necessary for persons before marriage to secure a license. 
No person authorized to perform the marriage ceremony can legally 
do so without first seeing the license, and a marriage performed with- 
out a license is not legal and a penalty is attached. The intent of 
the law is to have an official record which shall stand in the courts 
and settle any dispute either of marriage or property which may 
hereafter arise. The law reads: 

Section 1. Previous to any marriage in this State h license for 
that purpose shall be obtained. 

The recorder of the county issues the license and the parties must 
be, the male 21 years and the female 18 years of age. If younger, 
the parents or guardian must give consent. 

purchasing books by SUBSCRIPTION. 

The business of publishing books by subscription, having so often 
been brou^-ht into disrepute by agents making representations and 
declarations not authorized by the publisher^ in order to prevent that 
as much as possible, and that there may be moi-e general knowledge 
of the relation such agents bear to their principal, and the law gov- 
ernino- such cases, the following statement is made : 

A subscription is in the nature of a contract of mutual promises, 
by which the subscriber agrees to pay a certain sum for the work 
described ; the consideration is that the publisher shall publish the 
hook named, and deliver the same, for which the subscriber is to pay 
the price named. The nature and character of the work are described 
by the prospectus and sample shown. These should be carefidly 
examined before subscribing, as they are the basis and consideration 
of the promise to pay, and not the too often exaggerated statements 
of the agent, who is merely employed to solicit subscriptions, for which 
he is usually paid a commission for each subscriber, and has no 
authority to change or alter the conditions upon which the subscrip- 
tions are authorized to be made by the publisher. Should the agent 
assume to ao-ree to make the subscription conditional, or modify or 
change the agreement of the publisher, as set out by the prospectus 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. Ill 

and sample, in order to hind the principal y the subscriber should see 
that such condition or changes are stated over or in connection with 
his signature, so that the publisher may have notice of the same. 

All persons making contracts in reference to matters of this kind, 
or any other business, should remember that the law as written is, 
that they can not be altered, varied, or rescinded verbally, but if 
done at all, must be done in writing. It is therefore important that 
all persons contemplating subscribing should distinctly understand that 
all talk before or after the subscription is made is not admissible as 
evidence, and is no part of the contract. 

Persons employed to solicit subscriptions are known tc the trade as 
canvassers. They are agents appointed to do a particular business 
in a prescribed mode and have no authority to do it any other way 
to the prejudice of their principal, nor can they bind their principal 
in any other manner. They can not collect money, or agree that 
payment be made in anything else but money. They can not extend 
the time of payment beyond the time of delivery nor bind their prin- 
cipal for the payment of expenses incurred in their business. 

It would save a great deal of trouble, and often serious loss, if 
persons, before signing their names to any subscription book, or any 
written instrument, would examine carefully what it is; and if they 
cannot read themselves call on some one disinterested who can. 



FORMS OF DEEDS, LEASES, MORTGAGES, Etc. 

GENERAL FORM OF WILL FOR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY. 

I, James Johnson, of the town of Muncie, county of Delaware, and 
State of Indiana, being aware of the uncertainty of life, and in failing 
health, but of sound mind and memory, do make and declare this to 
be my last will and testament, in manner as follows, to-wit : 

^irsi — I give, devise and bequeath to my son, James Horace John- 
son, $1,000 in bank stock, of the First National Bank of Boston, and 
the farm owned by myself, in the township of Washington, Shelby 
county, Missouri, and consisting of eighty acres of land with all the 
houses, tenements and improvements thereunto belonging, to have 
and to hold unto my said son, his heirs and assigns forever. 

Second — I give, devise and bequeath to each of my two daughters. 



112 LAWS OF MISSOURI. 

Ida Louisa Johnson and Annie May Johnson, each $1,000 in cash, and 
each one a quarter section of hind owned by myself in the township 
of Jasper, Henry county, Illinois, and recorded in my name in the 
record of said county, where said land is located ; the north 160 acres 
to go to Ida Louisa, my eldest daughter. 

Third — I give, devise and bequeath to my son, Thomas Alfred 
Johnson, ten shares of railroad stock in the Mississippi & Ohio Rail- 
road, and my lot, with the residence thereon, in Dayton, Ohio, with 
all the improvements and appurtenances thereunto belonging, which 
said real estate is recorded in my name in the county where situated. 

Fourth — I give to my wife Samuella Richardson Johnson, all my 
household furniture, goods, chattels and personal property about my 
home not hitherto disposed of, including $5,000 of bank stock, in the 
Merchants' National Bank of Toledo, Ohio, fifteen shares in the Mis- 
sissippi & Ohio Railroad, and the free and unrestricted use, possession 
and benefit of the home farm so long as she may live, in lieu of dower 
to which she is entitled by law, said farm being my present place 
of residence. 

Pifth — It is also my will and desire that at the death of my wife, 
Samuella Richardson Johnson, or at any time when she may arrange 
to relinquish her life interest in the above mentioned homestead, the 
same may revert to my above named children, or to the lawful heirs 
of each. 

And Lastly — I nominate and appoint as executors of this, my last 
will and testament, my wife, Samuella Richardson Johnson, and my 
eldest son, James Horace Johnson. 

I further direct that my debts and necessary funeral expenses shall 
be paid from moneys now on deposit in the Savings Bank of Dayton, 
Ohio, the residue of such money to revert to my wife, Samuella Rich- 
ardson Johnson, for her use forever. 

In witness whereof, I, James Johnson, to this, my last will and 
testament, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this fourth day of 
December, 1876. 

James Johnson. 

Sio'ued and declared by James Johnson as and for his last will and 
testament, in the presence of us, who, at his request and in his pres- 
ence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names 
hereunto as witnesses thereof. 

Thomas Dug an, Dayton, Ohio. 
Rochester McQuade, Cincinnati, Ohio. 



1 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 113 

CODICIL. 

Whereas, I, James Johnson, did, on the fourth day of December, 
1876, make my last will and testament, I do now, by this writing, add 
this codicil to my said will, to be taken as a part thereof. 

Whereas, By the dispensation of Providence, my daughter Ida 
Louisa has deceased, October 10th, 1877 ; and 

Whereas, A son has been born to me, which son is now christened 
John Wesley Johnson, I give and bequeath to him my gold watch, and 
all right, interest and title in lands, bank stock and chattels bequeathed 
to my deceased daughter, Ida Louisa, in the body of this will. 

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 10th 

day of January, 1878. 

James Johnson. 

Signed, sealed, published and declared to us by the testator, James 
Johnson, as and for a codicil to be annexed to his last will and testa- 
ment, and we, at his request and in his presence, and in the presence 
of each other, have subscribed our names as wituessess thereto, at the 
date hereof. 

Thos. Dugan, Dayton, Ohio. 

Charles Jackson, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

FORM OF lease. 

This article of agreement, made and entered into on this 



day of A. D. 188-, by and between , of the county of 

, and State of Missouri, of the first part, and , of the 

county of , and State of Missouri, of the second part, wit- 

nesseth that the said party of the first part has this day leased unto 
the party of the second part the following described premises, to-wit : 

\_Here insert description. '\ 

for the term of from and after the day of A. D. 

188-, at the rent of dollars, to be paid as follows, 

to-wit : 

[JETere insert terms. 1 

And it is further agreed that if any rent shall be due or unpaid, or 
if default be made in any of the covenants herein contained, it shall 
then be lawful for the said party of the first part to re-enter the said 
premises, or to distrain for such rent ; or he may recover possession 

s 



114 LAWS OF MISSOUHI. 

thereof by action of forcible entry and detainer, or he may use all or 
any of the remedies to effect such possession. 

And the party of the second part agrees to pay to the party of the 
first part the rent as above stated, except when said premises are unten- 
antable by reason of fire, or from any other cause than the careless- 
ness of the party of the second part, or persons family, or in 

employ, or by superior force or inevitable necessity. And the said 

party of the second part covenants and agrees that will use the 

said premises as a , and for no other purpose whatsoever ; and 

^jj.^t especially will not use said premises, or permit the same to 

be used, for any unlawful business or purposes whatsoever ; that 

will not sell, assign, underlet, or relinquish said premises without the 

written consent of the lessor, under a penalty of a forfeiture of all 

rit^hts under this lease, at the election of the party of the first part ; 

and that use all due care and diligence in guarding said property, 

with the buildings, gates, fences, trees, vines, shrubbery, etc., from 

damages by fire and the depredation by animals ; that will keep 

buildings, gates, fences, etc., in as good repair as they now are, or may 
at any time be placed by the lessor, damages by superior force, inev- 
itable necessity, or fire from any other cause than from the careless- 
ness of the lessor, or persons of ftimily, or in employ, 

excepted ; and that upon the expiration of this lease, or upon a breach 

by said lessee of any of the said covenants herein contained, 

will, without further notice of any kind, quit and surrender the 
occupancy and possession of said premises in as good condition as 
reas:)nable use, natural wear and decay thereof will permit, damages 
by fire as aforesaid, superior force, or inevitable necessity, alone 

excepted. 

In witness whereof, the said parties have subscribed their names on 
the date first-above written. 

Signed in presence of . 



REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE. 

Know all men by these presents : That , of county, 

and State of , in consideration of dollars, in hand paid 

l^y ^ of • county, and State of , do hereby sell and 

convey unto the said the following described premises, situated 

in the county of , and State of , to-wit : 

\^Here iusert desert ption.'\ 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 115 

and do hereby covenant with the said that lawfully seized 

of said premises, that they are free from incumbrance, that have 

good, right and lawful authority to sell and convey the same ; and 

do hereby covenant to warrant and defend the same against the law- 
ful claims of all persons whomsoever. To be void upon the condition 

that the said shall pay the full amount of principal and interest 

at the time therein specified, of certain promissory notes, for the 

sum of dollars. 

One note for $ — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

One note for $ — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

One note for $ — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

And the said mortgagor agrees to pay all taxes that may be levied 
upon the above described premises. It is also agreed by the mort- 
gagor that if it becomes necessary to foreclose this mortgage, a rea- 
sonable amount shall be allowed as an attorney's fee for foreclosing. 
And the . hereby relinquishes all her right of dower and home- 
stead in and to the above described premises. 

Signed the day of , A, D. 18 — . • 



CHATTEL MORTGAGE. 

Know ALL men by these presents : Tliat , of county, 

and State of , in consideration of dollars, in hand paid 

by , of county, and State of , do hereby sell and con- 
vey unto the said the following described personal property, 

now in the possession of , in the county of , State of , 

to- wit : 

\_Here insert description.'] 

and do hereby warrant the title of said property, and that it is free 
from any incumbrance or lien. The only right or interest retained by 
grantor in said property being the right of redemption herein provided. 
This conveyance to be void upon condition that the "^aid grantor shall 
pay to said grantee, or his assigns, the full amount of principal and 

interest at the time therein specified, of certain promissory notes 

of even date herewith, for the sum of dollars. 

One note for $ — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

One note for % — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

One note for $ — , due , 18 — , with interest annually at — per cent. 

The grantor to pay all taxes on said property, and if at any 
time any part or portion of said notes should be due and unpaid, said 



116 LAWS OF MISSOUUI. 

grantor may proceed by sale or foreclosure to collect and pay himself 
the unpaid balance of said notes, whether due or not, the grantor to 
pay all necessary expenses of such foreclosure, including $ attor- 
ney's fees, and whatever remains, after paying off said notes and ex- 
penses, to be paid over to said grantor. 

Signed the day of , 18 — . 



QUITCLAIM DEED. 

E[now all men by these presents : That , of county, 

State of , in consideration of dollars, to in hand 

paid by , of county, and State of , the receipt 

whereof do hereby acknowledge, have bargained, sold and quit- 
claimed, and by these presents do bargain, sell and quitclaim unto the 

said , and to heirs and assigns forever, all right, 

title and interest, estate, claim and demand, both in law and in 
equity, and as well in possession as in expectancy, of, in and to the 
following described premises, to-wit : 

[jfiTerc insert description.'] 

With all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances thereto 
belonging. 

Signed this day of , A. D. 18 — . 

Signed in presence of 



warranty deed. 

Know all men by these presents : That , of county, 

and State of , in consideration of the sum of dollars in 

hand paid by , of county, and State of , do hereby sell 

and convey unto the said , and to heirs and assigns, the 

following described premises, situated in the county of , State 

of Missouri, to-wit : 

[ZTere insert description. "] 

And do hereby covenant with the said that a 

lawfully seized in fee simple of said premises, that they are free from 

incumbrance ; that ha — good right and lawful authority to sell 

the same, and do hereby covenant to warrant and defend said 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 117 

premises, and appurtenances thereto belonging, against the lawful 
claims of all persons whomsoever ; and the said hereby relin- 
quishes all her right of dower and of homestead in and to the above 
described premises. 

Signed the day of , A. D. 18 — . 

Signed in presence of 



ACKNOWLEDGMENT . 

All forms of deeds, mortgages, or bond for deed, shall have the 
following form of acknowledgment : 

State of Missouri, ) 

County op 5 ^^* 

Be it remembered, that on this day of , 18 — , before 

me the undersigned, a in and for said county, personally ap- 
peared 5 to me personally known to be the identical person who 

executed the above (deed, mortgage, etc.), as , and acknowledged 

signature thereto to be voluntary act and deed. 

Witness my hand and seal, the day and year last above written. 



notes. 

Form of note is legal, worded in the simplest way, so that the 
amount and time of payment are mentioned : 

$100. New York, Sept. 1, 1881. 

Sixty days after date I promise to pay to John Doe, or order, one 
hundred dollars, for value received, with interest. 

KiCHARD Roe.. 

A note to be payable in anything else but money, needs only the 
article substituted in the above form. " With interest," means at the 
legal rate, and any other rate must be mentioned, or if no interest is to 
be paid until after the maturity of the note it should be so stated. 

ORDERS. 

Orders should be simply worded : 
Mr. D. H. Waters. St. Louis, Mo., January 2, 1881. 

Please pay J. Walker twenty-five dollars and charge to account of 

J. Turner. 



118 LAWS OF MISSOURI. 

If it is to be paid iu trade it should be so expressed after the word 
dollars. 

RECEIPTS. 

Receipts should state when received and for what ; thus : 
$100. St. Louis, January 1, 1878. 

Received of J. W. Hardin one hundred dollars, for services iu the 
harvest field, to date, in full. 

Or, 

Received of J. W. Hardin fifty dollars, for one week's work of self 

and team, in hauling stone, in full. 

R. W. Fields. 

If only part is paid it should read, "on account," instead of "in 
full." 

BILL OF PURCHASE. 

It should state each article and price, as follows : — 

St. Louis, Mo., January 1, 1878. 
J. W, Shattuck, 

Bought of J. D. Adams. 

To 5 Yards Jeans, at ... .50 $2 50 

«* 20 " Brown Domestic . . .08 1 60 



Received payment, $i 10 

J. D. Adams. 

VALUABLE RULES. 

How to find the gross and net weight of a hog, is by the rule that a 
hog's net weight is one-fifth less than his gross weight. For instance, 
a hog weighing 400 pounds gross, would, when dressed, weigh 320. 

A good rule to find the capacity of a granary or a wagon-bed is 
multiply by (short method) the number of cubic feet by 6308, and 
point ofi" one decimal place — the result will be the correct answer in 
bushels and tenths of bushels. 

To find the contents of a corn-crib multiply the number of cubic 
feet by 54 (short method) or by 4|- ordinary method, and point olf 
one decimal — the result will be the answer in bushels. This rule 
applies when it is first cribbed and before the corn shrinks. 

For the contents of a cistern or tank, multiply the square of the 
mean diameter by the depth (all in feet) and this product by 5681 
(short method) and point ofi" one decimal place — the result will be 
the contents in barrels of 31|- gallons each. 

To measure boards multiply the length (in feet) by the width (in 



LAWS OF MISSOURI. 



119 



in 



inches), divide the product by 12 — the result will be the contents 
square feet. 

Note. — This is the correct measurement for every inch of thickness. 

The same in substance is the rule for scantling, joists, planks, sills, 
etc. Multiply the width, thickness and length together (the width 
and thickness in inches and the length in feet) and divide the product 
by 12 — the result will be square feet. 

To find the number of brick required in a building, multiply the 
number of cubic feet by 221. The number of cubic feet is found by 
multiplying the length, height and thickness (in feet) together. 

A congressional township is thirty-six sections, each a square mile. 

A section of land is 640 acres. 

A quarter section, 160 acres, is a half a mile square. 

Eighty acres is half a mile long and one-quarter of a mile wide. 

Forty acres is a quarter of a mile square. 

The sections of a congressional township are all numbered from one 
to thirty-six, commencing at the northeast corner of the township. 

One hundred and ninety-six pounds is one barrel of flour. 

Two hundred pounds is one barrel of pork. 

Fifty-six pounds is called a firkin of butter. 

A cord of wood is four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. 

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 

The lawful weight of the following articles is the following number of 
pounds per bushel, and so understood when no special contract is made : 



Apples, peaches and quinces . . 48 
Cherries, grapes, currants or gooseber- 
ries 40 

Strawberries, raspberries or blackber- 
ries 32 

Osage-orange seed . . . .32 

Millet seed 45 

Clover seed 60 

Flax seed 56 

Sorghum seed 30 

Timothy seed 45 

Hemp seed 44 

Broom-corn seed , . . .30 
Blue-grass seed . . . .14 

Hungarian grass seed . . . .45 

Sweet potatoes 46 

Castor beans 46 

Dried apples 24 



Dried peaches 33 

Rye 56 

Salt 50 

Sand 130 

Lime so 

Beans ....... 60 

Bran 20 

Oats 33 

Wheat 60 

Barley 43 

Buckwheat 52 

Corn-meal 4g 

Stone coal 39 

Corn, in the ear 70 

Potatoes 60 

Onions 57 

Shelled com §g 



There is a fine and penalty attached for giving false weights. 



120 LAWS OF MISSOURI. 



MISSOURI GAME LAW. 



There have been so many violations of the game law thr^t its publica- 
tion is one of interest. Many persons viohite this law through ignor- 
ance, and others wilfully. The penalty is here given for all such acts. 
Every good citizen and lover of hunting is interested in preventing 
the law from being trampled upon, and those wilfully breaking it should 
be forced to pay the penalty. A synopsis of the law is as follows : 

It is unlawful to kill, catch or have in possession any deer between 
January 15th and September 1st. 

Wild turkey between March 1st and September 15th. 

Prairie chickens between February 1st and August 15th. 

Quail or pheasant between February 1st and October 15th. 

Woodcock between January 10th and July 1st. 

Turtle doves, meadow larks and plover between February 1st and 
August 1st. 

Wild song birds or insectiverous birds cannot be killed at any time. 

It is unlawful to net or trap any quail, prairie chicken, or any of the 
birds named above. 

It is unlawful to have in possession or purchase or sell any of the 
game or animals named above when the killing is prohibited. 

It is unlawful to have in possession or to sell any of the game birds 
named that do not show shot marks, it being prima facie evidence 
that they have been trapped or netted contrary to law. 

It is unlawful for any railroad, express company, or other carrier, 
to receive for transportation any of the birds or game mentioned, 
when the killing of the same is prohibited. 

Every person who shall violate any of the above named laws shall 
be guilty of misdemeanor and punished by a fine not exceeding $20 for 
each bird or animal killed, netted, trapped or found in his possession. 

Any violators of these laws can be prosecuted before any police 
justice, recorder, or justice of the peace, or other court having juris- 
diction to try cases of misdemeanor. 

One-half of any fines collected will be paid to the informer and the 
balance to the school fund of the county. It is the duty of all con- 
stables, marshals, market-masters and police officers, to arrest all 
persons violating any of the game laws, and take them before the 
courts having jurisdiction to hear and try complaints. 

California quail cannot be killed before October, 1883. 

Messina quail cannot be killed before January 1st, 1880. 

Hawks, owls, eagles and crows can be killed at any time, and the 
destruction of these birds and their nests is recommended. 



STATISTICS. 



121 



POPULATION OP THE UNITED STATES BY KACES— 1880. 



STATES AND TERRITORIES. 



Alabama .... 
Arizona .... 
Arkansas .... 
California .... 
Colorado .... 
Connecticut ... 

Dakota 

Delaware 

District of Columbia , 
Florida .... 



Georgia . . . 

Idaho . . . . 

Illinois . . . . 

Indiana . . . 

Iowa . . . . 

Kansas . . . . 

Kentucky . . . 

Louisiana . . . 

Maine . . . . 

Maryland . . . 

Massachusetts . 

Michigan . . . 

Minnesota . . 

Mississippi . . 

Missouri . . . 

Montana . . . 

Nebraska . . . 

Nevada . . . 
New Hampshire 

New Jersey . . 

New Mexico . . 

New York . . 

North Carolina . 

Ohio . . . . 

Oregon . . . . 
Pennsylvania 
Rhode Island 

South Carolina . 

Tennessee . . . 
Texas .... 

Utah . . . . 

Vermont . . . 

Virginia . . . 
Washington . 

West Virginia . 

Wisconsin . . 

Wyoming . . 



Total United States 



5<= 

Coo 

ooo 
p.'-l 



1,262,794 

40,441 

802,564 

864.686 

194,649 

622,688 

135,180 

146,654 

177,638 

267,351 

1,539,048 

32,611 

3,078,769 

1,978,362 

1,624,620 

995,966 

1,648,708 

940,108 

648,945 

934,632 

1,783,012 

1,636,331 

780,806 

1,131,592 

2,168,804 

39,157 

452,483 

62,265 

346,984 

1,130,988 

118,430 

5,083,810 

1,400,047 

3,198,289 

174,764 

4,282,786 

276,528 

995,622 

1,542,4(53 

1,592,574 

148,906 

322,286 

1,512,806 

75,120 

618,443 

1,315,480 

20,788 



. 50,152,866 48,402,408 



601,986 
35,178 
591,611 
767,266 
191,452 
610,884 
183,177 
120,198 
118,236 
141,249 
814,218 
29,011 

3,032,174 

1,939,093 

1,614,510 
952,056 

1,377,077 
455,068 
646,903 
724,718 

1,764,082 

1,614,078 
776,940 
479,871 

2,023,568 

35,468 

449,805 

58,574 

346,264 

1,091,856 
107,188 

5,017,142 
867,467 

3,118,344 
163,087 

4,197,106 
269,984 
391,258 

1,139,120 

1,197,493 
142,381 
381,248 
880,739 
67,349 
592,433 

1,309,622 
19,486 



O 



600,141 

138 

210,622 

6,168 

2,459 

11,422 

381 

26,456 

59,878 

125,262 

724,654 

58 

46,248 

38,988 

9,442 

43,096 

271,462 

483,898 

1,427 

209,897 

18,644 

14,986 

1,558 

650,887 

145,046 

202 

2,376 

465 

646 

38,796 

907 

64,943 

531,316 

79,655 

493 

85,342 

6,503 

604,825 

402,992 

394,007 

204 

1,032 

631,996 

357 

25,729 

2,724 

299 



6,577,497 105,679 



4 
1,632 
134 
75,122 
610 
130 
238 



.So 

> 00 



IS 

18 

17 

3,378 

214 

37 

47 

22 

10 

483 

8 

6 

256 

29 

54 

62 

94 

1,737 

18 

5,428 

14 

182 

55 

942 

1 

117 

9,508 

170 

27 

9 

26 

142 

518 



6 

3,227 

14 

16 

914 



213 

3,493 

197 

16,130 

128 

241 

1,384 



t> 

87 

94 

164 

133 

233 

464 

792 

50 

819 

607 

11 

341 

7,288 

2,254 

1,832 

96 

1,750 

283 

2,808 

60 

58 

10,280 

783 

1,216 

113 

1,679 

168 

67 

114 

326 

982 

804 

11 

65 

4,187 

17 

3,118 

189 

65,880 



PER CENT OF INCREASE FROM 1870 TO 1880. 



Total population 80.06 percent. 

White population 28.82 " 

Colored population ..84.78 " 



Chinese population 67.07 percent. 

Indian population (civilized 

or taxed) 156.02 " 



122 



STATISTICS. 



The inhabitants of Alaska and the Indian Territory (both unorgan- 
ized as yet) are not included in the above total. The census of 
Alaska in 1880 showed: White, 392 ; Creoles (issue of intermarriage 
between the whites and natives), 1,683; Aleuts, 1,960; Inuuits, 
17,488; Indians, 8,655; total, 30,178. 

The Indian Territory is estimated to contain 60,000 to 75,000 in- 
habitants. 

The Indians included in the census in each State and Territory are 
those reckoned as civilized, or outside of tribal organizations. Indians 
not taxed are by law excluded from the census. Estimates of their 
numbers vary widely — from 200,000 to 350,000 (the latter as esti- 
mated in the census of 1870). 

In the Chinese column (for want of space elsewhere) have been 
reckoned a very few Japanese, East Indians and Sandwich Islanders, 
not exceeding 250 in all. 

MILKS OF RAILROAD IN THE UNITED STATES. 
1850 9,201 

1855 18,374 

I860 30,635 

1865 35,085 

There were in the whole world, January 1, 1881, 192,952 miles of railway. 
TELEGRAPH LINES AND WIRES. 

In 1866, there were 37,380 miles of telegraph line in the United 
States, and 75,685 miles of wire ; in 1870, 54,109 miles of line and 
112,191 miles of wire; in 1875, 72,833 miles of line and 179,496 
miles of wire ; in 1880, 85,645 miles of line and 233,534 miles of 
wire. 

There were 29,216,509 telegraph messages sent in the year 1880. 



1870 52,914 

1875 74,374 

1880 84,715 



COTTON CROP OB" THE UNITED STATES, TEARS ENDING SEPTEMBER 1. 



Year. 


Bales. 


Year. 


Bales. 


Year. 


Bales. 


1841 


1,634,945 
1,683,574 
2,3158,375 
2,030,409 
2,394,503 
2,100,537 
1,778,651 
2,347,634 
2,728,596 
2,096,706 
2,355,257 
3,015,029 
3,262,8li2 


1854 

1855 


2,930,027 
2,847,339 
3,527,845 
2,939,519 
3,113,962 
3,851,481 
4,669,770 
3,656,006 
No rec'd. 

t( 
<( 

2,193,987 


1867 

1868 


2,019,774 
2,593,993 
2,439,039 
3,154,946 
4,352.317 
2,974,351 
8,930,508 
4,170,388* 
3,832,991 
4,669,288 
4,485,423 
4,811,265 
5,073,531 


1842 


1843 


1856 

1857 


1869 

1870.. 


1844 


1845 


1858 


1871 


1846 


1859 


1872 


1847 


1860 

1861 


1873 


1848 


1874 


1849 


1862 

1863 


1875 

1876 


1850 


1851 


1864 


1877 .. 


1852 


1865 


1878 

1879 


1853 


1866 



STATISTICS. 

The crop for 1880 is given by States, as follows : — 



States. 



Mississippi 

Georgia 

Texas 

Alabama 

Arkansas 

South Carolina, 
Xiouisiana 



Bales. 



955,808 
813,965 
801,090 
699,576 
606,980 
522,548 
506,764 



States. 



123 



North Carolina.., 

Tennessee 

Florida 

Missouri 

Indian Territory 

Virginia 

Kentucky 



Bales. 



889,516 
380,624 
54,997 
19,783 
17,000 
11,000 
1,367 



AREA OF THE COAL FIELDS QV THE UNITED STATES, AND ANNTTAL PRODUCTION. 



STATES AND TEBBIT0BIE3. 



f Anthracite... 
\ Bituminous . 



Pennsylvania 

Ohio 

Illinois 

Maryland, Bituminous 

West Virginia , 

Iowa 

Indiana 

Missouri 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

California 

Colorado 

Kansas 

Oregon 

Alabama 

Washington 

Wyoming 

Virginia 

Michigan 

Nebraska 

Utah 

Rhode Island 

Arkansas 

Texas 

Georgia 



Total. 



472 
12,302 
10,000 
36,800 
550 
16,000 
18,000 

6,450 
26,887 
12,871 

5,100 






22,256 

"sVsso 



185 
6,700 
3,000 



509 
12,000 
20,000 



15,664,275 

7,798,518 

2,527,285 

2,624,163 

1,819,824 

608,873 

263,487 

436,870 

621,930 

150,582 

133,418 



4,500 

32,938 



11,000 
17,844 
50,000 
61,803 
28,150 
1,425 
5,800 
14,000 



05 
f~- ■ 

00 -^ 

'"' CO 

M * SS 



32,863,690 



26,142,689 

14,500,000 

5,000,000 

3,500,000 

1,730,709 

1,250,000 

1,600,000 

1,000,000 

900,000 

1,000,000 

450,000 

600,000 

400,000 

400,000 

200,000 

250,000 

170,000 

175,000 

90,000 

35,000 

75,000 

225,000 

15,900 



100,000 

59,808,398 



124 



STATISTICS . 

PRESEDBNTIAL VOTE FROM 1789 TO 1880. 



w 

>< 

1789' 
17% 

1800 

1804 

1808; 

1812 

isiej 

1820 

1824 

I 
1828J 

1832: 

1836 

1840 
1844 

1848 

1852 
1866 
1860 
1864 
1868 
1872 

1876 
1880 



Gandidates. 



Party. 



Popular 
Vote. 



Electoral 

Vote, 



Electoral Vote ISSe.f 



States. 



No. 



■( George "Washington. . . 

Jehu Adams Federal. 

( Thomas Jeifereon Democrat. 

( *Thomas Jelferson pemocrat, 

J Aaron Burr pemocrat 



(John Adams. 

I Thomas Jefferson. 

( C C. Pinckney 

{ James Madison. . . . 

I C. C. Pinckney 

James ISIadison. 



Federal. 

Democrat. 

Federal. 

Democrat. 

Federal. 

Democrat. 



DeWitt Clinton Federal. 



, James Monroe. 

' Rufus King 

James Monroe. 



{*John Quincy Adams..... 
Andrew Jackson 
W. H. Crawford , 
Henry Olay 

I Andrew Jackson 

} John Q. Adams 

{Andrew Jackson 
Henry Clay 
John Floyd 
William Wirt 

J Martin Vau Buren 

j Wm. H. Harrison et al... 

i Wm. H. Harrison 

j Martin Van Buren 

( James K. Polk 

I Henry Clay 

r Zacharv Taylor 

} Lewis Cass 

( Martin Van Buren 

( Franklin Pierce 

j Winfleld Scott et al 

i James Buchanan 
John C. Fremont . . 
Abraham Lincoln 
J. C. Breckenridge et al. 

{ Abraham Lincoln 

( George B. McClellan 

J Ulysses S. Grant 

I Horatio Seymour 

\ Ulysses S. Grant 

I Horace Greeley 

(R.B. Hayes 

} Samuel J"^. Tilden 

( Peter Cooper et al 

( James A. Gaifleld 

Jw. S. Hancock 

( James B. Weaver 



Democrat. 

Federal. 

Democrat. 

Federal. 

Democrat. 

Democrat. 

Whig. 

Democrat. 

Federal. 

Democrat. 

Whig. 

Whig. 

Anti- Mason. 

Democrat. 

Whig. 

Whig. 

Democrat. 

Democrat. 

Whig. 

Whig. 

Democrat. 

Democrat. 

Democrat. 

Whig. 

Democrat. 

Republican. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Greenback. 

Republican. 

Democrat. 

Greenback. 



Sua 
o 

OJ3 
uo 

1 Elect'l vote 

in opposi'n 

105,321 

155,872 

44,282 

46,587 

646,231 

509,092 

687,502 

530,189 



761,549 

736,656 
1,275,011 
1,135,761 
1,337,243 
1,301,382 
1,360,099 
1,220,554 

291,263 
1,601,474 
1,542,403 
1,838,160 
1,215,768 
1,866,352 
2,810,501 
2,216,067 
1,808,725 
3,015,071 
2,709,613 
3,597,070 
2,834,079 
4,033,950 
4,284,865 
93,898 
4,442,950 
4,442,035 

306,867 



All. 
71 
60 
73 
73 
65 

148 
28 

122 
47 

128 
89 

180 
34 



Alabama"'* 

Arkansas 

California 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts.... 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New Hampshire. 

New Jersey 

New York . . 

North Carolina... 

13110hio 

234iOregon 

60|Pennsylvania 

170 Rhode Island.... 
105 South Carolina. . 
163'Tennessee. 
127 



84 

99 
41 
37 

178 
83 

239 

49 

11 

7 

179 



£54 

42 
174 

122 
130 
123 
213 

21 
214 

80 
300 

66 
185 
184 



Texas 

Vermont 

Virginia 

West Virginia. 
Wisconsin 



214 
155 



Total. 



10 

6 

6 

3 

6 

3 

4 

11 

21 

16 

11 

5 

12 

8 

7 

8 

13 

11 

5 

8 

15 

3 

3 

5 

9 

35 

10 

22 

3 

29 

4 

7 

12 

8 

5 

11 

5 

10 

369 



'Elected by House of Representatives. 



t Election November 2, 1880. 



Washington, February 22, 1732. 
J. Adams, October 30, 1735. 
Jefferson, April 2, 1743. 
Madison, March 16, 1751. 
Monroe, April 28, 1758. 
J. Q. Adams, June 11, 1767. 
Jackson, March 15, 1767. 



PRESIDENTS BORN. 

Van Buren, December 5, 1782. 
Harrison, February 9, 1773. 
Tyler, March 29, 1790. 
Polk, November 2, 1795. 
Taylor, November 24, 1784. 
Fillmore, January 7, 1800. 
Pierce, November 23, 1804. 



Buchanan, April 23, 1791. 
Lincoln, February 12, 1809. 
Johnson, December 29, 1808. 
Grant, April 29, 1822. 
Hayes, October 4, 1822. 
Garlit'ld, November 19, 183L 
Chester A. Arthur, Oct. 5, 1830. 



HISTORY OF 

GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI. 



CHAPTER I. 

PIONEER HISTORY. 

The Red Men — The French Voyageurs — The Kickapoos — The First Whites, John P. 
Pettijohn, Joseph Price, Augustus Friend and Others — Mr. Pettijohn's Fearful Trip up 
White River — The Pattersons — The Delaware Indians — James Wilson, and Other 
" Squaw Men " — Old Boh Patterson — Advent of the Campbells, the Fulbrights, A. J. 
Burnett, Joseph Miller, and Others — First Settlement of Springfield — " Kickapoo, My 
Beautiful" — The Rountrees — Uncle Joe's Journey — Other Early Settlers and Settle- 
ments — Some Odd Characters — Pioneer Life — Character of the Old Settlers — List of 
Pioneers of Campbell Township, in 1833. 

The pioneer history of Greene county is that of Southwest Mis- 
souri, for the first settlements in this portion of the State were made 
within what have been, until recently, the boundaries of this county, 
and upon the first organization into municipal government of that 
vast parallelogram, 75x100 miles in area, lying in the southwest 
corner of Missouri, it was all called Greene county. 

Prior to the war of 1812 all this portion of Missouri was known as 
*'the Osage country," or country of the Osage Indians, who occu- 
pied it from time to time as they hunted in its forests, fished in its 
streams, and camped in its pleasant places. The first white men to 
visit the country were some of the early French voyageurs ^ who came 
out occasionally from Ste. Genevieve after "the year of the great 
waters," 1785, and made certain explorations in search of gold and 
silver. Returning, they reported plenty of lead indications, but 
none of the precious metals. These Frenchmen belonged to the col- 
ony at Ste. Genevieve, and seem to have gone as far west from time 
to time as into Barry, or perhaps McDonald county, from the de] 

(125) 



126 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

scription of the country they gave. *' It is a land very rough, moun- 
tainous, and hard to travel through," said they, ♦< and there are 
plenty of springs, caves, and fresh water. ^ 

There is a shadowy tradition that De Soto's men came as far west 
and north as into Jasper county, but there appears no good reason 
to believe that this tradition rests upon anything more substantial 
than the assertion of some fanciful individual anxious to establish 
some sort of distinction for the early history of that county. 

Some time during or immediately after the war of 1812, a band of 
the Kickapoo tribe of Indians built a town on the present site of 
Springfield, which they occupied for several years. The population 
of this town at one time was about 500 — at least it numbered 100 
wigwams.^ 

The Kickapoos ranged north and northeast of this town, princi- 
pally, and the large prairie south of Springfield was called for them ; 
and the " Kickapoo prairie " was more widely known in 1824 than 
it is now. This portion of Southwest Missouri was afterwards often 
called the " Kickapoo country." 

Corroborative of the historical sketch of Mr. Escott, in his History 
of Springfield (1878), a most interesting and instructive little work, 
it may here be stated that the first permanent white settlements in 
Southwest Missouri were made in 1818 by John P. Pettijohn, his 
sons, their families and Joseph Price and Augustine (or Augustus) 
Friend, on the James river, from eight to fifteen miles south and 
southwest of the present location of Springfield. About the same 
time William Friend built a cabin on Finley creek, south a few miles 
of what is now Washington township, in this county, and near the 
town of Linden, or Kenton post-oflice, in Christian county. Jeremiah 
Pearson came to what isnow^the southern part of Jackson township, 
Greene county, a year or two later, and settled on the stream that 
afterwards bore his name, and not long afterward built a mill, which 
disputes for the distinction of being the first in this section of the State. 
Nathan Burrill, a son-in-law of Mr. Pettijohn, came with him and lo- 
cated near Wm. Friend, as did Isaac Prosser and probably George 
Wells. 

From John McPettijohn, a grandson of old John P. Pettijohn, 
and for many years, including the period of the civil war, clerk of 



1 St. Gem's Annals of Ste. Genevieve. 

2 " South of the Pomme de Terre, some twenty miles, is an old Kickapoo village, which 
numbered at one time 100 wick-a-ups or wigwams."— [Beck's Gazetteer (1824), p. 78. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 127 

the courts of Christian county, much interesting information concern- 
ing the settlement of this country has been obtained by different 
writers who have written historical sketches. Mr. McPettijohn has 
put it upon record that his grandfother, John P. Pettijohn, who was 
a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was born in Henrico county, Vir- 
ginia, where he married and lived until 1797, when he moved to Gal- 
lia county, Ohio. There he settled a new farm, upon which he re- 
mained until 1818, at which time he and his family, together with 
those just mentioned and other relatives of the famil3^ to the number 
of twenty-four persons, set out to seek a home in the interior of the 
new Territory of Missouri. Whether Mr. Wells was one of this com- 
pany is not certainly known. 

Procuring a keel-boat, which a was sort of large row-boat, they 
commenced their voyage in the latter part of the summer, down the 
Muskingum, thence down the Ohio and Mississippi to the mouth of 
White river. So tar, it had been comparatively easy sailing ; they 
had made good time, and were in fine spirits. The men had fre- 
quently gone on shore and killed game to add to their stock of pro- 
visions, of which they had laid in a good supply before leaving their 
homes in Ohio. It is not probable that it took many large Saratoga 
trunks to contain their surplus wardrobe, but they brought with 
them such things as they expected would be necessary to make them 
comfortable and happy in their new homes beyond the pale of fash- 
ionable society and its requirements. Among other things, they had 
provided themselves with a variety of field and garden seeds, and as 
they had spent much of their time in hunting and trapping in the 
forests of Ohio, they had a number of bearskins which were used as a 
substitute for mattresses. 

Soon after commencing the ascent of White river, they encountered 
floods which greatly impeded their progress, the river being so full 
that it overflowed its banks, spreading out in some places for miles 
along the cane-brakes which lined it on either side, and flowing so 
rapidly that it was impossible to make any headway against its seeth- 
ing tide. 

About this time sickness assailed the little band and nearly all were 
prostrated with malai-ious fevers. With these hindrances, and the in- 
ability to go on shore to hunt, their supply of provisions was soon 
exhausted, and the famishing crew were compelled to use for food all 
of the seeds which they had brought with them, and then even to 
singe the hair from the bear-skins and roast them to keep from starv- 



128 H18TOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ing. After this, for nearly eight days, they were without a mouthful 
of food of any kind, but on the eighth day a small deer came swim- 
ming up to the boat, as if for assistance, having probably been borne 
down on the current while attempting to cross the river. It is need- 
less to say that they gave it such protection as the vulture gave the 
lamb. On its flesh, without bread or salt, they subsisted two days, 
after which was another fast of eight days, and on the ninth day 
Nathan Burrill, a son-in-law of Mr. Pettijohn, took a skifi" and set out 
among the cane-brakes, declaring that he would go till he found food 
or die in the attempt. He had not gone far before he heard the tink- 
ling of a small bell, and, on rowing in the direction from which it 
proceeded, he soon discovered a mare and a young tilly which were on 
a small knoll entirely surrounded by water, where they had been 
srrazinir, when the waters had risen around them and cut them ofl'from 
the main land. Mr. Burrill considered it a " military necessity," 
under the circumstances, to appropriate the filly to the use of himself 
and his suflering companions, without waiting for the owner's consent, 
inasmuch as he did not know where to find the owner, and there was 
not much time to be lost if anything was to be done to save the fam- 
ishing company. 

Shooting it down, he next cut its throat and drank of its blood as it 
flowed warm from the animal's heart. With difliculty he skinned the 
carcass and conveyed it piecemeal to the boat, where it was gladly 
received by his comrades. This furnished food again for a few days, 
and the waters getting lower, and the party gaining some strength, 
they were making their way slowly but surely toward the " promised 
land," where a few other families had preceded them and formed set- 
tlements but a short time before. 

These settlements were on White river, near the mouth of the Big 
North Fork, and consequently in the present limits of Arkansas, which 
at that time formed a part of the Missouri Territory. 

The first human habitation they found was that of a Frenchman 
who lived all alone, far down the river below the other settlements, 
where he was engaged in raising stock. From hini they purchased 
some corn, but he could not be induced for money or any other con- 
sideration to kill any beef or pork for them. However, with the corn, 
which they boiled, they soon gained suflicient strength to go out 
occasionally and shoot game to go with it, and it was not long till they 
found themselves among more hospitable pioneers, who, true to the 
custom of old Tennessee, from which most of them had emigrated. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 129 

would have shared their last loaf and killed their last fatted calf, in 
order to provide for the wants of the " new-comers." 

And well was this kindness appreciated, for, during this long and 
perilous voyage, two of the number — the wife of the veteran hero 
and the wife of his son William — had been taken away by the hand 
of death, and the rest had been sadly reduced by sickness and pri- 
vation. 

They were, however, soon able to erect cabins and begin to provide 
for their own wants, as there were plenty of deer and turkeys in the 
country, and bee-trees well filled with honey. The bear and the buf- 
falo were not very difficult to find, and the elk still roamed through 
the forests in large herds. 

But their settlement on the White river was not a permanent one. 
Their huntins: excursions often extended several miles back amonerthe 
hills and valleys, and as early as 1820 and 1821, frequent expeditions 
were made by various members of the party as far north as the James 
river, where some of them erected a small cabin and thus established 
a, claim to a place about eight miles south of the present site of 
Springfield. On his return from one of these ex[)editions, William 
Pettijohn told his neighbors on White river that he had discovered the 
country which flowed with milk and honey, bear's oil and buff'alo mar- 
row. These two latter articles were considered great luxuries among 
the old hunters and trappers of the West. 

In the spring and summer of 1822 these families began to remove 
to the places already mentioned — on the *'Jeems" — and 
within the present limits of Greene and Christian counties. Thomas 
Patterson and family, who had also lived about three years on White 
river, which they had reached after successive removals from North 
Carolina to Tennessee, and from Tennessee to the Missouri Territory, 
came up the James in 1821, and bought the claim and improvement 
formerly made by some of the Pettijohn family on the place afterward 
owned by his son, Albert G. Patterson, said to be the oldest farm in 
the county, although not actually settled till August, 1822. 

Alexander Patterson, a brother of Thomas, came about the same 
time and made a settlement on the place which was afterward known 
as the David Wallace place ; also another Thomas Patterson, a cousin 
of Albert G., settled higher up the James. A man named Ingle 
settled near where the bridge now stands, at the crossing of the James, 
on the Ozark road, and there erected what some claim was the first 
mill in Southwest Missouri. 

9 



130 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Up to this time these early settlers had encountered but very few 
Indians — only occasional parties of Osages who were in the habit of 
coming here in the fall to hunt, their home being farther north and 
west, probably within the present limits of the State of Kansas. But, 
in the autumn of 1822, the Delawares came, about live hundred 
strong, and laid claim to all of the southwest part of the State, as a 
reservation given them by the Government. 

These Delawares, one branch of the great Algonquins, are one of 
the most peaceable and friendly tribes in America, being the very 
same nation with whom William Penn formed his first treaty, which 
was ever kept inviolate by them, even when other nations bad perse- 
cuted them for their friendship to the whites. In an early day they 
were eminent for their valor and wisdom, and exercised an important 
influence over the other tribes, which was felt from the Chesapeake 
to the Hudson, as an evidence of which they received the title of 
" The Grand Father." In the sixteenth century their home was in 
the valley of the Delaware and on the banks of the Schuylkill. In 
1751 they were on the Susquehanna, and in 1795 they were parties with 
the Wyandottes, Shawnees and Miamis to the treaty of peace at Green- 
ville. Owing to the hostilities of other tribes, they emigrated after 
this to White river, in Indiana, where they remained until their re- 
moval to this portion of the country, whither it is probable they had 
been directed by designing white men who had told them that this 
was the reservation which had been set apart for them. 

The few white settlers here, not being satisfied on the subject, as to 
the Indians' right of ownership in the country, sent one of their num- 
ber, Thomas Patterson, Sr., to St. Louis to make inquiry concerning 
it, and he was there informed, although it is not known to whom he 
referred the matter, that the Indians were right, and that the white 
settlers must give up their claims. On his returning and reporting, 
the settlers nearly all abandoned their claims, some going to the Mer- 
ramec, some to Osage Fork of the Gasconade, some back to Illinois, 
and some pressing onward still farther south and west. 

Besides the early settlers already mentioned there is an account of 
a man named Davis, who settled on the James, on section 13-29-20, 
now Taylor township, on land now owned by Col. Jno. H. Price, 
some time between 1822 and 1825, and was killed by the Indians, but 
it has not been learned what tribe was charged with it or what the cir- 
cumstances were. His wife and children probably removed from the 
country at the time of the general abandonment of claims on the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 131 

arrival of the Delawares and never returned to reclaim it. Davis 
creek takes its name from this early settler. A man named Spencer 
O'Neil was also an early settler on the James. 

The Delawares, who were now in undisputed possession of the 
country, rented land to a few families who came with them, and also 
to Mr. William Friend, who remained on his farm throughout the 
whole time that they had possession, and therefore, during his life- 
time, was the oldest permanent settler in this portion of the State. 
His father was a captain in the Revolutionary war, and he himself had 
been a soldier in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Tippe- 
canoe, when Tecumseh was killed, so he had no fears in remaining 
among the red men, especially among this friendly tribe. Mr. Friend 
had successively removed from Maryland to Ohio, from Ohio to what 
is now Arkansas, and finally to the wilds of Southwest Missouri. He 
came with the Pettijohn family, the Pearsons, his brother Augustus, 
and the other pioneers who came by way of the rivers from Ohio. 

With the Delawares, came a man named James Wilson, who was 
married to three squaws while here, and after living with each for a 
short time, would drive her off, and seek another " affinit}'." About 
the time the Delawares left, he sent away the third one and re- 
turned to St. Louis, where he married a white woman, whom he 
brought back with him, and they settled on a farm near the mouth 
of the creek which was named for him, and afterwards became noted as 
the scene of one of the fiercest battles of the civil war. After the death 
of Mr. Wilson his widow, a French lady, was married to Dr. C. D. 
Terrell, whose name afterward appears in the official record of Greene 
county as the second clerk of the county court. 

It is said of Wilson that he gained the confidence of the Indians, 
and got the handling of what money they had. He is reported to 
have buried this money with the intent to keep it from the Indians, 
but Judge Lynch' s code seems to have been known to the Delawares, 
and they caught Wilson and hung him up by the neck until he re- 
vealed where the cash was hid. He remained here after the Indians 
removed, and died soon after. 

A man by the name of Marshall also came with them, being mar- 
ried to a squaw, with whom he lived until his death, which occurred 
about the time the Indians were leaving here, and his widow and 
orphans went to the Territorj' with their dusky companions. Mr. 
Marshall had taken the old mill which had formerly been abandoned 



132 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

by Mr. Ingle, and removed it down the river to a point near the 
mouth of Finley creek, where he had commenced a phmtation. 

Two other men seem to have come with the Indians as traders. 
They were Joseph Phillabert (pronounced Fillabare) and William 
Gilliss. Of the latter, all the information learned after the Indians 
left, was developed by a suit brought by persons claiming to be his 
heirs, in consequence of his marriage to the daughter of a chief of a 
small tribe who were connected with the Delawares, or under their 
protection, while here. 

It is claimed that, like Wilson, he was not content to live long at 
a time with one dusky bride ; but that he, too, lived successively 
with three different ones, each, for the time, being considered his 
legal wife. It seems that while keeping a post at the Delaware town 
on the James fork of White river he was twice married to women of 
the Delaware tribe ; but, about the year 1830, he proposed to La- 
harsh, a chief of the Piankeshaws, to marry his daughter, Kahketo- 
qua, and that he employed one Baptiste Peoria to negotiate the mar- 
riage. Baptiste visited Laharsh and reported favorably to Gilliss ; 
after which he and Gilliss went down to the settlement on Cowskin 
creek, where the Indian maiden lived, and carried her father and 
mother presents, which were acceptable, and she returned with them 
to become his wife. In regard to the custom among the Indians in 
relation to marriage, the contract was usually made thus with the 
parents, and if the bridegroom made presents which were satisfac- 
tory, the parent usually assented and that constituted the marriage. 
These contracts were dissoluble at the option of the parties, and in 
this case Gilliss sent Kahketoqua back after living with her for a few 
months, promising to recall her when he should return from the 
East. 

But it does not appear that he ever returned or acknowledged her 
as his wife after this, although he frequently sent presents to her 
child, which was named Nancy, and in after years the heirs of Nancy, 
not being mentioned in his will, sued for their share of his property, 
which was finally granted them by decision of the Supreme Court of 
the State of Missouri, from reports of which we obtain our informa- 
tion. 

It seems that Mr. Gilliss' mother-in-law, the wife of Laharsh, ac- 
companied him and his wife on the wedding tour, remaining several 
weeks, probably to give the wife some instructions in housekeeping, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 133 

and that at the end of her visit, Gilliss took or sent her back to the 
Cowskin settlement. This watchfuhiess of the mother-in-law over 
bride and groom doubtless had the same effect as it is often supposed 
to have in the case of white mothers-in-law, and may have been the 
cause of the early separation. 

Concerning Mr. Phillabert, we have the following from Col. S. H. 
Boyd, of Springfield, in an address delivered by him at a meeting of 
the pioneers of Greene county, July 4, 187(5 : — 

" With the Indians lived a Frenchman whose name was Joseph 
Phillabert. He and some associates in St. Louis carried on a trade 
at this Indian town for many years, by which he accumulated con- 
siderable riches, and he now possesses large paying estates in St. 
Louis. From early life he had been a pioneer, and much of his ca- 
reer had been passed in close association with the Indians. When 
the Indians emigrated to the Indian Territory, Phillabert remained in 
this country, and still lives^ in Stone county. He takes great inter- 
est in the affairs of government, reads the weekly newspapers, and 
discusses with earnestness the political questions of the day. Many 
years have passed by since he was any distance from his comfortable 
Lome on the banks of the White river and the James. His agent in 
St. Louis makes him monthly statements of his property, and this is 
the only care he gives to his large St. Louis estates. He is the old- 
est settler of Southwest Missouri now living." ^ 

The Indian town and trading post referred to was in the northwest 
part of Christian connty, near the Wilson's Creek battle ground, but 
on the James, and extending from the lane where the county road 
crosses the river, about three-fourths of a mile down its banks. This 
was their princii)al town, and for several years the home of the greater 
part of the nation. There were, however, some suburban towns scat- 
tered along up and down the James and on the banks of Wilson's creek. 

Here the Delawares remained monarchs of the forest and the prairie 
until about the year 1830, when it was determined that their reserva- 
tion was further west. To their new hunting grounds they removed, 
and there they have ever since remained, true to their former pledges, 
at peace with the whites, and willing to suffer wrongs rather than en- 
gage in war. 

As soon as they left, most of the white settlers, who had been absent 
during their occupancy of the country, came back and reclaimed their 
ol'd homesteads, where the descendants of some of them still live. 

1 In 1876. 



134 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Mr. Pettijohn, who had been back to Ohio, came with his son John, 
who had remained in Illinois. On returning to their old home, which 
had afterward been the site of the Dehiware town, they found a man 
named Joseph Porter in possession and claiming to have purchased it 
from the Indians ; so they went further down the river and settled 
near the mouth of the James, where they both remained until their 
death. John Mack Pettijohn, a grandson of the old pioneer, was long 
a prominent citizen of Ozark, in Christian county, where he reared a 
family of ten children. In the spring of 1878 Mr. P. and his wife, 
with their six unmarried children, set out overland, with horse and ox 
teams, for the interior of Oregon, but it is understood that they pur- 
chased land and settled in Southern Kansas. The descendants seem 
to inherit the pioneer spirit of their forefathers, and likewise a good 
degree of the patriotic spirit of their veneral^le ancestor of Revolution- 
ary times. John Pettijohn, Jr., and his brother William, were both 
soldiers in the war of 1812 ; a grandson, William C, was in the Mex- 
ican war, and two other grandsons, George and Levi, as well as a 
great-grandson, John W., were in the Union army in the late war, 
while another grandson, George, who was the son of Jacob, was in the" 
Southern army. 

Joseph Porter, before mentioned, was distinguished as a first-rate 
farmer, as well as an excellent trapper and fisherman. He is said to 
have killed the last beaver taken in Greene county. Mr. P. is described 
as being of a very genial nature, full of fun and frolic, and possessing 
a large fund of anecdotes, which conspired to make him a general 
favorite with old and young. 

Thomas Patterson and family returned from Osage fork in 1834, to 
the old plantation on the James, and in a small cemetery near the old 
homestead his remains and those of his wife rest undisturbed beneath 
the shade of a fine grove of native cedars, a fit emblem for the graves 
of pioneers from the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, 
which abound with this beautiful evergreen. 

John B. and Edward Mooney settled on Davis creek, in Taylor 
township, perhaps in 1827, renting land from the Delawares. Rev. 
Mooney was a pioneer preacher, and one of the early townships was 
named for him. Its successor is now Mooney township, Polk county. 
Samuel Martin, of North Carolina, came to that section in 1829, and 
remained here for a number of years. He was the first presiding jus- 
tice of the Greene county court, upon the organization of the county, 
in 1833. He afterward removed to Ozark countv, where he held the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 135 

office of circuit clerk. Cowden Martin, a brother of Judge Martin, 
came here with him, and remained until his death, in 1835. 

In 1821 Bob Patterson and his father, who were from East Tennes- 
see, settled on the James, about two miles north of Dallas, in Webster 
county, and a few miles east of the line now dividing that county from 
Greene. Bob Patterson was an exception among the early pioneers. 
He was inhospitable and ungenerous even to the point of hoggishness. 
In personal appearance he was not at all prepossessing. He was tall 
and ungainly and his front teeth protruded and were large and long. 
It is said that for many years Patterson was the only settler in that 
part of the country for miles, and that he planted the first apple and 
peach orchard in Southwestern Missouri from seeds brought from 
Tennessee. 

On one occasion an emigrant coming westward stopped at Bob Pat- 
terson's to procure some corn for his jaded horses and to make bread 
for his family, a rather large one. Though he had plenty, Patterson 
would not let the mover have even a single bushel, though he knew 
there was no other source from which it could be had within half a 
day's journey, unless he could receive $2 a bushel for every ear sold. 
The emigrant's wife, who had listened to the conversation between 
Patterson and her husband, now concluded it was time for her to in- 
terfere ; whereupon she thrust out her head from under the wagon 
cover and cried out: "You go to the dickens with your corn, you 
stingy old hound ; we don't want to buy anything from a feller whose 
tushes is so long that he can bite the guts out of a punkin through a 
crack in the fence, and not wet his lips ! Go to the dickens with your 
corn ! Comeon, old man !" Andthe "old man" accordingly went on. 

Patterson acted the rogue with the Delaware Indians, and was ex- 
pelled from the country. He went eastward and settled near Steelville, 
Crawford county. What eventually became of him none of the old 
settlers seem ever to have known — or cared. 

A number of explorers and home seekers visited this portion of the 
country from time to time, and among them was old William Ful- 
bright, who came here in 1819. 

In 1830, in response to numerous petitions, the Government ordered 
the Indians to give up this portion of Missouri and " move on," which the 
great majority of them proceeded to do. This seemed to be the sig- 
nal for a large influx of pioneers. Although Missouri had been admitted 
into the Union ten years before, and the eastern and northern portions 
had been rapidly filling up with immigrants, there were very few white 



136 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

people southwest of the center of the State, and all of this vast amount 
of territory, now comprising forty or fifty counties, was still attached 
to Wayne county. 

On the organization of Crawford county in 1829, this territory was 
transferred to its jurisdiction, under which it remained until the organ- 
ization of Greene. 

There were no regular roads, and the usual way of reaching this 
part of the country was either by way of the rivers, as has already 
been described, or by following the Indian trails across from Green's 
ferry, on the Mississippi. 

Some few years since, Mr. John H. Miller, of Ritche}^ Newton 
county, published a series of historical sketches in the Springfield 
Leadei\ for which the people of Greene county must ever be thankful, 
since they contain much valuable information that might never have 
been known to this and future generations. Mr. Miller, a son of 
Joseph Miller, one of the very first settlers of the county, is blessed 
not only with a retentive memory, but with a capacity and a disposi- 
tion to put his recollections on paper. Let it be impressed on our 
people, that to his kindness in writing these sketches, and to the 
Leader's enterprise in publishing them, we are indebted for much 
of the knowledge of the early settlement of this county that we all 
possess. Speaking of some of the first settlements and pioneer set- 
tlers of Greene county, Mr. Miller says : — 

In the fall of 1829, Madison and J. P. Campbell left Maury county, 
Tennessee, on horseback, traveling toward the setting sun in search of 
homes for themselves and their families. Crossing the Mississippi 
river, thence west through the then Territory of Arkansas, on to the 
present site of Fayetteville, then almost an entire wilderness ; thence 
making a circle back in a northeasterly direction into Southwest Mis- 
souri, striking the old Delaware town, the first and only place of 
note on the James fork, ten miles southwest of where Springfield now 
stands. From there they went on to Kickapoo prairie and then 
north into the timber, discovering the FullTright spring and the natural 
well. Near the latter they cut their names on some trees to mark 
their claims to the land in that vicinity. 

At that time the first settlers already mentioned were living on the 
James, and Gilliss and old Joseph Phillabert had a little log store or 
trading post on a knoll near the Delaware town, where they kept a few 
pieces of calico and trinkets for, sale to the Indians. After mention- 
ing the return of the Campbell brothers to Tennessee, Mr. Miller goes 
on to say : — 

In February, 1830, J. P. Campbell and his brother-in-law, Joseph 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 137 

Miller, fixed up with their small families, and set out for Kickapoo 
prairie. Mr. C.'s family consisted of himself, wife and one child, 
Tulitha, then not a year old, Avho was afterward the mother of Lula, 
wife of Frank Sheppard. Mr. Miller's family consisted of himself 
and wife and two children. Rufus was one year old, and John was 
twelve. They also had six darkies, one five-horse team and one Der- 
bin wagon, which was driven by ^Tohn. (Madison U. did not move 
until l'832.) 

They journeyed via Nashville and Hopkinsville, crossing the Ohio 
at Golconda, thence over the south end of Illinois to Green's old ferry 
on the Mississippi. It being in February, they encountered great 
difficulties in crossing on account of the quantities of floating ice, but 
after making several trips across the river in an old, rickety piece of a 
flat, the wind being high and cold, they succeeded in landing safe on 
the Missouri side ; thence they were obliged to almost cut their own 
road, but onward they went toward the West, by old Jackson in Cape 
Girardeau county, stopping one day to rest at old Col. Abram Byro's, 
five miles west of Jackson. Thence they proceeded on to Farming- 
ton, in St. Francois county, and by Caledonia, in Washington county, 
which was the last town, and it only contained one little store and 
two or three dozen inhabitants. Then on west, with scarcely any road, 
to the present site of Steelville, in Crawford county, and on twelve 
miles further to Massey's iron works, which had been in operation 
but a ver}' short time, and so on to where RoUa now stands. Twelve 
miles farther on, they came to old Jimmy Harrison's, at the mouth 
of Little Piney, on the Gasconade, about four hundred yards south of 
the present Gasconade bridge. Mr. Harrison kept a little store for 
the accommodation of the few settlers up and down the Piney and the 
Gasconade ; that was also the court-house for the whole of Southwest 
Missouri, and so it was the only post-office until 1832. Thence west 
twenty miles brought them across the Big Piney on to Roubideaux, 
now Waynesville, in Pulaski county. Continuing their journey, they 
went up the Gasconade river to the mouth of the Osage fork, where 
they found a few white settlers — some of the Starks, Ballous, Ty- 
garts, O'Neals, and one old " Jim Campbell," who was sheritt'of all of 
Southwest Missouri. This was in the neighborhood of the present 
Oldland post-office. From there they came on to Cave Spring, where 
they crossed the Osage fork, leaving it at the old Barnett place, from 
which they came to Pleasant prairie, now Marshfield, and striking 
James fork twenty miles east, thence down to Jerry Pierson's, where 
he had built a little water mill at a spring just below the Danforth 
place ; then on west they struck the Kickapoo prairie one mile east 
of the present Joe Merritt place ; thence five miles more brought them 
to the natural well (a short distance north of the present public square 
of Springfield). Here they first camped on the night of the 4th of 
March, ^830. 

In the meantime, Uncle Billy Fulbright had got about three weeks 
ahead of them, and stopped at the Fulbright spring. His brother, 



138 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 

John Fiilhi'ight had settled at another spring near by, and had a cabin 
up ; and his l)rother-in-hiw, A. J. Burnett, had succeeded in putting 
up a small oak-pole cabin 12x15, just on the spot of the old 'Squire 
Burden residence on Booneville street. Mr. Campbell having had rather 
the oldest claim, ))y his name being cut on an ash tree at the well, 
Mr. Burnett gave way and went and commenced an improvement five 
miles east, at the Merritt place. Both Miller's and Campbell's fam- 
ilies then moved into the pole cabin, the negroes having a good cloth 
tent to live in. This cabin had a splendid dirt floor. 

Then all pitched into cutting and clearing, and soon suc- 
ceeded in opening a few acres on the north side of the branch 
(Jordan) and just north of the natural well. They also cleared 
a field on the top of the hill, where the city now stands, the north 
string of the fence being about in the middle of the public square run- 
ning west and including the ground where the Metropolitan hotel now 
stands. 

The remains of the old Kickapoo Indian village still stood in the 
southwest portion of the present limit of Springfield. It was built of 
bark and small hickory poles bent over. Plenty of dead corn stalks 
were to be seen in the little patches that had been cultivated by the 
squaws. The Kickapoos had moved northwest in 1828. They came 
here from Illinois. 

The following communication from the pen of Mrs. Rush C. Owen, 
daughter of John P. Campbell, taken from the columns of the Spring- 
field Leader, of August 3, 1876, gives some interesting incidents 
in connection with the early settling of the town of Springfield : — 

In 1827 my father, John P. Campbell, and my uncle, E. M. Campbell, 
took refuge from an autumnal storm in old Delaware town on the 
James, not far from the Wilson Creek battle-ground. The braves had 
just brought in a remnant of Kickapoos which they had rescued from 
the Osages. Among the Kickapoos was a young brave boy ill with a 
kind of bilious fever recently taken. Just before leaving home my 
father had been reading a botanic treatise, and became a convei't. In 
his saddle-bags he carried lobelia, composition and No. 6. He gave 
them to understand that he was a medicine man, and against Uncle 
Mat's earnest protest, who feared the consequences if the Indian died, 
he undertook the case. Not understanding the condition of his patient, 
or, perhaps, the proper quantity of the emetic to administer, he threw 
the Kickapoo into an alarm, or in other words a frightful cold sweat and 
deathly sickness. Then there was woi-k for dear life. Uncle Mat, the 
older and more cautions of the two, pulled otf his coat and plunged in 
to help my father get up a reaction, which they did, leaving the poor 
patient prostrate, and "weak as a rag." My father always laughed and 
said : " But feel so good, good — all gone," laying his hand weakly on 
his stomach. They remained some time with the Indians, hunting and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 139 

looking at the country. They finally made up their minds to return to 
Maury county, Tennessee, and bring their families. Piloted by the 
Kickapoo they went some distance up the James, and made arrange- 
ments with an old trapper to get out their house logs ready to be put up 
immediately upon their return, They had selected lands where Spring- 
field now stands. They found four springs whose branches uniting 
formed Wilson creek. About the center of the area between these 
springs was a natural well of wonderful depth, now known to be a sub- 
terranean lake, hard by which my father "squatted," after a toilsome 
journey through the wilderness,. the Mississippi river frozen over so 
hard that they crossed on the ice in February, 1830. Several families 
accompanied him, among whom was glorious old Uncle Jo Miller. Who 
ever saw him angry? Who ever caught him looking on the dark side? 
The moment he was seated every child clambered and buzzed over him 
like bees over a honey-comb, and we had implicit faith in his "honey 
pond and fritter tree," and have to this day. The Kickapoo came over 
immediately and became an almost indispensable adjunct to the family. 
Seeing that my father was very tender with my mother, he looked upon 
her as a superior being, something to be guarded and watched that no 
harm come near. He was out on a hunt when my sister was bom, the 
first white child in Kickapoo prairie. When he came in my father, 
who had thrown himself on the bed by my mother, said : " Oh, ho I 
look here !" He approached, looked at the little creature with quaint 
seriousness, and said, " What call?" My mother, to please him, said 
"Kickapoo ;" and my father, who was cheerful and bright, had just taken 
bal)y's tiny hand and exclaimed, "My Beautiful," so that the child was 
ever to the Indian "Kickapoo, My Beautiful," and exceedingly beau- 
tiful she proved to be. The old people discourse upon her loveliness 
to this day, and refuse to believe that there ever was another to com- 
pare with her. The Kickapoo's greatest pleasure was guarding the 
rustic cradle, and drawing the delicately tapered hand through his 
own. 

Springfield soon became a habitation with a name. Cabins of 
round poles were hastily put up, and filled with emigrants. My fa- 
ther vacated and built thirteen times in one year to accommodate new 
comers. Log huts filled with merchandise, groceries, and above all 
that curse of America — whisky — soon did a thriving trade with 
the Indians and immigrants. A cool autumn afternoon my mother, 
who was remarkably tall, with black hair and fine eyes, went to one 
of the primitive stores to buy a shawl, and could find nothing but a 
bright red with gay embroidered corners. She threw it over her 
shoulders, and crossed over to see a sick neighbor. Returning at 
dusk she was forced to pass round a crowd of Indians who had been 
trading and drinking. A powerful, bare-armed Osage, attracted no 
doul)t by the gay shawl, threw up his arms, bounded toward her 
shouting, " My squaw." She flew towards home. Just as she reached 
the door her foot twisted and she fainted. A strong arm with 
a heavy stick came down on the bare head of the dusky savage. 



140 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

and he measured his length on the ground. The Kickapoo, for 
it was he that came so opportunely to my mother's rescue, car- 
ried her in, closing the door, for by this time everybody had rushed 
to see what was the matter, the Osages calling for the Kickapoo who 
had dealt the blow upon their companion. He passed on to the 
kitchen, making a sign to Rachel to go in ; took "Kickapoo, My Beau- 
tiful," from Elizabeth, pressed her tenderly to his heart, looked at her 
Avistfully, returned her to the nurse and was gone. The blow 
dealt really killed the Osage. Nothing but Rachel opening the door 
wringing her hands, with tears running down hers and Elizabeth's 
cheeks, with " Kickapoo, My Beautiful," screaming, the finding of my 
mother in a death-like swoon, and no trace of the Kickapoo saved 
the village from serious trouble. Days, weeks, months and years 
passed, and all my father's efforts to find out the fate of his red friend 
Avere futile, and he concluded he had been assassinated by the Osages, 
though assured by them, " They no find him." 

John P. Campbell was for many years a leading citizen and fore- 
most resident of the town. " He was an organizer of men, a stranger 
to reverses. The touch of his hand was success to any enterprise. 
Kind, prompt, generous and benevolent, his word was as sovereign 
as a State statute. He amassed large pro[)erty, and extended his 
field of operations over an empire. He built up schools, raised 
churches, and gave freely to the poor; died, leaving a name honored 
and respected by everybody." His brothers, Samuel, Ezekiel M., 
Junius T. and William Campbell, were also early settlers of the 
county. 

Junius T. Campbell arrived at Springfield in the month of October, 
1831. He was the first justice of the peace elected by the people, 
and vvas chosen to that office in 1832. He was also the first post- 
master at Springfield. Before the establishment of the office the 
nearest post-office was at Little Piney, now in Crawford county, one 
hundred and ten miles distant from Springfield. In those days the 
rates of postage differed from those now in vogue. Prior to the act 
of 1845 the postage upon a letter composed of a single sheet was as 
• follows: If conveyed 30 miles or less, 6 cents ; between 30 and 80 
miles, 10 cents ; between 80 and 150 miles, I2V2 cents ; between 150 
and 400 miles, 18^^/4 cents ; over 400 miles, 25 cents. By the act of 
1845 the postage on a letter conveyed for any distance under 300 
miles was fixed at 5 cents, and for any greater distance at 10 
cents. By the act of 1851, it was provided that a single letter if pre- 
paid should be carried any distance not exceeding 3,000 miles for 
3 cents, and any greater distance for 6 cents. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 141 . 

Junius T. Campbell opened up the first store in Springfield, and 
was the only merchant in the county until the arrival of Major D. D. 
Berry, who reached the town with two wagon-loads of goods which 
he brought from Bolivar, Tennessee, a distance of five hundred miles. 

About the time that Messrs. Miller and Campbell settled in Sprino-- 
field, there were settlements being made in various parts of what 
was soon to become Greene county, the county seat of which should 
finally become a flourishing city. As before mentioned the Full)right 
family had settled in the west partt)f what now constitutes the city, 
or perhaps just outside of the present city limits; the spring which 
bears their name, and furnishes an abundant supply of "Adam's 
ale," being but a short distance from the fountain of that more re- 
cently invented beverage, lager beer. Wm. Fulbright had passed 
through what is now Greene county in 1819, but went back East, 
and settled in what afterwards became Crawford county. In 1829, 
just after the return of Mr. Campbell from his first trip, as before 
stated, Mr. Fulbright, with his brothers Levi and John, and his 
brother-in-law, A. J. Burnett, removed to this place and pitched 
their tents in the wilderness. They brought with them their families, 
and a number of negroes, among whom was Aunt Hannah, so well 
known to all citizens of Springfield, claiming to be over a hundred 
years old, and to have assisted in the construction of that first little 
pole cabin. In 1832 a mill was erected by Wm. Fulbright on a site 
near the head of Little Sac. Many of the descendants of this familv 
are still living in the vicinity of Springfield. Mr. Miller, in a com- 
munication to the Leader, pays the following honorable tribute to 
some of the departed members : — 

In making further drafts upon the tablet of memory, fond recol- 
lections are awakened of more, and not to be forgotten, men and 
women who once lived in and about Springfield, but are long since 
gone. I call to mind the Fulbright family and others; Wm. Ful- 
bright and his amiable wife (Aunt Ruthy) and their interesting young 
family of sons (they had but one daughter). When I first knew 
them in 1830, they lived at the spring, opened a large farm on the 
high ground south of the spring, and were the first to break the soil 
in the way of plowing, in the neighborhood. Uncle Billy's late and 
last residence was at the sight of the old fort, or earth-work, where 
he died in 1843, after spending a very energetic and useful life. He 
was very punctual, honest and strict in all his dealings. He taught 
all of his nine sons true habits of industry ; to get money, but to get 
it honestly, or not at all. Their third son, Henry, held several re- 
sponsible offices in the county, and was for one terra receiver of the 



142 HISTORY OF GUEENE COUNTY. 

U. S. Land Office. It was my good fortune to be personally ac- 
quainted with old Grandmother Fulbright, mother of Uncle Billy. 
She was of Dutch or German origin, from North Carolina, and had in 
her possession a very old Dutch Bible, the first I ever saw. She 
died, I think, in 1832, at a very advanced age. Aunt Ruthy, who 
died a few years ago, is well remembered, no doubt, by many for her 
kind, generous and amial)le disposition. Though passed away, may 
they long be remembered. 

Andrew Bass left Tennessee iif the fall of 1829 for Missouri, arriv- 
ing in Greene county toward the close of the year. His first location 
was half a mile west of where Strafford now stands, but on the de- 
parture of the Indians, the following year, he removed to Jackson 
township. Alpheus Huflf came from Franklin county, Missouri, in 
1830, and settled within a mile of Mr. Bass, and Alexander Chadwick 
came from Tennessee in the fall of 1831, after which there were no 
other arrivals in that part of the county for several years. 

On the south side of the James, Edward Thompson, from Tennes- 
see, settled in 1830. Mrs. Page and her family, who were of French 
descent, came also about the same tinie, and remained for several 
years on what is known as the Galbreath place, in the same neighbor- 
hood. In the same year, Thos. Finney and wife and Samuel Weaver 
came, and lived for about a year, just below the present Boonville 
street bridge, where G. N. Shelton afterwsird had a tan-yard. Mr. 
Weaver was a son-in-law of Wm. FuU^right, but his wife had recently 
died, leaving an infant son named Marion, who was afterwards a mer- 
chant in Lawrence county. 

Joseph Miller settled at the spring, a short distance southwest of 
the city, after which he sold out to Maj. Joseph Weaver, and removed 
to Sac river, thirty miles north\vest of the city. Mr. Weaver came 
in March, 1830, from Marshall county, Tennessee, and first settled 
at the Delaware town, where he purchased and improved a farm upon 
which he lived until his removal to the above named point. On this 
farm he remained three or four years before removing to the place 
known as the Weaver grove, two-and-a-half miles west of town. 
After one or two other removals, he died in September, 1852, on the 
farm three miles northwest of the city. 

In 1831, Daniel B. Miller, a brother of Joseph, settled at what is 
still known as the Miller spring, in the northAvestpart of the city, and 
which furnishes power in the form of steam for the Springfield woolen 
mills. Here he made a field which was afterward used as the Federal 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 143 

buiTing ground. Mr. Miller remained in Springfield until his death, 
which occurred in January, 1839. 

Samuel Lasley, who came with Mr. Miller, settled on Little Sac, 
where the Bolivar road now crosses ; and Spencer O'Neil, before men- 
tioned, who had been absent from the country during the general 
abandonment of homes before the Delawares left the country, re- 
turned about this time, and settled in the southwestern part of the 
county. 

Next came Joseph Rountree and family, from Maury count3% Ten- 
nessee, reaching here in January, 1831. They had started in Novem- 
ber, 1830, and their journey was a hard one. One of the very deepest 
snows that ever fell in this part of the State was encountered on their 
journey. This snow reached the extraordinary depth of 18 inches on 
a level, and remained on the ground some weeks. 

As a sample of what went to make up an emigrant's trip to Greene 
county in early days, extracts from the diary of Mr. Rountree are here 
given, taken literally from his old memorandum book, with its quaint 
chirography, now brown with age, but fairh'^ legible, its rude grammar, 
but plain, expressive phraseology. This old book is now a treasured 
heirloom in the possession of Mr. Wm. Rountree, a grandson of the 
original owner, and who has kindly furnished it for the use of this 
history. The route from Springfield to the Mississippi river in 1830 
was not as easily ttaveled as that now in use in these days of palace 
cars and lightning express trains. The following are the extracts re- 
ferred to, beginning where Mr. R. records his arrival on the east bank 
of the Mississippi, at Green's Ferry : — 

Thursday, December 23d, 1830. — A cloudy day. The ice was very 
thick in the river ; we went to Kaskaskia ; the ice nearly quit in the 
river in the evening ; at night it rained and froze over. Our expense 
was 37I/2C. 

Friday, 24th. — A wet morning. We prepared for crossing the 
river after breakfast ; we had removed our family to Peter Robert 
Derousse's, at the lower ferry, on Sunday last, — a very respectable 
gentleman with a peaceable family ; we found the ice so thick and wide 
on the other side that we could not land, and had to go down the river 
more than a mile, where we got a landing, and it took until about an 
hour in the night before I got my wagon and family over ; we had to 
make five trips ; we went about three miles and camped, and had a 
merry night. Expense, $5. 

Saturday, 25th. — Wq started early ; proceeded to Ste. Genevieve 
town ; Mr. Beard had to get a skein mended ; my family stjived with 
a very friendly French family, Bovie by name ; in the evening we went 
on eight miles and camped at Mr. Bell's. Expense, $1,62V2. 



144 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Sunday, 26th. — A cloudy cold day. We traveled on and about 2 
o'clock Mr. Beard's hind axletree broke at Mr. Moreare's ; we pro- 
ceeded about four miles further ; we traveled 14 miles and camped at 
Mr. Barrington's. Expense, 62V2C. 

Monday, 27th. — I went to Mr. Donaldson's, found them well, and 
our wagon waited for Mr. Beard's, and then went on ; camped at Mr. 
Baker's ; traveled nine miles to-day. Expense, $2.56V4. 

Tuesday, 28th. — This day was clear and cold. We traveled on 
very welT; found that the fore bolster of Mr. Beard's wagon was 
broken ; we came through Mine a Burton and got a new bolster ; en- 
camped at Mr. Tucker's ; it began to snow before day. Expense, 62V2C. 

Wednesday , 29th. — This day was snowy, rainy and freezing ; we 
started and broke the tongue out of Mr. Beard's wagon ; made a 
new tongue, traveled seven miles, and encamped at Mr. Compton's. 
Expense, $1. 

Thursday, 30th. — Started on and it was snowing and freezing; last 
night it snowed ; we had got only one mile this day until Mr. Beard's 
w^agon turned over in a branch and got the most of my goods wet ; we 
had to take up cam[) and dr}^ our things ; it continued snowing. Ex- 
pense, ()2l/2C. 

Friday, 31st. — This day we packed up our wagon and started 
about 12; traveled 7 miles. Expense, $1.06V4. 

Saturday, January 1, 1831. — A clear cold morning ; it moderated 
a little ; we proceeded and crossed the Cotway,^ Huzza, and Dry 
creeks ; traveled about 13 miles and encamped on the ridge between 
Dry creek and the Merrimac. Expense, $2.75. 

Sunday, 2d. — Cloudy ; we started early ; it rained very hard this 
day and thundered ; we crossed the Merrimac ; traveled 16 miles ; en- 
camped at Massey's Iron works. ^ Expense, 5()i/4C. 

Monday, 3d. — Last night it rained, sleeted and froze all night; 
this morning it began to snow ; we continued in a cabin that we had 
took up in ; it snowed all night. Expense, 62V2C. 

Tuesday, 4th. — A cold day ; snow very deep; continued at the 
cabin all day. Expense, $1.19. 

Wednesday, 5 tJi. — A clear, cold day; Mr. Beard took his load 
about four miles to Mr. St. Clair's, and we deposited it there and re- 
turned to the cabin. Expense, 66"-/3C. 

Thursday, 6th. — Clear and cold ; Mr. Beard took his departure for 
home ; we continued in the cabin ; in the evening Sidney [Ingram] 
and me went to look us out a place for to make a camp near St. 
Clair's ; we concluded on a place, returned in the evening, and brought 
home Junius and Lucius, who had went to another cabin on the Dry 
fork of the Merrimac the day before. Expense, $5. 

Friday, 7ih. — We began to prepare tor making our camps, but in 
the evening Joseph Phillabare (Philabert) came on and we concluded 



1 Mr. R. means the Fourche a Courtois. 

* Established in 1829 by Samuel Massey; now Meramec Iron Works, in the eastern 
part of Phelps county. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 145 

to ""o on with him ; so we left the cabin, came on to St. Chiir's, and 
sta3^ed all night. Expense, 62V2C. 

Saturday, 8th. — We started about 10 o'clock and proceeded up 
the bad hill with some difficulty ; the day was cloudy and cold, the 
snow was deep and it snowed some more, but we traveled 18 miles. 
Expense, I8V4C. 

Sunday, 9th. — Quite cold ; traveled 17 miles. Expense, |1.43. 
Monday, 10th. — Cloudy and cold; we proceeded and crossed 
Rubidoo (Robidoux) ; traveled 15 miles. Expense, 37V2C. 

Tuefiday, 11th. — This morninir it was very snowy ; we discovered 
that Mr. Phillabare had one of the skeins of his wagon to get mended, 
so we stayed in camp till nearly 12, and then traveled about 12 miles 
and encamped at Stark's. Expense, 8IV4C. 

Wednesday, 12th. — Cloudy and cold ; we traveled on slowly on ac- 
count of the snow ; crossed the Osage fork of the Gasconade, and 
traveled 14 miles. Expense, I8V4C. 

Thursday, 13th. — A cold day, but we traveled on pretty well; 
passed Eastwood and traveled 18 miles. Expense, 37V2C. 

Friday, 14th. — Last night it snoAved very hard; we encamped at 
the Indian Grave branch ; the snow increased in depth four or five 
inches ; we traveled with a good deal of difficulty ; we passed Tygart's ; 
traveled 20 miles. Expense, 50 cents. 

Saturday, 15th. — It continues to snow; the day is most intolera- 
bly cold ; we {proceeded on our way, and after traveling six or eight 
miles we met Joseph H. Miller and Lemuel Blanton coming to meet 
us. Great joy! We went on to Robert Patterson's, twelve miles, 
and got lodging for the night in his house, — the first night's lodging 
in a house since we left the cabin at Massey's Iron Works. Expense, 
$1.25 

Sunday, 16th. — To-day was extremely cold ; snowed a little; we 
proceeded and got to Joseph H. Miller's between sunset and dark; 
found the people about the Prairie all well and glad to see us all ar- 
rive safe ; traveled 23 miles. 

Father Joseph Rountree was born in North Carolina in 1782. He 
emigrated to Tennessee in 1819, and to Greene county in 1831. He 
died December 25, 1874. Not long after coming here, he was elected 
justice of the peace, which position he filled for several years, and 
in 185G was chosen one of the judges of the county court. This 
office he filled acceptably until the war threw everything into con- 
fusion. In 1865, the venerable old man was assaulted most wantonly 
bv a brutal soldier, and after a struggle he was shot through the 
shoulder with a revolver bullet, after which the soldier made two or 
three unsuccessful attempts to shoot him through the head, but the 
weapon missed fire, and assistance coming at that moment, the brute 

10 



146 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was prevented from completing his murderous intentions. The soldier 
Aviis promptly arrested, tried, and convicted by a court martial, and 
sentenced to ten years' continement in the penitentiary. Mr. Roun- 
tree suffered acutely for a long time from this wound, but finally 
recovered and lived several years. When he came to this State he 
brought with him a family of seven sons and two daughters, who have 
filled honorable places in society. 

In company with Mr. Rountree on his journey from Tennessee was 
Sidney S. Ingram, who settled in Springfield, on East Walnut street, 
just north of which he erected a cabinet and wagon shop. Mr. Ingram 
remained in the cit}'^ a number of years, and afterward removed to a 
farm about one-and-a-half miles southwest of town, after which he 
removed to the place on the James, where, in company with F. C. 
Howard, he erected a saw and grist mill. There he remained until 
his death, which occurred about the year 1847. Mr. Ingram will 
hereafter be mentioned in an official capacity. 

Somewhere about tbe year 1832 Randolph Britt came from near 
Bowling Green, Kentucky, and settled five miles southeast of Spring- 
field, and Edmund Vaughn is said to have settled ten miles east before 
the Delawares left the country. A Mr. BuflTord, who settled in Jack- 
son township, came in at an early day. Kindred Rose located on the 
farm he owned so long, a mile or so southwest of Springfield, in the 
year 1831. 

Andrew Taylor, from West Tennessee, settled in 1831, one-and-a- 
half miles southeast, on the prairie just east of the Phelps place, and 
D. D. Berry, his brother-in-law, just south of him, where he put up 
a little log store, bringing his goods from Tennessee. Mr. Taylor 
soon moved back to Tennessee, and after a village began to be shaped 
at Springfield, Mr. Berrj' removed his store to town. 

In the fall of 1831, Peter Epperson and family came from Tennessee 
and settled on a place adjoining Mr. Rountree's, having sent an over- 
seer with about twenty slaves, in the spring, to erect a house, open 
up a farm, and make necessary preparations to receive them. 

Radford Cannefax and his family, including two grown sons, Ben- 
jamin and Cheslcy, and a daughter, who afterwards became the wife 
of S. S. Ingram, arrived in 1831, and settled four miles southwest of 
Springfield, on the farm afterward owned by Chesley. They were 
orio-inally from Campbell county, Virginia, where, in 1809, the elder 
C;innefax was compelled, in self-defense, to kill a man bj^the name of 



HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 147 

Pitts. Cannefax surrendered himself to the authorities, was tried and 
acquitted. He soon afterward removed to Kentucky, where he re 
mained until his removal to this place, as before stated. 

In the satne year. Finis Shannon, brother-in-law of Joseph Miller, 
settled just below the Uncle Joe Rountree place, on Wilson creek, 
where he soon died and was buried. He was the first white person 
ever buried in the neighborhood, the plank for his coffin being sawed 
from a green walnut log by Joseph Miller and a negro man, with a 
whip-saw, and the coffin was made by Junius Rountree and Sidney 
Ingram. 

In the latter part of 1831, Samuel Painter came in from Montgom- 
ery county, Illinois, where he had lived about five years. He was 
formerly from Lincoln county, Tennessee, to which place he removed 
in 1813, when his son Jacob, who still lives in Springfield, was but 
two years old. Mr. Painter and his family, consisting of his wife and 
three sons — John, Jacob and Elisha — remained a few months in 
Springfield, after which they removed to the beautiful prairie in the 
north part of the county, where they remained about one year, near 
Ebenezer. Mr. Painter sold out to Thomas Wilson, and then removed 
to what was called the " Mill Bottom," on the James, the place first 
settled by Mr. Ingle, and afterward by a man named Seigler. Jacob, 
at the same time, removed to the place known as the " Brashear's 
Cave" farm, four miles southeast of Springfield. About the time of 
the laying out of the town they both returned to Springfield, where 
the old gentleman remained until his death, which occurred in 1836. 
Jacob still lives in the Third ward, and is, without doubt, the oldest 
white settler in the city. In 1845, he purchased, for ten dollars, the 
ground on Olive street where his present house and shop stand, and 
where he has ever since j'esided. Col. S. H. Boyd thus refers to 
him, in his historical essay, delivered at the meeting of pioneers, July 
4th, 1876: — 

He was a professional gunsmith, and has turned out thousands 
of fire-arms, and he gained quite a celebrity for his pistol pattern, 
knoAvn as "Jake's best." Californians, in 1849, '50,* and '51, bouo-ht 
them in preference to any other. Jake married the dauo-hter of 
William Freeman, a soldier of the Revolution, who died in 1836, 
and was buried on the Gardner farm, two miles east from Spring- 
field. Jake remembers well the house of John P. Campbell, the 
only one, where now is our city, in 1831. William Fulbright, 
Benjamin Cannefax, Joseph Rountree, and Joseph Miller were the 
nearest residents to where now is Springfield, Jake, in those far- 



148 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

gone days, was accustomed to cliurch-goin<r, to hear the Rev. Thomas 
Potter, an uncle of Col. Thomas Potter, a leading man and i)olitician 
of Greene county. The county was full of game and the wtiter- 
courses filled with lish. Jake was champion then, but he always 
played fair and practiced no deceit, even upon the linest game and 
fish. Jake never told a falsehood, and he says honey was used as a 
lubricator for wagons, it being so plenty then. He has continually 
resided here since 1831, except for a few days, when he went into the 
country to his brother's. Some claim that he is not now the oldest 
settler ; that he lost that right when he left, as he left in a hurry. 
The story is that Henry Fulbright, son of William Fulbright, came 
from St. Louis, and brought the cholera with him, in 1835 ; and that 
when Jake left, he left for good. But it subsided, and Jake returned. 
Knowing the demoralizing effect cholera has upon a Tennesseean, the 
court decided that Jake's domicile was not abandoned, and that he is 
entitled to carry the knife. Jacol) Painter has filled well his part ; 
always the quiet, fearless advocate of right, he never had an enemy, 
political or personal. Such is the oldest living settler of Springfield. 

Sometime in 1831, James K. Alsop, Samuel Scroggins and Daniel 
Johnson settled on the Little Sac, and were followed, in 1832, by John 
Headlee, and two brothers-in-law, Benjamin Johnson and James 
Dryden. 

In the same year came Thomas P. Whitlock, the father of W. P. 
Whitlock. He arrived in June, from Hardeman county, Tennessee, 
and settled in what is now Franklin township, in the north part of 
the county. He brought with him a wife and one son. Zachariah 
Simms, Benjamin Johnson, Henry Morrison, David and John Roper, 
Drury Upshaw, and Larkin Dewitt, all settled about the same time in 
that part of the county. 

John Briscoe, with his sons-in-law, Jacob and AndreAV Roller, ar- 
rived from Tennessee in 1831 or 1832, and settled in the south part 
of the county. 

Li ]832, Bennett Robberson, the father of Dr. E. T. Robberson, 
who is one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Spring- 
field, came from Tennessee and settled near Mr. Rountree's, about 
two miles southwest of Springfield, and about a year afterward his 
mother (the grandmother of the doctor) came with her sons William, 
Allen, John, Edwin, Russell and Rufus, who all settled in the north 
part of the county, on the prairie which still bears their name. She 
also had three daughters, who married, respectively. Rev. David Ross, 
father of Dr. Ross, Thomas Stokes and Richard Say. 

John G. Lock settled on Flat creek in 1832. He was what is now 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 149 

known as a '* sport " — i.e., a gamester — and the owner of race- 
horses, which he often matched for Uirge wagers. He was, neverthe- 
less, a good and genial man, who had many warm friends among the 
pioneers. Mr. Lock terminated his life in an affray with one of his 
cousins, John Short, by whom he was fatally stabbed in the abdomen. 
Short also received wounds in this affray, from which he never re- 
covered. 

In the spring of 1832, Humphrey Warren located in the prairie 
three and one-half miles from town, which is about the main and ex- 
treme head branch of Wilson creek, where James Massey afterward 
lived and died. Mr. Massey was the father of William Massey, Mrs. 
Mc Adams and Mrs. " Buck " Rountree. 

Thomas Horn, also in 1832, settled on the branch below the Beider- 
linden place. James Dollison came from Tennessee about this time 
and settled near where the cotton mills now stand, but soon afterward 
removed to a farm three and one-half miles south of town. Mr. D. 
was for several years one of the judges of the county court. 

Among the early settlers of Walnut Grove and vicinity, all of whom, 
pr()bat)ly, came before 1833, were Allen Williams, Michael Walsh, 
William Mallory, Joseph Moss, Mr. Sloan (the father of Dr. Sloan 
of Walnut Grove), and Hugh Leeper, from which the large prairie 
in the northwest part of the county took its name. 

In the " Historical Atlas of Greene County," appears this sketch of 
the Boone family, and its connection with the early history of Greene 
county : — 

The western part of the county was explored at an early da}'- by 
Nathan Boone. He was the youngest son of Daniel Boone, was a 
captain in the United States service, and was one of the tirst white 
men who traversed Southwest Missouri. He was pleased with the 
appearance of the west part of this county, and selected some land in 
the neighborhood of Ash Grove, and sent out his son to take out pre- 
emption rights. Several of the Boone family have since lived in 
the county . Nathan Boone located in the heart of Ash Grove — 
a large grove of timber composed principally of walnut and ash, and 
receiving its name from the predominance of the latter. James, John, 
Benjamin and Howard were his sons. His sons-in-law were William 
Canlfield and Alfred Horseman, who also settled in the grove. Nathan 
Boone at one time owned several hundred acres of land. James Boone, 
his oldest son, is said to be the oldest American white male child born in 
Missouri, west of St. Louis county. He was born in St. Charles 
county in 1800. His two daughters, Mrs. Frazier and Mrs. Horse- 
man, and his grandson, James W., besides some other grandsons and 
grand-daughters, still live near Ash Grove. 



150 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Quoting aojain from Mr. John H. Miller, that gentleman says : — 

In the year 1831, Dr. James 11. Slavens, then a young preacher 
from Warren county, and who married Joseph Rountree's oldest 
daughter, Amanda, in 1832, was the first Methodist that ever preached 
in this county. I will here mention old man Sol. Cotner as being one 
of the early settlers, who, with Jacob Painter, could kill more game, 
and they were considered the most expert hunters in the country, and 
long after wild game had disappeared, they could find and kill deer 
almost in sight of town, when no one else could. Old man James 
Carter put up and run the tirst blacksmith shop, which stood not far 
from the northeast corner of the present public square. Mr. Carter 
died of cholera in 1835, as also two of Mr. Campbell's negroes — old 
Davy and Jim — and were buried just under the hill a little way above 
the present bridge. At the Miller spring is a disappeared graveyard 
of six or seven persons of the Miller family. It is some eighty or 
cue hundred yards east of the spring, may be a little southeast, now 
covered over with houses and fences. I am very sure they have never 
been taken up. The graves were near the foot of a solitary large 
black oak tree that then stood there, which was surrounded by a 
thick growth of voung oak saplings or bushes. They were buried 
there in 1831, '32, '33, '34, '35 and '36. 

In 1832, a Mr. Eads settled at the Schultz spring, one mile and a 
half southwest. Afterwards, Maj. Blackwell, father-in-law of Junius 
Campbell, lived there, and at that place Mr. C. was married. The 
writer was at that wedding, in 1833. Samuel Teas, another son-in- 
law of Maj. Blackwell, settled at the spring one mile south of town. 
He afterward put up a store at Sarcoxie, in Jasper county. 

Now, in rambling further, with your permission, I will lead you 
fifteen or twenty miles northwest — into the noted Ash Grove and 
Walnut Grove neighborhoods — where, in by-gone days, lived the old 
stock of the Boones and others. Major Nathan Boone, of old United 
States army notoriety, whom I well remember, and his three honor- 
able sons, James, John and Howard, have all long ago bid adieu to 
time, except, probably, John ; and of the Boone daughters much 
might be said as to their amiability and respectability. They were the 
belles of the county at that date — say forty-four years ago — several 
of whom have long since passed away. One is, if living, the wife of 
Col. F. T. Frazier, who is another highly respected old citizen. [Now 
(1883) deceased.] 

And near the Boones was another old and honorable citizen — Dr. 
Constantine Perkins, who lived there a long and useful life as a phy- 
sician. I have forgotten when he died, but it was a long time ago. 
You will find the names of Dr. Perkins and the Boones on the books 
of the first Masonic lodge in Springfield. [In 1849 or 1850 Dr. 
Perkins removed to California, and died there about the year 18G0. — 
Compiler.'] 

Not far away we find the traces of other old-timers of respectabil- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 151 

ity, among whom were the Cuultields, Kelleys, Whittenburgs, Loon- 
eys, Tiitums, Wilsons, Murrays, Robinsons, Wadlows, and futher 
sonth we come to mention that noted family the Leepers, of 
"Leeper's prairie," and the Reynolds, Yeakleys, Lindseys — all re- 
member ; that is, the old ones, forty-eight years ago, who, together 
with the above named, with others, helped to brave the storms and 
bear the hardships of the then western wilderness country, and 1 am 
now proud to class them prominently among the distinguished adopted 
sons of Greene county. 

In 1831 a strange, odd and remarkable individual, in the person of 
an old and somewhat demented white man, appeared among us, 
named Jesse Bayles. He had some English education, but lived a 
wilderness life among the wild beasts and Indians, seemed half crazy, 
dressed very scant and odd, wore an old white wool hat tucked up at 
the sides, and written thereon, in large red letters, " death." He 
carried a long butcher knife and a tomahawk, and seemed dangerous 
to look at, but was harmless and even lively. I was with him con- 
siderably. He was fifty or sixty years old. He said no harm should 
befall me ; that he intended to keep the panthers, wolves and In- 
dians from "ahold" of me. In a year or two he disappeared. He 
either died or followed the Indians. 

Col. Gilmore, in his sketches in the Springfield Patriot, in 18()7, 
says of Bayles : — 

Jesse Range Bayles was, like Wilson, a resident among the In- 
dians here, when Mr. Campbell came. Poor Jesse was an educated 
man, but his mind was disordered. He was a quiet, inofl:*ensive person, 
constantly wandering around the country, dividing his time pretty 
equally between hunting for lead mines and hunting a wife, but it is 
said that he never found either. Some wicked l)oys caught Jesse at 
one tiine, and saturated his clothes with turpentine and set him on 
fire. He was shockingly burned. He wore what was then called a 
♦' bee gum " and is now called a "stove pipe" hat, and he told his 
disaster by placarding his hat in large letters, " Death, Hell and De- 
struction ! " and pointing all he met to the inscription. He remained 
here- when his friends, the Delawares, left, and died about 1835. 

Mr. Miller thus mentions another remarkable old settler : — 

About the same time another extraordinary and remarkable old 
man, then over sixty years of age, came 'round amongst the few set- 
tlers. His name was Robert Alexander ; originally from North Car- 
olina ; came West, alone, in 1825 ; lived several years with the Mi- 
ami Indians, at the mouth of Swan, on White river (at present, For- 
syth, Taney county). He was well educated, had been a fine look- 
ing man and had been in high life, but ardent spirits had " got away" 
with him, as it is getting the best of some of our American statesmen 
at this date. This old man, Alexander, came within a few votes of 



152 HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 

being elected Governor of the State of Nortli Carolina in 1824, bnt, by 
domestic and political trouble, disappointment and defeat, he came 
West and lived a roving, reckless and dissi|)ated life. He was a man 
of fine sense, always had good horses, woidd gamble with cards and 
race horses and drink whisky. Finally, in 1835, he fonnd his way 
to William C. Campbell's, in Polk county, and, drunk, undertook 
to swim Sac river on horseback, and was drowned just below Orleans, 
and that was the last of poor old Bob Alexander. 

Mr. Miller also mentions Christopher McElhannon, Randolph Lan- 
hani and Billy Warren, living north of Springfield, and a number or 
other families living in the northwest part of the county, but it is be- 
lieved they did not come before 1833, and are consequently out of 
the range of this chapter. 

Some time in the year 1832, Wm. Ross, originally from South 
Carolina, but more recently from North Missouri, settled in the north 
part of the county. 

Alexander McKenzie came from Pulaski county, Kentucky, and 
settled about the year 1830, on a farm three and a half miles south- 
west of Springfield, where he remained until 1832, when he sold out 
to Mr. Wm. ToAvnsend, the father of A. M., Thomas B., and William 
M. A. Townsend. The oldest son, W. G. Townsend, removed about 
the year 1850 to Cassville, Barry county. The oldest daughter, 
Nancy, was married to Benjamin Cannefax, and lived three and a 
half miles southwest of town; the second, Lizzie A., became the 
wife of Wm. Britt. who was the son of Randolph Britt, before men- 
tioned ; the third, Lucetta A., married Rev. Matthew Barnes, and 
lived three miles east of town ; the fourth, Mar}^ was the wife of 
C/hesley Cannefax, who will hereafter be mentioned in the oflficial re- 
cords of the county ; and the youngest daughter, Drucilla, was first 
married to Meredith Carter, who lived near the Wilson Creek battle 
ground, and afterward to Jas. Kelley, with whom she removed to St. 
Clair county, Missouri. Mr. A. M. Townsend states that his 
father and mother. Win. and Mary Townsend, came from Logan 
county, Kentucky, when he was but ten years old. He says that 
where Springfield now stands, was a fine forest of red-oak timber, 
with but a small clearing around the residence of John P. Campbell, 
which was a small log cabin, and at that time the only house in what 
is now the business part of Springfield. He speaks in glowing terms 
of the happy times " when this old town was new." 

To hear these old settlers describe it, one would almost think they 
were describinof the Canaan of the Israelites. If it did not flow so 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 153 

• 

freely with milk, it seemed to be made up by the abundance of honey. 
They all agree that if a person lacked sweetness, all he had to do was 
to cast his eye upward toward the heavens, and he would see that in- 
dustrious little insect, the honey-bee, heavily laden with his sweet 
.store, flying homeward to his storehouse, which was generally a hole 
in the side of some lt)fty oak. These bee-trees were so plentiful, and 
so easily found at that time, that a person had no difficulty in finding 
one, whenever he set out to look for it. 

They also tell us wonderful stories of the productiveness of the soil, 
which would then produce abundant crops with little or no attention 
after breaking the new turf and planting the seed. Venison and other 
game was plentiful, and although these hardy pioneers were deprived 
of nearly everything which people of to-day consider the necessaries 
of life, and surrounded by the wilderness filled with Indians and wild 
beasts, they lived a comparatively happy life. 

Of pioneer life, in Greene county, Mr. Miller says : — 

The settlers in those days were driven by necessity to use their 
inventive wits. Doors were made of clap-boards, floors of mother 
earth, bedsteads with one leg were fastened to the walls in the corners 
of the houses, and wagon grease was made of lioney, which was only 
twenty-five cents a gaHon, or about one cent a pound in the comb. 
When they were able to aftord good puncheon floors, and two bed- 
steads, it seemed quite like civilization. 

Bread was scarce, and what little crops were made, were liberally 
divided, so that all could have a little bread. Very few hogs, and 
pork hard to get, but wild game was plenty, and with the faithful dog 
and flint-lock rifle, every one had plenty. The meal was made by 
pounding the corn iu a stump mortar, the coarsest for hominy and the 
finest for bread, and very dark at that. Men worked then at fifty 
cents per day, and I say this to put a correct idea and feeling into men 
who now-a-days think it is a disgrace to work at that price. Honest 
labor at even twenty-five cents per day, where a man can't do better, 
is fir more profitable and honorable than idleness. 

In those days neighl)ors were few and far between, but everybody 
was friendly and willing to divide the last mouthful. The first grist 
of corn was ground on a little wing-dam mill that old John Marshall 
had on James, near the mouth of Finley, although Jerry Pearson had 
a little rattle-trap of a mill some nearer, but it was hardly competent 
to grind for his own use. 

Prior to mill l>uilding, corn had to be beaten in wooden mortars 
with a pestle, and these were used to some extent for a long time in 
preference to the little " one-horse " mills of the new country. The 
hand-pestle was a small wooden one, similar in shape to the pestle 



154 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

used by a druggist in compounding and pulverizing medicines ; but 
the swce[)-pestle was fastened to a spring-pole, after the manner of a 
well-sweep. The mortars were made by boring or bnrning holes, 
conical in shape, in the top of a stump, or section of a large tree, and 
were made about a foot wide at the top and eighteen inches deep. 
Bread made from this meal was called '' j^ound cake," and Mrs. 
Campbell used to tell her friends that for a number of years after 
coming to Springfield she had scarcely anything to eat but '■'■ pound 
cake." 

THE EARLY SETTLERS OF GREENE COUNTY. 

We speak in high terms of the gallantry and bravery of the soldiers, 
who, in the Revolution of 1776, fought for liberty and independence, 
and their names are proudly borne on the pages of history. 'J'hey 
merited, as they have received, the plaudits of succeeding genera- 
tions ; but shall not that army of heroes known as the " old pioneers " 
have their names, as well, emblazoned upon the pages of their coun- 
try's history? Shall not they, who, through privations, sufferings, and 
sometimes death, made the wilderness blossom like the rose, have 
their meed of praise? They have followed the path of peace with a 
diligence that craved no rest until the broad light of the noonday sun 
shines upon aland secure as the abode of a people cultured, refined, 
and progressive. This has been the work of the old pioneer ; and 
those of that gallant army of peace who are yet among the living 
should be honored among the greatest of the land, for their strong 
hearts, willing hands, and their labor, privations and sufferings, have 
given a grand and rich heritage to the generation of to-day. 

It is from these " old settlers " that very much of the early history 
of Greene county has been gathered. Months have been given to 
collecting the facts and the reminiscences which are found in the pages 
of this work, but to secure them has been a work of incessant toil. 
One great trouble has been that the memory of the old pioneers has 
not always been of the best, and a confusion of dates, and facts to 
verify incidents of the past, has been one of great trouble. History 
is valuable only as it deals in facts, and these should be more or less 
substantiated by dates. These are all important and are required, if 
this shall i)r()ve, what it is intended to be, a book of reference from 
which people and historians of future generations will date their work. 
This is why, in the compilation of this history, months have I)een 
given to the task. Many of the old settlers have already crossed 



HISTORY OR GREENE COUNTY. 155 

the river of time and now belong to the mysterious beyond ; (»thers 
have removed to far distant lands, so that the source of information is 
small, and time, trouble, and greater research is necessary to make 
it complete. The " old pioneers," however, of Greene county, have 
contributed much to make this book a success, and they have done it 
willingly and cheerfully, and it has been a pleasure to the compilers 
of this history to listen to the stories of those early years, graphic- 
ally told . 

To be sure,|much information has been obtained from other sources, 
as, for instance, from Mr. George S. Escott's historical sketch in his 
valuable little volume, published in 1878, the " History of Spring- 
field," being a history, description and directory of the city for that 
year. To be sure, Mr. E. obtained much of his information from 
previously published sketches, but he gave us much that was new, 
and in the foregoing pages his matter has been freely used, and some- 
times without credit. 

Perhaps the following list of the early settlers of the section of 
country now comprising the greater portion of Greene county — then 
called Campbell township — will be found of interest to a sufficient 
number of the readers of this volume to justify its publication : — 
Partial list of early settlers in what was then Campbell township, 
Greene county, in August, 1833 : John Roberts, Peter Apperson, 
John D. Shannon, James Carter, Joseph Porter, Chas. P. Bullock, 
Chesley Cannefax, Wm. H. Duncan, E. Brantley, G. Gay, Randolph 
Britt, J. P. Campbell, Samuel Martin, John Patten Campbell, James 
Fielding, Daniel Gray, Thomas Caulfield, E. R. Fulbright, G. N. 
Shelton, Joseph Price, Sr., Radford Cannefax, David Roper, Moses 
Matthews, Zenas M. Rountree, A. Morris, J. R. Robberson, G. Ma- 
berry, A. Stillion, John Buden, James Wilson, Joseph Smith, John 
Fulbright, Stephen Fisher, Wm. Stacey, Wash. Williams, A. Shad- 
dock, Spencer O'Niel, F. Leeper, Wm. Price, Thos. Horn, Wm. Stout, 
A. S. Borne, Kindred Rose, Edward Thompson, James R. Smith, 
Cornelius D. Terrell, Newell Hayden, Larkin Dewitt, J. McKinney, 
David Johngon, Martin B. Borne, Joseph Weaver, B. W. Cannefax, 
C. Hottler, J. L. Martin, Wm. Fulbright, Wm. McFarland, J. Woods, 
Richard C. Martin, John Sturtevant, L. Fulbright, Watson Forbes, 
John Roberts, Jr., John R. Brock, John Ross, H. C. Morrison, John 
Slagles, George Shoemaker, Abram Slagles, Jerry Pierson, James 
McCarroll, John McKay, Elisha Painter, Joseph Rountree, Alexander 



156 . HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Younger, D. B. Miller, David Wilson, Junius Rouiitree, Thomas F. 
Wright, Samuel Lasley, Gilbert McKay, Littleberry Hondrick, James 
Cooper, John Roper, Drury Upshaw, James Dollison, James McMahan, 
James Renfro, John Pennington, William Birdsong, Thomas Stokes, 
John W. Triplett, A. J. Burnett, R. Har[)er, S. G. Martin, John Wil- 
liams, James Price, Jr., Simeon Postion, Thomas Patterson, Robert 
Patterson, Wm. Ross, R. Ross, Samuel Painter. 



CHAPTER II. 
FROM THE 0R(>ANIZATI0N OF THE COUNTY TO 1840. 

Organization — The Organizing Act — Sketch of Gen. Nathaniel Greene — First Sub-Di- 
vision of the County — First Session of the County Court — Organization of the Town- 
ships — Miscellaneous Matters — August Election, 1833 — First Circuit Court — First 
Criminal Cases — Murder of Sigler by Ferguson — The Free Negro Cases — The "Star 
Shower" of 1833 — Miscellaneous Preceedings of the County Court. 18.34 — Miscellan- 
eous — August Election, 1834 — Springfield Matters — Doake's Case — Transactions of the 
County Court. 1835 — The Cholera Season — Survey of Springfield — August Election — 
Opening of the U. S. Land Office. 1836 — Miscellaneous Historical Items — The August 
Election — County Seat Proceedings — First Presidential Election — Killing of John 
Roberts by .Judge Yancey — The Osage War. 1837 — Miscellaneous History — " Blessed 
Are the Peacemakers" — More Indian Disturbances — The "Sarcoxie War" — "Gen. 
Smith, from Springfield" — Miscellany. 1838. — Items — Incorporation of Springfield — 
Benton and Ozark Townships — Springfield in 1838 — Killing oi J. Renno by Randolph 
Britt. 1839 — Miscellaneous Events and Incidents. 

• 
ORGANIZATION. 

Upon the admission of Missouri into the Union, the territory now 
comprising Greene county, — at least by far the greater portion, the 
possible exception being a strip along the northern part, — was in 
what was known as Wayne county, one of the original counties of 
Missouri Territory, organized in 1818. January 23, 1829, Crawford 
county was formed out of Wayne, and the present limits of Greene 
were embraced therein. Four years later, or January 2, 1833, Greene 
county was created by a special act of the legislature. Its limits ex- 
tended to the western and southern l)oundries of the State, to the 
Gasconade river on the cast, and to the Osage fork on the north. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 157 

The following is the act of the legislature organizing the county and 
prescribing its metes and bounds : — 

Be it enactedby the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, [as 
folloius'] : 

1. All that part of the territory lying south of the township line 
between townships thirty-four and thirty-five, extending in a direct 
line due west from the point where the said township line crosses the 
main Niangua river, to the western boundary of the State, and south 
and west of the county of Crawford, which is not included in the 
limits of any other county, and which was attached to the said county 
of Crawford, by joint resolutions of the General Assembly of the State 
of Missouri, approved on the eighteenth da}^ of January, eighteen 
hundred and thirty-one, be and the same is hereby organized into a 
separate and distinct county, to be called and known by the name of 
Greene county, in honor of Nathaniel Greene, of the Eevolution. 

2. The qualified voters residing within the limit of the said county 
shall meet at the place at present appointed by law for holding elec- 
tions, on the first Monday of February next, for the purpose of choos- 
ing three fit and proper persons to compose the county court of said 
county, and one fit and proper person to act as sheriff; and the per- 
sons so elected shall be commissioned by the Governor, and shall 
hold their offices until the next general election for those officers, and 
until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. 

3. The county court, when organized as aforesaid, shall have 
power to designate the place of holding the county and circuit courts 
within and for said county of Greene, until otherwise provided by 
law. 

4. The county court of the county of Greene shall be holden on 
the second Mondays of March, June, September and December. 

5. The election proposed to be holden under the provisions of the 
second section of this act, shall be governed and conducted in all re- 
spects by the laws relating to general elections, except that returns 
thereof, instead of being made to the clerk of the county court, shall 
be made directly to the Governor, who shall issue commissions ac- 
cordingly. • 

January 2, 1833. 

(See "Territorial Laws of Mo.," otherwise Laws passed between 
1824 and 1836. Vol. 2, 1842, p. 30fi ; chap. 235.) 

The territory originally embraced within the county of Greene, b}'^ 
the foregoing act, comprised what is now all of the counties of Mc- 
Donald, Newton, Jasper, Barton, Dade, Lawrence, Barry, Stone, 
Christian, Greene«and Webster; the greater portions of the counties of 
Taney, Dallas, Polk and Cedar, and parts of Vernon, Laclede, Wright 
and Douglass, while a large portion of territory to the north and 



158 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

northwest was "attached" for some time, " for civil and military 
purposes." 

Concerning the distinguished patriot, Gen. Nathaniel Greene, in 
honor of whom the county was named. Col. S. H. Boyd, in his " His- 
torical Essay," says : " The spot where he is buried is unknown. No 
imposing shaft stands out in bold relief to catch the patriot's eye, and 
invite him to prayer, or to drop a tear over a nation's hero. No tab- 
let, rich in design and elaborate in finish, spreads itself out to com- 
memorate the heroism and fame of departed greatness. Not even a 
rude headboard marks the spot where Gen. Nathaniel Greene rests. 
But Missouri remembered him, and raised to him a monument and 
immortalized him by giving his name to the fairest, freest garden ol 
her dominions. Southwest Missouri." In the acts of the legislature, 
and in the early records, the name Greene is written and appears 
without the final e, — evidently an error in orthography, as the auto- 
grai)h of the old hero and all histories of the Revolution attest. 

The first subdivision of the county after its organization seems to 
have been when Rives (now Henry) county was organized, Decem- 
ber 13, 1834, and the next was upon the creation of Barry, January 
5, 1835. It now became necessary to readjust the boundaries of 
Greene county, and this was done by an act of the legislature, ap- 
proved March 20, 1835, wherein they were declared to be established 
as follows : — 

Greene. — Beginning where the line dividing townships 26 and 27 
crosses the line dividing ranges 17 and 18 ; thence west with said 
township line to its intersection with the eastern boundary of Barry 
county; thence along said line to the southeast corner thereof ; thence 
south to the beginning. 

FIRST SESSION OF THE COUNTY COURT. 

Perhaps the most important event in the history of the county dur- 
ing the first year of its existence as a county, was the first session of 
the county court, held March 11-14, 1833, at the house of John 'P. 
Campbell, which stood on the present site of the town of Springfield. 
Previously, on the 14th of February, Jeremiah N. Sloan, James Dolli- 
son, and Samuel Martin, having been elected at an election held on 
the first Monday in February, pursuant to a provision of the organiza- 
tion act, had been commissioned justices of the county court by His 
Excellency Governor Daniel Dunklin (John C. Edwards, Secretary 
of State ) . February 23, John P. Campbell was appointed county clerk. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 159 

The county judges took the oath of office before Esq. A. J. Burnett, 
an acting justice of the peace in and for the county. John D. Shan- 
non had been elected and commissioned sheriff". 

The proceedings of the first county court may thus be summar- 
ized : Samuel Martin was appointed presiding justice for six months. 
Letters of administration were granted Joseph Weaver and John A. 
Langles on the estate of John Marshall, the wealthy old Indian trader, 
well known throughout Southwest Missouri in early days, and who 
had died some time previously. Spring River, Jackson, and Osage 
townships were organized, and justices of the peace appointed. The 
road then leading from Springfield, via Delaware Town (a large en- 
campment of the Delaware Indians) to Fayetteville, Arkansas Terri- 
tory, was declared to be a public road. Commissioners were appointed 
to " view, lay out, and mark a public road from Springfield west- 
wardly until it strikes the main fork of the Six Bulls, at or near Sam- 
uel Bogart's, thence in the direction of Fayetteville, Arkansas." 
Commissioners were also appointed to lay out a road from Bledsoe's 
ferry, on the Pomme de Terre river, to an indefinite point on the 
Twenty-five Mile prairie. Absalom Bledsoe was granted a license 
(for $2) to keep a ferry across the Osage river and charge for every 
foot passenger I2V2 cents; for every two-horse team $1.25, etc. 
These proceedings were had the first day. 

On the second day (March 12) a public road was ordered viewed 
and marked out from Springfield to the Twenty-five Mile prairie, in 
the direction of Boonville. Another road was ordered reviewed from 
Springfield to Swan creek. James Caulfield was appointed adminis- 
trator of the estate of John Fitch, deceased. A settler named 
Brantlet had died a short time previously, leaving his family in desti- 
tute circumstances, and his three children, John, Finny, and Judy, 
were " bound out " to Kindred Rose, Larkin Payne, and Joseph Price ; 
the two boys to serve until they were twenty-one years of age, and 
the girl, Judy, until she was eighteen. Richard C. Martin was ap- 
pointed county assessor ; A. C. Burnett was made collector, 
but declined, and later Larkin Payne was appointed ; Junius T. 
Campbell, treasurer ; Samuel Scroggins, surveyor. Of these officials 
Mr. Burnett died in Jacksonville, Oregon, in April, 1877, aged 89 
years. 

The third day justices of the peace and judges of election were ap- 
pointed for the several townships, and elections were ordered for con- 
stables. Oliver township was organized on this day. A. J, Burnett 



160 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

WHS appointed to lay out road districts and apportion hands to work 
on the roads in Campbell township. The roads at that day were not 
such splendid thoroughfares as are now to be seen. For the most 
part they were openings or ♦' traces," along which a carriage, or even 
a wagon, could proceed only with difficulty. Happily, however, there 
were not many carriages or wagons then, and no very great inconven- 
ience was experienced on that account. The " main " roads were in 
tolerable condition, and, save that there were no l)ridges, and quite 
frequently no ferries, across the streams, Avere fairly traversable. The 
road to Fayetteville and that to Boonville were all that ought to have 
been expected. 

After a four days' session the court adjourned until June 10, the 
judijes each receiving $1.75 per day and the sheriff $1.50 for their ser- 
vices. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST TOWNSHIPS. 

Upon the first day of the session, the county court, as before 
stated, proceeded to lay ofi'the county into municipal townships, and 
establish the metes and bounds thereof. This was a work of no small 
magnitude. The county comprised such a vast extent of territory, 
with which the judges could not be expected to be thoroughly familiar, 
that it was extremely difficult to divide it into equitable portions suit- 
able for all civil purposes. Besides, the court could not with certainty 
fix the boundaries of each township, perhaps because no map of the 
county had been furnished, and in one or two instances the town- 
ship boundaries Avere extended beyond the limits of the county. The 
townships were laid ofi' very irregularly as to area and conformation. 
The boundary lines did not follow those of the government surveys, but 
ran along " dividing ridges," and were sometimes very indefinite, un- 
certain, and even speculative. It was not strange, therefore, that the 
township boundaries were changed soon after their establishment and 
from time to time. With these various changes it would be difiicult 
to keep up, and besides the result would be uninteresting and un- 
profitable. The following were the first boundaries of the first town- 
ships of Greene county, as established by the county court, March 11 
and 12, 1833: — 

Spring River Toivnship. — All that portion of territory lying and 
being in Green [e] county, and included in the following boundaries: 
beginning on the west boundary line of the State of Missouri, west of 
Vivion's creek ; thence east on the dividing ridge between the waters 
of Vivion's creek and Oliver's creek, so as to include the settlements 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 161 

on Vivion's creek ; thence north on the dividing ridge between the 
waters of the Osage and Grand river ; thence west on the same 
dividing ridge, to the bonndary line of the State of Missouri ; thence 
south to tlie beginning. Elections were to be held at Samuel Bogart's, 
wherever that was. 

Jackson Township. — Beginning at the north boundary line of 
Greene county, as now established, running with the dividing ridge 
between the north fork of Sac^ river and the Pomme de Terre river, 
without limit, or so far as to include the convenient settlers ; the 
south boundary running so as to include all the settlements on 
both sides of Sac River. Elections to be held at Ezekiel M. Carap- 
bell's. 

Osage Township. — Beginning at the mouth of the Little Niangua 
river, running so as to include the place where Wm. Montgomery 
now lives ; thence to the mouth of the Littl-e Pomme de Terre ; thence 
west to Sac river, and down Sac river to the Osage river ; thence 
down the Osage to the beginning. Elections to be held at Wm. 
Brinegar's ferry, on the Pomme de Terre. ^ 

Mooney Township. — Beginning at the Pomme de Terre river, 
where the Niangua trace crosses ; thence taking the waters of the 
Pomme de Terre to the mouth of the Little Pomme de Terre ; thence 
up the Little Pomme de Terre to the dividing ridge between it and Sac 
river ; thence along the Jackson township line to Sac river ; thence taking 
the waters of Sac river up to include John Ross ; thence up the Dry 
fork of Sac river to the beginning. Elections to be held at John 
Mooney's. Judges of election, James Smithson, Aaron Rugle, and 
John West. 

Campbell Township. — Beginning at the mouth of Finley, running 
thence, to include the settlers on Finley, to the eastern boundary of 
Greene county ; thence with said line to the Niangua river ; thence 
with said river to the Niangua trace ; thence with said trace to the 
Mooney township line ; thence with said line to John Ross', on Sac 
river ; thence to the Widow Leeper's ; thence to the Parr Springs ; 
thence to the point where the road leading [to] Washington Clay's 
crosses said creek ; thence in a direct line to the mouth of Finley to 
the beginning. 

White River Township. — Beginning at the mouth of Finley, on 
James' fork of White River; thence down said James' fork, so as to 
include all the settlers on both sides thereof, to the mouth of said 
James' fork ; thence due south to the State line ; thence east with 
said line to the county line ; thence with said line to Campbell Town- 
ship ; thence with said line to the beginning. Elections to be held at 



* Spelled Sock, in nearly every instaace, in the first records, as it was pronounced in 
early days. 

^ Pomme de Terre — literally earth apple, or potato, — is spelled in the first records 
Pomada Tarr. Sometimes *' Puraley Tarr." 

11 



162 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Felch's old place, on the north side of White river. Edward Mooney, 

John H. Glover, Newsom, judges. 

Oliver Toionship. — All that [jortion of territory lying and heing 
south of Spring river and west of White River township, and not 
included in any other township. 

At the June term, 1838, the township of Sugar Creek was created, 
with the following as its metes and bounds : — 

Beginning on the south boundary of Missouri, where Brown's lane 
crosses the Missouri line ; thence north with Brown's lane to the 
dividing ridge between the waters of Friend's river and Col. Oliver's 
fork; thence east to the Elkhorn spring; still east to the "Ped- 
dler's cabin," on Flat creek; thence southeast to White river; 
thence up White river to Roaring river, and to the Missouri line. 

At the first term of the county court, justices of the peace were 
appointed for the different townships of the county, as follows : 
Jackson, Wm. H. Duncan; Osage, Christopher Elmore and John 
Riparton ; Campbell, Andrew Taylor, Richard C. Martin, and Larkin 
Payne ; White River, Samuel Garner ; Oliver, Thos. B. Arnett. 
No appointments were made for Spring River and Mooney. Upon 
the creation of Sugar Creek township, Samuel Vaugh was appointed 
justice of the peace therefor. In the following December, Elk Creek 
township was organized. 

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. 

The county was now fully and duly organized, and took its station 
amono- the other counties of the State, then, and destined always to 
be, the peer of any of them in general worth and importance. True, 
matters became at times a little disarranged and complications 
occurred that sometimes were difficult of adjustment. In June, many 
complaints having been made and other circumstances rendering it 
necessary, the boundaries of Jackson, Mooney and Campbell town- 
ships were extended so as to take in certain settlers who had been set 
ofi' to other townships and inconvenienced thereby. Treasurer Camp- 
bell and Collector Payne resigned their offices June 10. John Ful- 
bright succeeded Campbell, and Sheriff Shannon was appointed 
collector. Mr. Shannon frequently rode fifty miles to summon a 
witness and received for his trouble the munificent sum of fifty cents. 
Perhaps, however, he considered the glory of his office worth the 
remainder of an equitable sum ! 

It now became apparent that it was costing something to run the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 163 

complicated machinery of a county government. June 29, the first 
warrant on the treasury was issued to Martin B. Brame, for $5. This 
was to pay for a good stout table on which to write the county records, 
and a strong box in which to keep them. A few days previously a 
tax of $15 had been levied on E. W. Wallis (or Wallace), " for the 
privilege of exercising the business and trade of a grocery in Greene 
county." B}^ an act of the legislature, a fund arising from the sale 
of certain lands had been created, and was known as the " three-per- 
cent, fund." It was ordered apportioned among the different counties, 
and to be used in aid of internal improvements. Greene county's 
share was ordered drawn out of the State treasury, " and loaned out 
at 10 per cent until some suitable object of internal improvement 
presents itself." Samuel Scroggins was ordered to receive the money 
and pay it out upon the yrder of the county court, when sittino- as a 
board of internal improvements. 

Many of the first settlers of the county had brought their slaves 
with them to the new country, and the number was now considerable; 
and so, in accordance with law, the county court appointed patrols 
to look after the bondmen and keep them within proper bounds. 
Chesley Cannefax, John Sturdivant, John Fulbright, Barton Warren 
and Andrew Taylor, were appointed the first captains of patrol. The 
days of patrols have passed long since, never more to return, and the 

chorus of a once popular melody is now ill-timed and inappropiiate : 

" Run, nigger, run ! De patrol 'ill ketch ye." 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1833. 

The first election in the county after its organization, occurred Au- 
gust 5, 1833. It has been found impossible to obtain completer records 
of this election than the poll books of Campbell township, containino- 
the vote for Congressman. The township cast 103 votes, of which 
George Shannon received 96 ; James H. Birch, 3 ; John Bull, 3 ; Georo-e 
F. Strother, 1. The election resulted in the choice of John Bull, of 
Howard county, who only served one term. Wm. H. Ashlev was 
his colleague, at that day the State only having two representatives in 
the lower house of Congress. Of Mr. Bull's competitors, J. H. 
Birch was a prominent lawyer ; Gen. Geo. F. Strother was an old 
pioneer who had been with Lewis and Clark, in 1804, and badly 
wounded in an encwmter with the Indians ; Mr. Shannon was a 
prominent citizen, and, it would seem, Greene county's favorite. 
The judges of election for Campbell township in August, 1833, were 



164 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Joseph Rountree, Alex. Younger, and D. B. Miller ; clerks, Thos. F. 
Wright and J. M. Rountree. The election lasted three days, or from 
the 5th to the 8th of the month, under a provision of the law in 
force at that time, designed to allow all the voters " from the back 
settlements " to attend the polls. 

FIRST CIRCUIT COURT. 

Monday, August 12, 1833, the first term of the circuit court for 
Greene county, convened at Springfield " at the Court House." 
Hon. Charles H. Allen ("Horse" Allen) was judge; Thomas J. 
Gevins was circuit attorney ; Charles P. Bullock, a son-in-law of 
Judge Allen, was clerk ; John D. Shannon was sheriff*. A grand 
jury was empanelled, consisting of the following gentlemen : — 

Alex. Younger, foreman; Peter Epperson, Dan'l B. Miller, Joseph 
Rountree, Bennett Robinson, George Yoacum, John Pettijohn, Reu- 
ben Harper, John Fulbright, Daniel Johnson, John G. Lock, John 
Mooney, Ezekiel Campbell, Ephraim Jameson, Wm. Lunsford, Sam'l 
M. Scroggins, Samuel Vaughn, Humphrey C. Warren, Robert Pat- 
terson, Samuel Garner. 

But little business was transacted at this term except by the grand 
jury. Thos. J. Gevins and Littleberry Hendrick were admitted to 
practice as attorneys and " councellors," and there do not seem to 
have been any other lawyers present. The only case disposed of, and 
the first heard, was an appeal case from the northern part of the 
county, which was entitled " Manual Carter vs. Nathan Newsom." 
Carter, who was a free negro, was the appellant, and on his motion 
the case was dismissed. 

It is a matter of much regret that it must be recorded that the first 
grand jury of Greene county had its hands full of business, so to 
speak. At that time, however, it must be borne in mind that the 
area of the county was very large and that a few turbulent, law- 
breaking spirits were to be found among many reputable and peace- 
able citizens. It may also be supposed, moreover, that the practice 
of the early pioneers was to *' let no guilty man escape," and hence 
all ofl*enders against the majesty of the law were duly arraigned — a 
proceeding unfortunately not in vogue at the present day. The 
grand jury returned indictments against Joseph Ferguson for murder ; 
against John Patterson, James Patterson and James Cornelius for 
murder ; against the following parties for " adultery and fornication ;" 
Mutthews, or Mathes, " a free man of colour," and Jane Murray, a 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 165 

white woman; Manuel Carter, "a free man of colour," and Miss 
Ramey, or Rainey, a white woman; Elijah Carter, "a free man of 
colour," and Miss Ramey ; Edmond J. Carter, "a free man of col- 
our," and Susan Evans, a white woman. "True bills" were also 
found against the following parties "for gaming:" Samuel Teas 
and Wm. Fulbright, E. R. Fulbright and Samuel Teas, Wni. Ful- 
bright and L. C. Fulbright, Martin Fulbright and Sam'l Teas, Wm. 
M. Payne and Robert Paulding, Wm. M. Payne and Jacob Yoacum, 
E. W. Wallace and Lester T. Gillett, Samuel Teas and Thos. Horn. 
George Winton was also indicted, but for what offense is not learned. 
Of the particulars of these cases it may be stated that Joseph Fer- 
guson lived on Bear Creek, in what is now Polk county. He had a 
difficulty with a neighbor named Sigler, and meeting him afterwards 
at a gathering of some sort, drew his rifle and shot him dead. Fer- 
guson escaped to Texas and some say was never apprehended. But 
Mr. John H. Miller says that he heard Littleberry Hendrick, in 1833, 
at a place Six miles west of Boliver, now Polk county, then Greene, 
make his first speech in Southwest Missouri "in defense of Joe. 
Ferguson for killing Jacob Sigler. " Col. Gilmore thus mentions 
this case in his sketches in the Patriot. He is mistaken, probably, in 
the statement that Ferguson was wounded in the affray mentioned : — 

In 1833 two men named Sill (or Sigler) and Ferguson, had a 
shooting affair in this county. Sill was killed, and the other was 
badly wounded. Jno. D. Shannon was then sheriff. He went with 
a large posse to capture the survivor, and could not find him. But 
they found two men named Brown and Sanderlin, who frankly ac- 
knowledged they knew where the object of their search was concealed, 
but refused to tell where. The posse, to compel them to disclose all 
they knew, tied up both Sanderlin and Brown to a black-jack tree, 
and whipped them very severely, indeed. But this summary " aid of 
execution" did not avail the officer and his assistants. Brown and 
Sanderlin kept their secret, in spite of all the torture inflicted ; and 
afterwards brought suit against those who had so abused them. 
These suits, however, after pending for a year or two, were compro- 
mised and the matter was dropped. 

'The scan mag. cases were from north of Warsaw, now in Benton 
county. The three Carters were brothers, and, as stated, were nil 
negroes. The women were degraded white females, of whom but 
little is known. Manuel Carter was long afterward tried, convicted, 
and fined $50 and sentenced to six months' imprisonment ; Elijah amis 
convicted, fined $100 and given six months in jail ; Edmund Carier 
and Matthews and the women were never tried. 



166 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Of these cases Col. Gilmore gives the foHowing information which 
he received from old Chesley Caiinefax himself: — 

Chesley Cannefax, the sheriff of Greene count}', when the county 
eml)raced all the State south of the Osage river and west of Phelps, 
came here with his father in 1831. He was elected [appointed] 
sheriff in 1834. One of his first official acts was the arrest of two 
free negroes, who lived on the Osage river, al)out fifty miles from 
Springfield. They had been indicted for "adultery," by the grand 
jury, some time before, and the sheriffs of Cole and Cooper counties 
had tried in vain to capture them. The negroes were desperate fel- 
lows, and had shot and wounded several of those sent to arrest them. 
Cannefax took but one man, Jas. Martin, and the two succeeded, 
after a long and difficult chase, in catching their men, but the women 
who were indicted with them, eluded the officers successfully at the 
time, by hiding while they were pursuing the men. The prisoners 
were tried, convicted and sentenced to one year's imprisonment and 
a fine of $500 ( ?)each. As there was no jail in the county then, they 
were turned over to the custody of Joseph Weaver and John W. 
Hendricks, to guard, until the sheriff of Cooper county could take 
them to Boonville, where the nearest jail was located. Weaver 
and Hendricks hand-cuffed the prisoners, and attached a heavy 
trace chain to the cuffs, and so manacled started with them to 
Weaver's house, which was about two miles west of Springfield. 
The guard was mounted and the prisoners on foot. Yet, un- 
der all these disadvantages, the negroes managed to escape into the 
brush, and were never recaptured. A good deal of feeling was excited 
by this escape, aud Cannefax was cited before the court — " Horse" 
Allen being circuit judge — to answer for it. Cannefax was sick in 
bed at the time of the escape, so he was cleared of all blame. The 
negroes afterwards sent him an insulting message, saying where they 
could be found and daring another trial of capture. 

In a majority of cases those who were indicted for gaming pleaded 
guilty and were fined $5 and costs. Court was in session but three 
days, when it adjourned "till court in course," the next term being 
held in December. 

Judge Allen was succeeded at the April term, 1837, by Hon. Foster 
P. Wright, who was commissioned by Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs. At 
the same time Benj. F. Robinson became circuit attorney. At the 
March term, 1841, Gen. Chas. S. Yancey was appointed judge of 
the 13th circuit, of which Greene county was then a part, succeeding 
Judge Wright. Judge Yancey was at the time a resident of this 
county. 

THE " STAR SHOWER " OF 1833. 

Between 3 and 4 o'clock, on the morning of November 13, 1833, 
there occurred in this county and throughout a great portion of the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 167 

United States the great shower of meteors known as the " star show- 
er," or the " falling of the stars." The splendor of this remarkable 
meteoric rain will never pass from the memory of those who witnessed 
it. Old settlers of Greene say that in the firmament above, and all 
aronnd the horizon, thicker than the stars themselves, — which were 
on that morning uncommonly bright and beautiful, — were beheld in- 
numerable balls of fire of a whitish, pallid color, rushing down and 
across the sky, drawing after them long, luminous traces which 
clothed the whole heavens in awful majesty, and gave to the air and 
earth a pale death-like appearance. An inconceivable number of me- 
teors or falling stars shot across and downward from the heavens, as 
though the whole framework of the blue and cloudless arch above had 
been shaken. These small and luminous bodies had the appearance 
of flying or floating with great rapidity in every direction, occasioning 
the greatest wonder among the beholders, mingled with fear and con- 
sternation. Some described them as the slow and sparse descent of 
large flakes of snow, and that each flake — some smaller, some larger 
in size, from accidental aggregation or otherwise — take fire in their 
passage, and, fusing like a l)ombshell before bursting, leave a long 
train of lurid light, and that thousands of these, or as many as were 
within the range of vision, continued to descend and scatter and be- 
come extinct before they reached the earth. In some parts of the 
country the shower continued until near sunrise, when it is supposed 
they " paled their ineff"ectual fires " before the greater brilliancy of 
the sun. 

In Greene county the celestial phenomenon was fully as brilliant as 
elsewhere. Hundreds of people witnessed it, and it was an occasion 
of much excitement. Very many of the poorly informed people con- 
cluded that the Judgment had come. It is said that the incident upon 
which is founded an oft-told story happened in this county. A man 
and his wife were sleeping the sleep of the just, the lady by a window. 
Awakening she saw the wonderful celestial pyrotechnical display, and 
arousing her husband in great terror, she exclaimed. " Get up, old 
man, quick ! The day of judgment has come? " Her liege lord hesi- 
tated but a moment, and turning over grumblingly replied : " O, lie 
down and go to sleep, you old fool ; do you suppose the judgment rfay 
is going to come in the night? " 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

As a reminder that the poor we have always with us, it may be m- 
stanced that in December of the vear 1833 the county granted 



168 HISTORY OF GEEENE COUKTY. 

relief to its first pauper, Mrs. Sarah Craig, who, being in a destitute 
condition, and seeing a hard winter before her, applied to the authori- 
ties for help, and received an allowance of $30 per year, which, how- 
ever, was not made payable until the end of the year. 

December 12, Elk River township was organized, and a voting pre- 
cinct established at Solomon Forrester's. The boundaries of Osage 
township were extended to include territory on the north side of the 
Osage river " for civil and military purposes." About this time Maj. 
D. D. Berry, was appointed to two civil offices — that of justice of the 
peace of Campbell township, vice Larkin Payne resigned, and county 
treasurer in the room of John Fulbright, whose resignation had just 
been tendered and excepted. Maj. Berry's bond was fixed at $2,000. 

The county court, acting as a board of internal improvements, ap- 
pointed Treasurer Berry agent to receive and loan out the three-per- 
cent fund, at ten per cent interest for only six months at a time. 
The total running expenses of the county for the year ending Decem- 
ber 31st, amounted to $363.32, while the receipts for taxes and 
licenses were only $299.31, leaving a deficiency of $64.01. 



1 834 MISCELLANEOUS . " 

At the first session of the county court, March 11, John Williams 
was appointed county assessor, and D. D. Berry, county treasurer for 
one year. The county clerk was ordered to procure, for the use of the 
county, standard weights and measures. He was also instructed to 
procure a county seal, which should be of brass and contain besides 
the words, '■^8eal of Greene County , Missouri^'' an Q^^y of an elk. 
In June the county treasurer and the collector made their settlements, 
and the treasurer was allowed the munificent sum of $5 for his ser- 
vices, until the 1st of the next March, nine months. Judge J. N. 
Sloan was appointed collector for the year. In July, J. W. Hancock, 
B. T. Nowlin, and other citizens of the county wer« relieved from the 
payment of taxes. Times were hard with them, as with the majority of 
the settlers, and in addition certain misfortunes had befallen them, 
rendering them proper objects of the county's favor and assistance. 

A county tax double the State tax was levied this year for county 
purposes, the court being determined that no deficiency should be 
found in the treasury at the close of the year. John Sturdivant, John 
Walker, Chesley Cannefax and John McElhaney, were appointed pa- 
trols, and E. R. Fulbright made captain thereof. John Williams, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



169 



county assessor, finished the work of assessing the county, for which 
he received $126. Some idea of the magnitude of the job may be ob- 
tained from a knowledge of the fact that it required 84 days, when 
there were not more than 500 families to be visited. Mr. Williams 
rode from the Arkansas line to the northern portion of Benton county, 
and from the Gasconade river to the western line of the State, swim- 
ming streams, climbing mountains, and often camping out at night. 
For this work he received $1.50 per day. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1834. 

The general election of this year was held August 4. A total of 503 
votes was cast, of which Campbell township threw 185. The election 
lasted two days, and the following is an abstract of the returns : — 

Senator.— J oseiA\ Weaver, 373; James Campbell, Q6 ; John Dun- 
can, 64. 

Representative.— John D. Shannon, 399 ; Thatcher Vivion, 93. 

Sheriff.— Bqw}. U. Goodrich, 198; Frank Leeper, 178; Wm. 
Townsend, 67 ; P. L. Smith, 43. 

County Justices. — James DoUison, 339; Alex. Younger, 330; 
Benj. Chapman, 168 ; Samuel Martin, 145; Littleberry Hendrick, 
125 ; Larkin Payne, 115. 

Coroner. — John Robards, 29. 

Following is the vote of the county by townships : — 

OFFICIAL CANVASS OF THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1834 





stale 
Senator. 


Kepre- 

sen'tive 


Sheriflf. 


County Justices. 


Cor 


TOWNSHIPS. 


u 

> 


"3 


!3 
cS 

Q 


£3 

O 

a 
c 

oj 

Si 
w 


a 
o 


J3 

o 

o 
o 

O 


a. 


-a 

a 

V 

a 
o 


a 

15 

2 
14 

7 
5 

~4S 


a 
o 

o 

a 

159 
34 
22 
56 
6 
2 
25 
16 
19 

339 


<0 

bo 

a 

o 
>^ 

138 

37 

34 

59 

8 

6 

25 

18 

5 

330 


i 

s 
i- 

.=3 
O 

85 
14 
32 
34 

3 

168 


57 

6 

2 

3 

8 

9 

25 

17 

18 

145 


M 
O 

Sh 

•a 

a 

a 

45 
20 
5 
8 
32 
15 


6 

« 

"51 

26 

5 

6 

4 

16 


IS 

V 

s 

o 


CsLuipbcll 


175 
15 
34 
55 
9 
12 
24 
29 
20 

373 


3 
13 

6 
14 
24 

2 

4 


5 
26 
15 

4 

3 
11 


179 
20 
26 
70 
29 
11 
25 
19 
20 

399 


5 
30 
25 
2 
5 
6 

20 
~93 


62 

24 

15 

52 

24 

5 

3 

4 

8 

198 


42 
21 
24 

18 
4 

23 
34 

12 
17^ 


50 
5 

2 

7 
1 
2 

~67 


29 














Qsasje 




White River 


















l25 


15 
115 




Total 


66 


~64 


29 



Benjamin Goodrich, the sheriff elect, died on the evening of the 
election, from the effect of the bursting of a blood vessel, and in re- 
sponse to the prayer of a numerously signed petition, borne to him by 



170 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

"Buck" Rouiitrec, then a young man of 22, Gov. Daniel Dunklin ap- 
pointed Chesley Cannefax sheriff for two years. At the September 
term of the county court Cannefax had not yet received his i;ommis- 
sion, and John W. Hancock was api)ointed sheriff pro tern. Dr. C. 
D. Terrill was appointed county clerk. 

In the fall of this year the first post-office was established at Spring- 
field. J. T. Campbell was appointed postmaster. The mail came in 
twice a week from Boonville, Mo., and Fayetteville, Ark. All mails 
were light. There was not a great deal of correspondence at that 
day. Postage on a letter from outside of the State was 25 cents, pay- 
able on delivery. Letters were commonly sent without envelopes. 
One page of the sheet was not written on and the letter was so folded 
as to leave this page on the outside, whereon the superscription was 
placed, the documents being sealed or fastened by wafers. 

The business men of Springfield at this time were D, D. Berry, 
Henry Fulbright, and Cannefax & Ingram (R. W. Cannefax and S. 
S. Ingram), who were dealers in dry goods and groceries ; James Car- 
ter and John W. Ball, who were the village l)Uicksmiths, and S. S. 
Ingram, who, as a cabinet-maker and wheelwright, made coffins, bed- 
steads, chairs, cotton spinning wheels, etc. 

In December, on the recommendation of the county court, Joseph 
Rountree was appointed justice of the peace of Campbell township. 
Thomas Horn was appointed deputy sheriff under Cannefax. James 
DoUison was again made presiding justice of the county court. At 
the close of the year it was found that 31 county warrants had been 
issued in 1834, calling for $465.65V2. The receipts for taxes and li- 
censes amounted to $688.55, enough to pay this year's expenses, last 
year's deficit, and leave a balance in the treasury of $i60.52V2 — and 
this notwithstanding the fact that Collector Sloan was $186. G6 behind 
on collections. 

doake'scase. 

Another of the " celel)rated cases " of the Southwest occurred in 
1834. A robbery or larceny had been perpetrated near Cane Hill. A 
man named Doake suspected a stranger traveling through the country, 
and followed him to Farmington, where he arrested him and charged 
him with the crime. The stranger employed three persons, named 
Berry, Holburt, and Culton to defend him, and agreed to give them 
two horses and a rifle he owned for doing so. These three were not 
lawyers, but defended the stranger successfully, and he was discharged. 
He gave them the gun and horses as he had promised. Doake con- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 171 

eluded if the stranger was not guilty, Berry, Holburt and Culton 
ought not to have the horses, and that he would make the effort to get 
them for himself. He therefore hurried to Springfield, told his story, 
raised an excitement, got out a writ, and had John P. Campbell and 
a dozen armed men waiting the arrival of the three persons who were 
quietly on their way to town. At this juncture, Cannefax, in virtue of 
being sheriff, took the writ from Campl)ell, discharged the crowd, and 
when the men came in, took their horses and arrested them. When 
told the charge against them they quietly submitted until Culton saw 
Doake, when it was with difficulty Doake's life could be saved. 

The sheriff summoned a jury, and upon a trial of the rights of prop- 
erty a vei'dict was immediately given in favor of the three defendants, 
who took their horses and went on to the Delaware village at the 
mouth of Wilson creek. In the meantime Doake, determined to have 
the horses, persuaded a young man named Sturdevant, to believe his 
side of the story, and the two went down to the village and stole the 
horses . 

At the next term Doake was indicted for horse stealing, but no bill 
was found against Sturdevant, who bore a first-rate character, it 
being thought that he had been deceived into the scrape by Doake. 

As the trial of Doake drew near, he ordered every man between 
Springfield and the west State line to be subpoenaed as his witnesses. 
Cannefax rode diligently for weeks, and got all but one man named 
Reed. Doake finding that the sheriff had not got Reed, made affidavit 
that he could not get a fair trial, if Cannefax filled the jury panel. 
*' Horse" Allen ordered an officer ^>'0 tem.^ to fill up the jury, and it 
was done by selecting Doake's friends from off the Usage, and he was 
acquitted, of course. 

After Doake's acquittal Culton made another effort to kill him, but 
Cannefax and John G. Lock, managed to prevent it, and Doake lost 
no time in getting out of Greene county, to which he never returned. 



1835 A HARD WINTER. 

The winter of 1834-5, was intensely cold. "The cold Friday and 
Saturday" were long remembered. Cattle had their horns frozen, 
many old settlers assert, and in some instances, had their legs frozen 
oflf up to the knees. Pigs and fowls perished in great numbers, and 
there was much damage done to peach and other fruit trees. 



172 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The snow was unusually deep and drifted to extraordinary depths, 
laying on from December to March. The people were thereby sub- 
jected to many inconveniences, not to say privations. It was impossi- 
ble, in many cases, to go to mill or to a store, owing to the distance 
and the impassable condition of the roads, and so the hominy block 
was called into requisition to supply breadstuff, and the '< store goods " 
were dispensed with. 

TRANSACTIONS OF THE COUNTY COURT. 

In February the county court went into an election for assessor for 
this year. J. W. Hancock, Joseph Burden, and Daniel Gray were 
candidates for the office. Each received a vote, and there was a tie. 
The court ordered the clerk to give the casting vote, which he did, 
voting in favor of Mr. Gray. Chesley Cannefax was appointed col- 
lector, and D. D. Berry made treasurer. Samuel Scroggins, the 
county surveyor, was ordered to survey and mark off the northern 
boundary of the county. The survey was ordered to begin at the 
northeast corner of section 1, tp. 31, range 18, — or twelve miles 
east of the present western line of Webster county, and two miles 
north of the village of Niangua, — and run thence due west, on the 
line between townships 31 and 32, a distance of 42 miles, to the 
northwest corner of section 6, tp. 31, range 25. The greater portion 
of this line is the present northern boundary line of the county. The 
change in the boundary was made necessary by the creation of Barry 
county, January 5, and Polk, March 13, 1835. At the May term 
Swan, North Fork, and James townships were organized, and at the 
June term Porter and Finley were formed. 

THE CHOLERA SEASON OF 1835. 

In the month of June of this year, Asiatic cholera visited Greene 
county and occasioned great alarm and excitement. Its ravages 
were confined to Springfield and the immediate vicinity, however, 
and, though there were some deaths, the mortality was not extraor- 
dinarily large. The dread contagion was supposed to have been im- 
ported from St. Louis in goods brought in by Henry Fulbright. The 
first case was that of James Carter, a blacksmith, who was taken at 
9 in the morning and died at 2 in the afternoon of the same day. 
Theday of Carter's death, Co wden Martin, a brother of Judge Samuel 
Martin, came to town, was attacked, and died that night. Two ne- 
gro men belonging to J. P. Campbell died in one night. Moses 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 173 

Foren and one or two others whose names are not now remembered 
also fell victims to the fearful scourge. Many persons, among whom 
were Solomon Cotner, John Ingram, and Mrs. Martin Ingram, were 
attacked, but were saved by the " steam doctors." Still others re- 
covered by the help of the regular physicians, while some got well 
without using any medicine at all, merely being very careful in their 
diet and exercise. Fortunately the cholera only lasted some ten days 
in this county. It prevailed in St. Louis this year and the next sum- 
mer was very fatal in that city. 

SURVEY OF SPRINGFIELD. 

July 18th, 1835, a special session of the county court was held for 
the purpose of receiving and adopting a plan for laying out the county 
seat, the town of Springfield. Apian submitted by J. P. Campbell 
was approved, and D. B. Miller was appointed a commissioner to lay 
off the town and sell lots. The location of the county seat had pre- 
viously been made by the commissioners appointed for the purpose;^ 
but there were many who doubted that this location would be perma- 
nent, as strong efforts were being made to relocate the county capital, 
and there was great nncertainty as to what would ultimately become 
the final county boundaries, and its geographical center, usually 
selected as the county seat. Consequently lots were not sold with 
great rapidity at first. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1835. 

The county court ordered that in this year a two days' election be 
held in the town of Springfield, commencing on the first Monday in 
August, and that general elections thereafter be held for two days 
until otherwise ordered. The election was held August 4, and the 
official vote of Campbell township, as recorded, was as follows : — 

Circuit Clerk.— C. D. Terrill, 105 ; D. D. Berry, 79. 

County Clerk. — J. P. Campbell, 141 ; Joseph Rountree, 41. 

Assessor.— So\\n H. Clark, 84; Wm. A. Allen, 94. 

Surveyor. — Samuel Scroggins, 182. 

Justices of the Peace. — C. S. Yancey and David Appleby, 142 each. 



' Section 12 of " an act to organize the counties of Polk and Barry, and to establish 
a permanent seat of justice for Greene county," approved January 5, 1835, provided: 
"That Jeremiah N. Slone (Sloan), George M. Gibson, of Barry county, and Markham 
Fristoe are appointed commissioners for the purpose of selecting a permanent seat of jus- 
tice for the county of Greene." (Chap. 349, page 433, vol. 2, " Territorial Laws.") 



174 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Upon the assembling of the county court James Dollison was again 
elected presiding justice. About the first of August the public 
square of Springfield was enlarged from one and a half to two acres. 

OPENING OF THE U. S. LAND OFFICE. 

About the 1st of September the United States Land Office was 
opened at Springfield. The seventh cash entry was made Sept. 8th. 
Joel H. Haden, of Howard coimty, was the first register, and Robert 
T. Brown, of St. Genevieve, the first receiver. Mr. Haden removed 
his family to Springfield, and became a permanent resident, but Mr. 
Brown never removed his family, and in about three years returned to 
St. Genevieve. Mr. Haden died in Howard county, February 7, 1862. 

The establishment of the land office at Springfield was quite an 
event in the history of the place. It brought hundreds of persons to 
the town who desired to enter land in the Springfield district, and 
was of great convenience and accommodation to the settlers of South- 
west Missouri. 

Miscellaneous. — About December 1, County Judge Younger resigned 
and was succeeded by Hon. Chas. S. Yancey, who was appointed 
by the Governor. The aggregate expenses of the county this year 
were $668.50 ; the receipts only $414.28, which, with the balance in 
the treasury from the year 1834, left a deficit of $87.50. The follow- 
ing were the merchants and grocers of the county doing business 
under license this year : Fulbright & Sons, David O. George, J. T. 
Campbell, D. D. Berry, B. W. Cannefax, and D. Prigmore. 



1836 MISCELLANEOUS. 

At the session of the county court, C. D. Terrill was re-appointed 
deputy county clerk. D. D. Berry was appointed county treasurer for 
the ensuing year and allowed $35 for his services in 1835. Thos. 
Horn, as captain, and Jas. A. McCarroll, and Joseph Burden, J. W. 
Ball, and L. H. Freeman, were appointed patrols for Campbell town- 
ship, and directed to patrol at least twelve hours in each month during 
the year. A judgment was obtained in the circuit court against ex- 
Collector Sloan and his securities for the full amount of his defalca- 
tion as such collector, and an execution was ordered out against them ; 
but before it was served a compromise was effected, by the terms of 
which the county recalled the execution, and in March Sloan made a 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 175 

full and satisfactory settlement of all his delinquencies, in an honora- 
ble manner, and did not depart for Europe or Canada as is the prac- 
tice of many defaulting officials in these degenerate days. 

In March, Wm. A. Allen, having failed to qualify as county asses- 
sor, Daniel Gray was re-appointed to that office for one year. David 
Appleby and Joseph Burden were appointed justices of the peace for 
Campl)ell township. 

In June Josiah T. Danforth was appointed as another justice of the 
peace for Campbell township. — Jackson township was re-organized. — 
A "main" road was laid out and opened, running from Versailles, 
Morgan county, and passing through this county, to the Arkansas 
line. This thoroughfare was afterwards much traveled in going to and 
from Boonville. The expense of the road was borne by the counties 
through which it passed. Greene county's share of the surveying ex- 
penses was $53.14, which was paid to the surveyor, Wm. Monroe, out 
of the "three per cent, fund" for internal improvements. — Thos. 
Horn was elected county collector. — The first case of insanity in the 
county was brought into public notice in this month. The sheriff 
brought James Renfro, said to be insane, before the county court, and 
the question of his sanity was tried by a jury composed of Thomas 
Shannon, J. W. Ball, N. K. Smith, Benj. Cannefax, James Warren, 
Andrew Hodge, Chas. Hatler, G. N. Shelton, Henry Fulbright, S. S. 
Ingram, John Ingram, and Littleberry Hendrick. The jury decided 
that Mr. Renfro was insane, and incapable of managing his own busi- 
ness. Therefore Joseph Porter and Benj. Chapman were appointed 
his guardians and trustees. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1836. 

At the August election of this year the following were the candi- 
dates : Legislature, J. W. Hancock and J. D. Shannon ; sheriff, Ches- 
ley Cannefax and Frank Leeper ; assessor, Samuel Martin and Spen- 
cer O'Neil ; surveyor, Joseph Burden, Joseph Rountree, and Stephen 
Fisher. The first named candidate for each office was elected. At the 
session of the county court in this month Judge Yancey was chosen 
presiding justice. 

COUNTY SEAT PROCEEDINGS. 

In August, D. B. Miller was ordered to employ a competent sur 
veyor to lay off the town tract of Springfield, donated to the county 
by J. P. Campbell, and to file plats and field-notes of the same. He 
was further ordered to order two lots for sale, as soon as surveyed, by 



176 HISTORY OP GREENE COUNTY. 

advertising for two months, by three insertions, in the Missouri Ar- 
gus, published at St. Louis, and the Boon's Lick Democrat, published 
at Old Franklin, Howard county, and also by " setting; up handbills 
atthe county seats of Greene, Pulaski, Barry and Polk counties." The 
court ordered two lots reserved, one for building a clerk's office, and 
one for a jail. 

October 31, plats and field-notes of Springfield were filed and ap- 
proved and lot 18 of block 5, " where the present court-house is situ- 
ated, is hereby reserved from sale at present." The proceeds of the 
sales of lota were ordered set aside for the erection of public buildings, 
etc. Lot 11 was substituted for lot 10 for a clerk's office. 

Nine days thereafter Commissioner Miller made a settlement for 
town lots sold Nov. 1, showing that sales had been made to the 
amount of $649.88. The sales were well attended, and bidding was 
thought to have been very spirited, at that day, very many caring to 
take their chances that Springfield would become the ^^ permanent 
county seat " of Greene county, as the act apjDointing commissioners 
had stated, and therefore they bought lots and prepared to reap any 
resultant advantag-es that mio;ht accrue. The commissioner was al- 
lowed $131.51 for the total expenses of the sale, and was ordered to 
pay the balance into the treasury. 

As has been stated, a public jail, the first in the county, had been 
built by contributions of the citizens, who had come to the help of the 
young county at a time when its treasury was empty — if indeed it had 
a treasury — and at a time, too, when such an institution was impera- 
tively needed, and generously "chipped in," to a sufficient amount to 
complete a good strong, commodious log building in which off'enders 
were to be confined. This building stood somewhere near the corner of 
Main and Boonville streets. In process of time the county became 
better off, and in November of this year the county court ordered the 
treasurer to refund out of the money received for town lots, to each 
person the amount by him donated to build the county's bastile. 

The county court having decided to erect new public buildings, 
appointed Sidney S. Ingram superintendent thereof, and ordered him 
to prepare and submit a plan for a court-house. November 28 Mr. 
Ingram's plans were submitted, examined, and approved, and a court- 
house for the county was ordered erected in the center of the public 
square of Springfield, to be a two-story brick, covering an area 34 by 
40 feet, with divers and sundry specifications. The sum of $3,250 was 
appropriated for its erection. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 177 

The first prisoner ever incarcerated in the present State penitentiary 
at Jefferson was sent up from Greene county this year (1836). His 
name was Wilson Edison, a native of Tennessee, and at the February 
term of the circuit court had been convicted of grand larceny (horse 
stealing) and sentenced to two years and six months' imprisonment, 
less the time he had already spent in jail. He was admitted to the 
penitentiary March 8th, 1836, and was the sole occupant until the 28th 
of May following. 

FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 

In November of this year occurred the first Presidential election 
since the organization of the county. The candidates for President 
and Vice-President were Martin Van Buren and Richard M. Johnson, 
of the Democratic party ; Wm. Henry Harrison and Francis Granger, 
of the National Whig party ; and Hugh L. White, of Tennessee, of 
the independent Democrats and Whigs. The vote of Greene county 
was as follows: Van Buren, 140; White, 11. Only two townships, 
Campbell and Jackson, voted regularly at this election. Campbell 
gave Van Buren 113 votes and White 11 ; Jackson gave Van Buren 
17 ; White, none. North Fork township gave Abram Bird, one of the 
Van Buren electors, ten votes, and these seem to have been counted 
for all of the electors on that ticket. 

The vote of the State stood : Van Buren, 10,995 ; Harrison, 
7,337; White, 3,256. 

Miscellaneous. — The number of cash entries of land at the land 
office in Springfield for the first year was only 90. — October 3, John 
H. Miller was appointed deputy county clerk instead of C. D. Terrill. — 
The collector, in November, returned the State and county land de- 
linquent list for this year as amounting to only $90.27. — December 
31, the treasurer's books showed that the total expenses of the 
county for the year had been $829.96 ; the receipts into the treasury 
$557,431/2, showing a deficit of $272.52V2. Adding to this the 
$87.50 deficiency of the last year, made the total county deficit Janu- 
ary 1, 1837, to amount to $360.03. 

KILLING OF JOHN ROBERTS BY JUDGE YANCEY. 

In the fall of 1836 John Roberts, a well-known citizen of the 

county, was arrested by Sheriff Chesley Cannefax and brought before 

the county [court, charged with a misdemeanor. Between Roberts 

and Mr. Campbell there existed a feud of some standing and consider- 

12 



178 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

al)le bitterness. When Koberts was brought into court Campbell was 
pi'esent and Roberts began to quarrel with him. Judge Yancey, as 
|)residing justice of the court, commanded silence. Campbell obeyed, 
but Roberts persisted in abusing his enemy, and when Judge Yancey 
again commanded him to keep quiet, Roberts rejoined : "I will say 

what I d n please, in this court or the high court of Heaven, or 

hell." For this and other intemperate language, and for violent con- 
duct generally. Judge Yancey fined Roberts $20. 

Roberts paid his fine, but with many threats against the judge who 
had imposed it, and whenever under the influence of liquor, which 
was frequently the case, he sought every opportunity to insult Judge 
Yancey by all sorts of villification and abuse. The latter for a long 
time endeavored to avoid a collision by paying no attention to 
Roberts' remarks, and avoiding him whenever possible. Thus mat- 
ters went on for about a year, or until some time in the tall of 1837, 
when one day Roberts met Yancey on the public square in Spring- 
field, in company with Littleberry Hendrick, who had persuaded 
Yancey to go home in order to avoid an encounter with Roberts, who 
was known to be in town and to have made threats against Yancey, 
and, after some insulting language, Roberts put his hand in his 
bosom as if for a knife, a weapon which he was known to have used 
before in personal difllculties. Instantly Judge Yancey drew a pistol 
and fired. He then drew another pistol and was in the act of firing 
again, when Mr. Hendrick knocked the weapon upward and the ball 
passed into the air. Roberts pressed his hands to his breast and ex- 
claimed : "Don't shoot again; I am a dead man now," ^ then he 
reeled and fell to the ground, shot through the body. He died the 
following day. 

At the time of his death Roberts was under indictment for assault 
with intent to kill. At the December term, 1837, Hon. John S. 
Phelps, prosecuting attorney p-o tem.^ dismissed the case on account 
of the death of the defendant. One year thereafter, or at the Decem- 
ber terra, 1838, Yancey was indicted for manslaughter, for killing John 
Roberts, and was bound over for trial'at the ensuing April terra, in 
the sum of $2,000, Joel H. Haden, John P. Campbell, N. R. Smith, 
James McBride and Z. M. Rountree becoming his bondsmen. At the 
April term, 1839, Judge Yancey was tried by a jury composed of Thos. 
Lawrence, Asa J. Simpson, Joseph Moss, Joseph B. Carey, John W. 



Col. Gilmore. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 179 

Thompson, Wm. Parrish, James Nugent, John H, Tatum, Lewis 
Tatum, John Murray, Geo. Cook and Griffin P. Saunders. Foster P. 
Wright was the judge, and Littleberry Heiidrick, who was present 
when the tragedy occurred, was the prosecuting attorney. The trial 
occupied the greater part of two days. The jury was absent from the 
court-room but a few minutes, when it returned a verdict of " not 
guilty," and Judge Yancey was discharged. 

Judge Chas. S. Yancey was a native of Kentucky and came, to this 
county in 1833. Not long after coming here he was admitted to the 
bar, and in course of time, as elsewhere stated, became circuit judge. 
Judge Yancey was not a profound lawyer, according to an estimate 
placed upon him by an admirer and friend, but was fairly successful 
and had many friends. He was very sensitive, kind-hearted and po- 
lite, and, remarks Col. Gilmore, it was very remarkable and one of 
the curious commentaries of human life that he, who was among the 
most unwilling of men to do a personal injury to any one, should be 
compelled to take the life of a fellow-man. 

John Roberts was a determined and dangerous man, especially 
when intoxicated. He had been frequently arrested for participation 
in affrays and quarrels, and was regarded as a desperate character 
generally. When sober he was a man of many goodjqualities , and 
much respected by his neighbors. 

THE *' OSAGE WAR." 

In the winter of 1836-37, numerous bands of the Osage Indians 
were located in certain portions of Greene county, and their presence 
was distasteful to the settlers. Col. Chas. S. Yancey, then in com- 
mand of a regiment of Greene county militia, was ordered by Gov. 
Boggs to compel the Indians to retire across the State line and ever 
after to remain on their own territory. This was done, says Col. Gil- 
more, in order to protect the settlers and prevent a collision among 
them and the Indians. 

Lt. Col. Chesley Cannefaxand Capt. Henry Fulbright accompanied 
Col. Yancey on his mission to notify the Indians to leave the country. 
The colonel had wisely concluded to postpone calling out the troops 
until it should be determined that they were necessary, and had de- 
cided to go in person among the Osages and inform them that their 
room was preferable to their company. The three officers set out for 
the Indian camps to the south and southwest, one clear cold morning, 
accompanied by a negro boy named Charley, who had been raised 



180 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

among the Delawares, and was well versed in the Indian dialects, and 
who was taken along on this occasion to act as interpreter. 

The party stopped the first night ont with Wm. Brooks, near where 
Linden now stands. Brooks went with them next day, and they 
camped the second day out on Bryant's fork of the North fork of 
White river. That night snow fell to the depth of ai)out eighteen 
inches. In the morning Brooks abandoned the party, much to their 
discontent, as he was a great hunter, and familiar with the country 
through which Yancey was going in search of Indians. Indeed, 
the rest hesitated about going on or returning, but concluded to 
push on. 

Near the mouth of Flat Creek, in what is now Stone county, Col. 
Yancey came upon the first party of Indians, of whom there was a con- 
siderable number, all mounted on ponies and engaged in a bear hunt. 
Col. Yancey was dressed in full regimentals, with cocked hat, sword, 
sash, epaulets and plumes, and presented quite an imposing appear- 
ance, which he had calculated would quite favorably impress, if in- 
deed it did not overcome the display-loving savages. The Indians 
halted, huddled together, gazed at the party a few moments in utter 
silence, then, raising a shrill and peculiar yell, galloped rapidly away 
past the officers, without speaking or giving any heed to Charley, who 
called after them in their own language. The Indian yell was answered, 
and caught up and repeated, from all quarters of the compass but the 
north, a circumstance that occasioned Col. Yancey's party no little 
uneasiness. 

* 

The party rode on after the Indians, although they hardly knew 
how to interpret their strange conduct. Speaking of the affair after- 
wards, Col. Cannefax said : " I did not like the signs, and, as I rode 
up alongside Col. Yancey, I looked to see if there was any change in 
his face, and I thought there was ; but, if we were both scared, neither 
of us spoke our thoughts." 

At length, after certain surprises and much perturbation of feeling, 
the officers reached the camp of the Indians, where by this time the 
whole of them had collected, and had made a startling savage toilet of 
beads, feathers, deer-hoofs and other Indian finery, presumably to be 
able to meet Col. Yancey in an appropriate manner with all of his 
pomp and circumstance. From his dress the Indians had concluded 
that the Colonel must be a person of great consequence, perhaps the 
" Great Chief" himself from Washington. 

The visitors were cordially received and conducted immediately to 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 181 

the tent of the chief, who was named Naw-paw-i-ter, to whom, throuirh 
Charley, the interpreter, they delivered their message. Naw-paw-i-ter 
expressed regret on acconnt of the condition of some of his people, 
that he mnst move at once in such inclement weather, but added that 
he was willing to do so if the whites desired him. There were in the 
camp about 100 Indian men, and as many squaws and papooses. In 
consideration of the women and children, the whites were asked to 
allow a few days' dehiy until the weather moderated. Col. Yancey 
very readily and very generously consented to this, giving a written 
permission to the Indians to remain where they were for a few days 
or until the extreme cold sna[) had passed. After being hospitably, 
if not bountifully entertained at the Indian camp of Naw-paw-i-ter, 
Col. Yancey and his party started the next morning to complete their 
mission. 

Some days were spent in search of other bands, when, coming 
around to the saw-mill about 35 miles southwest of Springfield, in 
Barry county, they were startled to find all of the scattering hunting 
parties of Indians in the southwest part of the State collected together 
and seemingly engaged in preparation for some important enterprise. 
One Indian rode about brandishing his tomahawk and bow and arrows, 
and now and then making indecent gestures toward the whites. As 
the assemblage had the appearance of a war council. Col. Yancey and 
his aids held a council to determine what they should do. The Colonel 
and Maj. Fulbright wished to be gentle with the Indians, to visit them 
as they had visited Naw-paw-i-ter, and induce them by fair speeches 
to return to their reservation. Col. Cannefax, however, thought the 
occasion demanded the use of something more than mere words. He 
wished to return home and rouse the militia and then visit the Indians, 
prepared io enforce any demands that might be made upon them. His 
counsel was at last adopted and the party rode rapidly back to 
Springfield. 

Arriving at home, the entire neigh1)orhood about the county seat 
was thoroughly aroused. Rifles were speedily put in order, bullets 
were run, provisions prepared, and everything done to put'the county 
in fighting trim. Everybody lent a helping hand, and in thirty-six 
hours more than a hundred men, well mounted and armed, were at 
Ozark, on the Finley, in Christian county, confronting the Indians. 
The latter were much more numerous than the whites, but were 
armed, for the most part, with but bows and arrows. 

As Col. Yancey's force moved forward the Indians began to retreat 



182 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

toward their reservation. The Colonel pushed rapidly after them, 
proceeding cautiously, however, and on the second evening overtook 
them on the west side of the James river, not far from the mouth of 
Finley creek. The milit,ia were at once drawn up in line close to the 
Indians, and a demand was made of the chief, that his men should 
deliver up their arms, as security against hostilities. This he refused, 
for some time, to submit to, but, finding that he must consent or fight, 
he finally yielded, and set the example by coming forward and laying 
his bow^ and arrows on the ground. His example was followed by 
most of the warriors, but some of the younger ones refused, and were 
compelled, with difficulty, to give up their arms. 

Some of the white men behaved very rudely toward some of the 
squaws. To Yancey's honor, be it said that he showed such severity 
towards the offenders that this did not occur the second time. 

The Indians at last reluctantly agreed that their guns might be 
rendered temporarily unserviceable, and after this had been done by 
the removal of the flints from the locks, and ramming a naked bullet 
tight into the barrel of each, they were returned to their owners, and 
the Indians were then compelled to resume their march towards the 
setting sun, as they had, no doubt, often been required to do before. 
The next day or two were bitter cold, and the women and children 
suffered much, especially while crossing Oliver's prairie. 

In two or three days more the State line was reached, and after 
admonishing the redskins not to return again, the militia started 
homeward. The same day they were overtaken by an Osage chief, 
accompanied by a white man named Matthews, who begged them to 
return to attend a council of their chiefs, which had been called, they 
said, to consult with the white men. This Colonel Yancey refused to 
do, saying that he had no power to treat with them. 

When the militia returned to Springfield they found that there was 
most intense excitement in the little town and throughout the county, 
caused by rumors that a general Indian war had commenced, and that 
the community was liable to an attack at any moment. The women 
and children of Springfield — and a few men, too, — were greatly terri- 
fied, and Maj. Berry, who was then the most prominent merchant in 
this place, came very near packing off" his whole stock of goods to some 
other place for safe keeping. No hostilities followed, however, and 
Southwest Missouri had no trouble with Indians ev.er after of any 
serious consequence and results. Thus ended the " Osage War " in 
Greene county. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 183 

1837 MISCELLANEOUS. 

At the February meeting of the county court the 16th sections of 
tp. 28, range 22, and tp. 27 range 21, were ordered to be sold. The 
16th section of every congressional township had been reserved for 
school purposes, and placed under the control of the county court. 
D. D. Berry was unanimously re-elected county treasurer, and allowed 
$35 for his services the previous year. 

And now the county began the expenditure of its road and bridge 
fund. Sitting as a board of internal improvements, the county court 
appropriated $100 for building bridges across Nowlin's and Click's 
branches, on the State road leading from Springfield in the direction 
of Arkansas, " and for other necessary improvements on said road, " 
and C. D. Terrell was appointed commissioner to superintend the 
bridge building. What kind of bridges, two in number, could be built 
for $100, besides allowing a sum for " other improvements," may be 
conjectured, but cannot here be described. The further sum of $100, 
*' out of the road and canal fund," was appropriated for building a 
bridge across " the town branch, north of the public square, at 
Springfield," and D. B. Miller was appointed commissioner to super- 
intend the building of the same. These were the first bridges which 
the county ever built or assisted in building. 

March 13, Boone township was organized, and a voting place estab- 
lished *' at the Polk place." 

In May Judge Yancey resigned as presiding justice of the county 
court and was succeeded by Judge Dollison. — At the same session 
Thos. Flannery and Isaac Cook appeared in the court-room, "and 
treating said court with great contempt, were fined one dollar each 
and costs." It is said that Cook and Flannery were drunk, and en- 
gaged in a quarrel in the presence of their worships, the county jus- 
tices, and when ordered to become quiet, offered to " pitch into" the 
court itself. — D. B. Miller, the town commissioner, paid into the 
trerasury in this month the sum of $847.73, the proceeds of the sale of 
town lots. At that time the public square was covered with timber, 
which the court was petitioned by sundry inhabitants of the county to 
have " cleared off." The petition was refused, the judges deeming 
it fit and proper that the few trees which had not been cut off should 
be spared to give shade and add to the general attractiveness of the 
square. — It required 43 days to complete the assessment of the county 
in this year, for which work Samuel Martin was paid $2 per day. — In 



184 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

July Joseph Weaver was appointed county justice in the room of 
Judge Yancey, who had resigned in May to accept the appointment of 
Major General of the Militia of Southwest Missouri, 

"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS." 

In the winter of 1837 Chesley Cannefax, John P. Campbell, Judge 
Yancey, Ev. Hollingsworth, and Henry, Ephraim, and Dan Fulbright 
went to Texas with the intention of emigrating to that republic — 
for it was then a republic. In the course of that trip there came very 
near being a shooting scrape between Campbell and Henry Fulbright, 
but this was averted and the quarrel settled by that noted peace- 
maker., Judge Yancey. 

MORE INDIAN DISTURBANCES. "THE SARCOXIE WAR." 

About this time — that is to say in the summer of 1837 — occurred 
certain other Indian disturbances in this portion of Missouri, which 
created great excitement among the settlers of Greene county. The 
outrages perpetrated in Indian warfare were so well known and un- 
derstood by the early settlers, that the barest probability of a war 
with the red men at once excited the gravest apprehensions and 
sometimes the wildest alarm. This portion of the frontier was open 
and altogether exposed to a raid from the Territory, and not once or 
twice, but often, had reports, devised by sundry wicked persons, 
come that the savages were on thewar path. The whites in this 
country determined to take no chances with the knights of the toma- 
hawk ; upon the first manifestations of crooked conduct the}'^ were to 
be checked summarily and completely. 

The Delawares out at the Town had uniformly been peaceable, quiet, 
and very friendly, and nobody was afraid of them. There were In- 
dians, however, from the Territory and elsewhere, who came in from 
time to time in roving bands, whom it was well to watch. Sometime 
in June a strolling band of Senecas, from the Indian Territory, stole 
some horses and appropriated some other property from certain citi- 
zens of the country now embraced in Jasper and Newton counties, 
then in Barry county, and from certain citizens of where is now Dade 
county, then in Polk county, and when asked to make restitution, re- 
fused, and made certain threatening demonstrations. A settler 
named Thatcher, living on Cedar creek, was visited one day by an 
Indian who wanted to trade " squaws" with him. Thatcher knocked 
the Indian down, and then drove him from his premises. The next 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 185 

day, as he was at work in his field, a shot was fired and a rifle ball 
whizzed by Thatcher's ear. 

The alarm was given and the county court of Polk county ordered 
Maj. L. A. Williams^ to take command of a company of militia, 
hastily raised for the purpose, and proceed against the Indians and 
march them out of the State. Captain Williams, as he was then 
called, accomplished the object as far as Polk county was concerned, 
without any difficulty, and, after an absence of about twenty days, re- 
turned home and disbanded his company. 

At this time, under the militia laws of the State, every able-bodied 
man over 18 years of age and under 45 was required to enroll in the 
State militia and to drill regularly three or four times a year. The 
officers of the companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divi- 
sions were elected by the men and commissioned by the Governor. 
Southwest Missouri then formed the 7th division and the militia of 
Greene county composed the first brigade, while the second brigade 
was composed of Polk and some of the other counties adjacent. The 
first organization of these counties under this arrangement was in 
1837, and the following were the first general ofiicers elected : Major 
General of the Division, Joseph Powell ; Brigadier General of the 1st 
Brigade, N. R. Smith ; Brigadier General of the 2d Brigade, Abner 
NalK 

Just about the time that Capt. Williams expelled the Senecas, trouble 
broke out with the Osage Indians, a large body of which tribe had 
gathered in large numbers near Sarcoxie, and were acting suspicious- 
\y. General Powell at once called out the whole military force of his 
division and marched against the savages, and came upon them unex- 
pectedly and to their great surprise. After but little negotiating and 
parleying the Indians were marched out of the State and into their 
own territory, and made to give solemn assurances that they would 
not return without permission. They stoutly persisted in their inno- 
cence of any evil intent in coming into the State, saying they had 
only come to hunt and fish ; declared they knew nothing of any stolen 
horses, or other property, and averred that they had always been and 
would always be the faithful friends of the whites. After an absence 
of about fifteen days Gen. Powell marched his division home and the 
Greene county troops were disbanded and permitted to return to 
work in their fields. 



' Commonly known as Dr. Williams and afterwards a prominent citizen of Springfield. 



186 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

This was known as the " Sarcoxie War," and was a very nice sort 
of a war, being one in which no human blood was shed or any serious 
casualities suffered. The reports of the outbreak were greatly exag- 
gerated from the start. The Indians had done nothing, and doubtless 
intended [doing nothing to harm the settlers, and all of the alarm 
and uneasiness, the mustering, the arming, and the marching, were 
for nothing. General Powell marched out to Sarcoxie and then, 
like the famous "King of France," straightway "marched back 
again." 

The Greene county troops in the "Sarcoxie War" did not like 
Gen. Powell, who was very inexperienced in military matters, and 
committed many breaches of military law and discipline. Upon charges 
preferred by Gen. Smith, of the Greene county brigade. Gen. 
Powell was afterward tried by a military commission and dismissed 
from the State service, being succeeded by Gen. Nelson and then by 
Col. Chas. S. Yance}', of this county. 

Of Gen. N. R. Smith it is related that he was not a thorough mili- 
tary man himself. On one occasion after dark a militiaman, who had 
seen service in the regular army, was standing guard around the camp 
of the 1st brigade. Gen. Smith approached and attempted to pass 
the lines. " Halt! " cried out the fiiithful sentinel. " Who comes 
there? " "A friend, " was the reply. " Advance and give the conn 
tersign, " demanded the guard. "I haven't the countersign," re- 
turned the General, " but I am General Smith, from Springfield, and 
it's all right." " Halt !" again the sentinel shouted, adding, "I 
don't care if you are General Smith, from hell, you can't pass here 
without the countersign ! " The latter remark, albeit somewhat pro- 
fane, became a by-word in the camp, and indeed was remembered 
long after the " Sarcoxie War " was over. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

No returns of the August election for this year are to be found save 
the vote of Campbell township for assessor, which was as follows : 
Gray Wills, 102 ; Samuel Martin, 49. Wills was elected. An addi- 
tional $100 was appropriated in August to complete the bridge over 
Click's branch. August 10th, Robberson township was created, and 
an election precinct established at the house of Elizabeth Robberson. 
About the 1st of December government land in Greene county first 
came into market, it having previously been withheld, and many entries 
were made in Campbell township. Up to this time but little business 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 187 

had been transacted at the Springfield land office, only 240 cash en- 
tries having been made. At the close of the year it was found that 
the receipts of the county treasury during the year had been $582.13V4 ; 
the expenditures, $496.11, being $82.02V4 in favor of the receipts; 
but deducting this balance from the last year's deficiency still left the 
county in debt to the amount of $274. 

During the year 1837 the following were the merchants and grocers 
doing business in Greene county, the merchants being understood to 
be dealers in general merchandise, and the grocers to sell no dry- 
goods : Merchants. — C. A. Hayden, Campbell & Hunt, Harper & 
Glanville, D. D. Berry, Danforth &Bros., Fulbright & Butler, Carey 
& Perkins, Brown & George, and B. H. & J. C. Boone. Grocers. — 
R. J. McElhany, Jas. Y. Warren, B. W. Cannefax& Co., Alex. HoU- 
ingsworth, J. W. Ball, and A. H. Payne. 



1838 MISCELLANEOUS. 

In February Gray Wills became county assessor, Chesley Canne- 
fax, collector, and Daniel D. Berry, treasurer. Upon petition of the 
inhabitants, the 16th sections in ranges 21 and 23, in township 30, 
were ofi'ered for sale by the county court. January 23, Town Com- 
missioner D. B. Miller sold $125.25 worth of town lots in Spring- 
field. 

INCORPORATION OF SPRINGFIELD. 

February 19th, of this year, occurred the first incorporation of the 
town of Springfield. The population of the place was about 250 at 
the time, and the incorporation was made in response to a petition 
signed by nearly every voter residing therein. The metes and bounds, 
as established by the county court, were as follows : — 

Beginning 25 rods west of the northwest corner of the northwest 
quarter of section 24, township 29, range 22 ; thence east 155 rods to 
a stake ; thence south 135 rods to a stake ; thence west 155 rods to a 
stake ; thence north to the beginning. 

The territory included within these boundaries was declared to be 
**a body politick and corporate by the name and style of the inhab- 
itants of the town of Springfield." The first board of trustees was 
composed of Joel H. Haden, Daniel D. Berry, Sidney S. Ingram, 
Robert W. Crawford and Joseph Jones. 



188 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



BENTON AND OZARK TOWNSHIPS. 



May 9, the county court created two new townships, Benton and 
Ozark, whose boundaries were established as follows : 

Benton. — Beginning on the line between ranges 20 and 21 on the 
south boundary of Greene county ; thence running east to the south- 
east corner of said county ; thence north with said connty line to the 
divide between James' fork and Finley ; thence down said ridge to 
the line between ranges 20 and 21 ; thence south with said range line 
to the beorinnino;. 

Ozark. — Commencing at the northeast corner ot Benton township ; 
thence north with the county line to the northeast corner of the coun- 
ty ; thence west with the boundary line to the center of range 20 ; 
thence south to the northwest boundary of Benton township. 

Benton township was composed of territory now included in the 
townships of that name in the counties of Christian and Webster ; 
Ozark comprised the eastern portion of the county, now in Webster. 
Elections were held at Campbell Steward's, in Benton, with Steward, 
Wm. Friend and Henry Mallock, judges ; and in Ozark, at Thos. B. 
Patterson's, with Thos. Neaves, Robert Patterson and John Bell for 
judges. 

Meantime, the work of building the court-house at Springfield had 
been progressing very fairly. In December, E. F. Roberts, who had 
the contract for the wood work, was paid $925 for work done to date. 
S. S. Ingram, the superintendent, resigned and was paid $75 for his ser- 
vices the past year. 

SPRINGFIELD IN 1838. 

During the year 1838 Springfield, the county seat of Greene, pros- 
pered very fairly. People had grown to be confident that it was to 
be the permanent capital of the county, and were not loth to invest in 
residences and business houses. The incorporation of the town did 
much to give it character and standing, and in addition a great deal of 
business was transacted in its stores and other business houses. The 
following were the business firms, the nature of their business, and 
the amount of tax paid by each in the year 1838 : — 



Name of firm and business. Am't. of tax. 

Flournoy & Hickman, merchants $45.00 

D. D. Berry, merchant 66.98 

B. W. Cannefax, " 55.00 

Campbell & Hunt, " 21.50 

Danforth & Bros., " 93.10 

John PuUian & Co., merchants 21 .30 

John P. Campbell, merchant 73.50 

C. A. Haden & Co., merchants 34.38 

Cannefax & Co., " 13.81 

Wm. & L. H. Davis, merchants 22.13 



Name of firm, and business. Am.'t of tax. 

Ca8ebolt& Stallinga, merchants $21.33 

Isaac Sanders, merchant 35.62 

Jacob Bodenhamer " 30.00 

John V. Campbell, airocer 33.05 

Casebolt&Stallings,'^ " 10.00 

B. H. & J. C. Boone, " 15.00 

John Edwards, " 15.25 

Joshua Jones, " 20.00 

C. A. Haden, " 30.00 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 189 

As Mr. Escott says, in his historical sketch, the term " merchant " 
included dealers in dry goods, boots and shoes, hats, caps, gents' fur- 
nishing goods, clothing, groceries and provisions, hardware, tinware, 
and everything usually kept in a country store, from a paper of pins to 
a stick of candy. The "groceries " kept a few articles in the way of 
family groceries and provisions, but their chief staple was whisky, 
which was dispensed by the dram, pint, quart or gallon. Brandy and 
wine were common, but lager beer was unknown at that day. 

KILLING OF J. RENNO BY RANDOLPH BRITT. 

In the summer of 1838 another homicide occurred here which cre- 
ated a good deal of feeling in the community. This was the killing 
of Mr. J. Renno by Randolph Britt. The latter, with a number of 
the then citizens of Springfield, was in the grocery store of which 
Maj. R. J. McElhany was proprietor, eating and drinking. Lucius 
Rountree, observing the crowd assembled and wanting to have some 
sport of the rough sort, then very common, told Renno to go into 
McElhany's and "clean it out." Renno, always ready for such 
work, accordingly went in, and, happening to seize Britt first, a scufile 
ensued between them, in the course of which Renno suddenly cried 
out, " He is stickiug me with a knife ! " and fell. It turned out to be 
too true ; he had been fatally stabbed by Britt, and died in a few 
minutes afterward. Britt for some time afterwards did not seem con- 
scious of the nature of his act, and when he did realize it wept bit- 
terly, after exclaiming that he had rather Renno had killed him. The 
truth probably was that the homicide was, at the time of giving the 
fatal blow, so much intoxicated that he hardly knew what he was doing. 

Britt had to be protected by a strong guard after this afi'air, or 
his life would have been taken to satisfy the vengeance of Renno' s 
friends and relatives. Much feelins; was excited about the matter. 
His counsel got a change of venue to Benton county, and he was tried 
at Warsaw, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to the peni- 
tentiary for a term of years ; but was soon pardoned by the Gov- 
ernor of the State. He afterwards lived and died in Greene countv. 



1839 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Hoover's mill having been put up on Finley, this year, furnished 
facilities for grinding hitherto unenjoyed by the settlers, and was vis- 
ited for a long distance. The voting place for Finley township was 



190 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

also established there in May, being removed from Frizzell's. — Several 
roads were established through the county and into other counties 
this year, thus opening communication with the outer world. Among 
others a new road was established " to Jefferson and Boonville, by 
way of the Pumly tar" {Pomme de Terre), another "to St. Louis 
from the south part of the county," and another " a change in the 
road to Fayetteville and on south." — In November E. F. Roberts re- 
ceived $750 on wood-work done in the court-house, by which it ap- 
pears that that building was not completed at that time. 

THE SO-CALLED " NULLIFICATION ACT " OF THE COUNTY COURT. 

At the November term of this year the county court of Greene 
county made the following order : — 

Ordered hy the Court — That the act concerning groceries, passed 
at the last session of the Legislature, and approved February 13, 
1839, be and the same is hereby repealed and of no effect in the county 
of Greene. 

This order of the court has uniformly been laughed at whenever dis- 
covered and read by those unacquainted with all of the circum- 
stances. It seems very preposterous that a county court should " re- 
peal " an act of the Legislature and declare it of " no effect " in the 
county wherein the court sat. But a little explanation and informa- 
tion will set things aright. 

" The act concerning groceries," referred to by the Greene county 
court, regulated the sale of ardent spirits in this State. It may be 
found in the " Laws of Missouri, of the 1st session of the 10th 
General Assembly," section 48 of which is as follows ; — 

Sec 48. The county courts maj'^, at any term of their court, ex- 
empt their county from the operation of this act by an order direct- 
ing that the same shall not extend to or be in force in their county ; 
and upon such order being made and recorded, this act shall not ex- 
tend to or be in force in said county. 

It will be seen that the court had ample warrant and authority for 
setting aside the act of the Legislature, although the language of the 
order might have been made a little clearer and somewhat more intel- 
ligible to the general reader. " Those laugh best who laugh last." 

Elections. — At a special election in June, Thomas Horn was elected 
sheriff over Joseph Burden, and in August John L. McCraw was elected 
surveyor over B. T. Nowlin, E. F. Roberts, and John C. Farmer, and 
Daniel Cotner was elected assessor over Samuel Martin and Elisha 
Headlee. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 191 



CHAPTER III. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1840 TO 1850. 

1840 — Sundry Public Business — Elections — The August Election — The Presidential Elec- 
tion, "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" — Some Early Politicians. 1841 — Items — Polk 
Township — The Pioneer Merchants — Killing of Davis by John T. Shanks — Escape of 
Shanks. 1842 — Miscellaneous — The August Election. 1843 — Items. 1844 — News- 
paper Established — The August Election — Two Congressmen Elected at the Same 
Election from Greene County — Beginning of Hon. John S. Phelps' Term of Service in 
Congress, Lasting 18 years — The "Hards " and the " Softs " — Mr. Sims' Speech on the 
Oregon Question — The Presidential Campaign of 1844 — Polk and Dallas — Clay and 
Frelinghuysen — The Gubernatorial Canvass — Old "Horse" Allen — Items. 1845 — 
Miscellaneous. 1846 — County Court Proceedings — The August Election — Sundry 
Items — Greene County in the Mexican War — Services of Boak's Company. 1847 — 
Miscellaneous. 1848 — Items — August Election — The Big Sleet — The Presidential 
Election. 1849 — A Temperance Wave — Improvements — Miscellaneous — The Jack- 
son Resolutions — Col. Benton in Springfield — Prgress of the County from 1840 to 1850. 

1840. MISCELLANEOUS PUBLIC BUSINESS. 

In February the county court reappointed D. D. Berry county 
treasurer, but he refused to qualify as he was required to give a bond 
of $30,000, while the compensation was only $50 a year, and in June 
C. A. Haden was appointed. At the time of Berry's appointment 
Haden was selected as county seat commissioner, and Joshua 
Davis chosen county clerk. When Haden became treasurer, N. R. 
Smith became commissioner. — In June, owing to the formation of 
Wright and Ozark counties, which caused a loss of some territory to 
this county, John L. McCraw, the county surveyor, was ordered to 
re-survey the eastern boundary of the county, to conform to the 
changes. — The boundaries of Benton and Jackson townships were en- 
larged in June. — In Auo;ust C. A. Haden resigned as county treas- 
urer, and James R. Danforth was appointed to that office, a position 
which he held for fourteen years thereafter either by appointment or 
election. — County Clerk C. D. Terrell died in January. Wm. Chap- 
man, another prominent citizen, died in October. It may be related, 
in connection with the death of Mr. C, that when the administrator 
of the estate, S. W. McCorkle, presented his bond with John S. 
Phelps as surety, the court rejected it on account of " insufficient se- 
curity ! " — The total expenses of the county this year were $1,533.50 ; 
receipts, $1,555.26; balance in the treasury, $21.76; outstanding 
debt, $837.04. — The United States census this year showed the pop- 



192 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Illation of the county to be 5,372. — Some of the new merchants in 
Springfield were John De Bruin, Samuel F. January, E. Fisher, and 
Snyder. 

ELECTIONS AUGUST 5. 

The August election of the year 1840 resulted in the choice of the 
following officers : — 

Representative — John S. Phelps, over John C. Johnson and Joseph 
Powell. 

Sheriff — Thomas Horn over Joseph Burden and Silas Baker. 
County Clerk — Joshua Davis ; no opposition. 
Assessor — J. W. Wadlow, over Samuel Martin and Wm. Cloud. 
Coroner — Wm. Cawlfield ; no opposition. 

The Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 
Thos. Eeynolds and M. M. Marmaduke, carried the county by more 
than 200 majority, over John B. Clark, Sr., and Joseph Bogy, the 
Whiff nominees. 

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 

The presidential campaign of 1840 was the principal event of that 
year in the State, and, in fact, in the United States. The Whig party, 
then for the first time formidable in the country, renominated Gen. 
Harrison as its candidate for President, with John Tyler, of Virginia, 
for Vice-President. The Democrats renominated Van Buren and 
Johnson. The canvass excited more interest than any other that had 
ever taken place in the history of the Union. There had been a 
great stringency in the money market and other financial distresses 
occasioning hard times throughout the country. Many workingmen 
were either out of employment or at work for very low wages ; prices 
of produce had fallen to insiguificant figures and there was general 
discontent with the situation. Many people attributed the condition 
of affiiirs to the administration of Mr. Van Buren and the Democratic 
party. The Whigs took advantage ot the situation and conducted 
their campaign with unexampled ardor and enthusiasm — and, as the 
result showed, with effect. Mass conventions of immense numbers 
of people were held, becoming political camp-meetings in many in- 
stances, and remaining in session three or four days. The object of 
both parties seemed to be to carry the election by music, banners, pro- 
cessions, and stump oratory. 

Gen. Harrison, at the time of his candidacy, was clerk of the courts 
of Hamilton county, Ohio, and lived in a house having one apart- 
ment, built of logs. A Democratic editor had observed that in addition 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUiNTY. 193 

to the humble style of the general's dwelling, there was nailed upon 
the outer walls of the log kitchen a raccoon skin, in process of curing, 
and he commented very facetiously upon these things, sneering at a 
party whose candidate for the exalted office of President lived in a log 
cabin ornamented with 'coon skins and knew no better beverage than 
hard cider. Immediately the Whigs took up the statements of the editOi- 
and reasserted them as facts of which they were greatly, and as they 
claimed, justly proud. The contest was thereafter known as the " log 
cabin, 'coon skin and hard cider campaign." Monster Whig meetmgs 
were held all over the country, at which log cabms of all sizes, live 
'coons, and veritable hard cider were displayed ; processions were 
formed miles in length, containing every unique feature that could be 
conceived; cannons were fired, bells rung, and there were all sorts 
and kinds of fuss and fustian indulged in by the partisans of *' Tippe- 
canoe and Tyler, too." 

To counteract the influence of these meetings, and the party para- 
phernalia employed to captivate the masses, the Democrats held their 
meetings also, many of which equaled, if they did not surpass, the 
efforts of the Whigs. Invoking the name and the prestige of Gen. 
Jackson (" Old Hickory "), who ardently supported Mr. Van Buren, 
they adopted hickory boughs and the chicken-cock as their party 
emblems, and defiantly waved the former, and caused the latter to 
exultingly crow in the faces of their opponents. 

In Greene county the canvass was not so exciting as in other parts 
of the country. The Democrats had a large majority over the Whigs, 
and neither party counted it worth while to make extraordinary efforts 
to increase its members for the time. Still the contest attracted gen- 
eral and especial attention throughout the county, and it is said that 
a full vote was polled. At the November election the vote in this 
county stood : For the Van Buren electors, 432 ; for the Harrison 
electors, 171. Of this vote Campbell township gave Van Buren 321, 
and Harrison 142. Finley gave Van Buren 35, and Harrison 3. 

The leading Democrats of the county at that time were John S. 
Phelps, Alex. Younger, Wm. Garoutte, N. R. Smith, R. J. McEl- 
haney. Judge Yancey, C. A. Haden, J. W. Hancock, Elijah Gray, 
Chesley Cannefax, John P. Campbell and S. S. Ingram. Some of the 
most prominent Whigs were Dr. Thos. J. Bailey, Gray Wills, Wm. 
McAdams, Samuel Martin, B. T. Nowlin, W. B. Farmer, D. D. 
Berry, John S. Waddill and Littleberry Hendrick. Among the inci- 
dents of the campaign it is remembered that the Democrats had a 
13 



194 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

barbecue in the grove in the southeast part of Springfield, at which 
Judge Yancey and others spoke ; and that on the St. Louis road, half 
a mile from town, there hung for some time a " paddy, " consisting 
of a woman's coarse dress and bonnet, stuffed with straw and labeled 
" Granny Hari'ison. " 



1841 MISCELLANEOUS. 

In February the county court appointed R. A. Huffard to take a 
vote of the citizens of the county on the propriety of forming an 
ao-ricultural society, pursuant to an act of the Legislature. The people 
refused to order the court to form such a society. — S. D. Hailey was 
appointed superintendent of public buildings. — In May a township 
comprising the southwestern portion of the county was organized and 
called Polk township, in honor of James K. Polk, of Tennessee, ex- 
speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and member of Congress. 
The township was named by some old Tennesseeans, friends of Mr. 
Polk, 1 on o- before that gentleman was thought of for President. A 
votino- place for Polk township was established at the house of Lindsey 
Robberson. — From and after May 1 the county judges began to receive 
$2 per day for their services instead of $1.50, their former compensa- 
tion. July 7 the county court fined Joseph Weaver, one of its own 

members, $5, " for contempt to this court, by absenting himself as one 
of said court, without leave thereof, on the fifth day of the term." 

In this year the first permits were given to free negroes to reside in 
this country "during good behavior, and no longer." One of the 
parties so privileged was John Rider, " a free man of color;" the 
other was Margaret Williams, described as "a free woman, of bright 
mulatto color, 29 years of age, five feet two inches high." 

The expenses of the county this year amounted to $2,319.71, and 
the receipts into the treasury $1,376.07, causing a deficiency of 
$943.64, and increasing the county debt to $1,780.63, which was 
thought to be an enormous sum at that day. 

Some of the merchants of the county this year were John De Bruin, 
A. N. Farmer, A. Huff, Joshua Jones, Berry & Snyder, Jas. M. Ken- 
drick and John Morris. The leading grocers were James Washburn, 
Thos. Shannon & Son, R. J. McElhaney, and Peter Apperson. 

The Auo-ust election resulted in the choice of Joshua Davis for circuit 
and county clerk over Richard Price, and of J. W. Wadlow for asses- 
sor over Thos. Tiller. Davis was an expert penman, and some of his 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 195 

penmanship, still extant, on the early records, is equal to copper-plate. 
An important addition was built to the jail this year, consisting of 
two rooms sixteen feet square, with walls of oak timbers, each one foot 
square, and proportionately strong in other particulars. The im- 
provements had not been made at the time of the escape of Shanks, in 
June. 

KILLING OF DAVIS BY JOHN T. SHANKS. 

In May, 1841, John T. Shanks shot and killed another man named 
Davis, in Springfield. Both men were intoxicated at the time, and 
the killing was the result of an affray. Shanks was a mechanic, and 
had a wheelwright's shop in the town. Davis was a hard drinker and a 
rough character generally. Shanks was arrested and had a preliminary 
examination, which resulted in his being committed to jail to abide the 
decision of the next term of the circuit court, which was to meet 
in July. Before court convened Shanks contrived to break jail and 
flee from the county. It was always said that he made his way to 
Texas, where he lived until his death, and was never arrested and 
tried for his crime. At the July term, after his escape, Shanks' 
property was levied on to pay the costs of the preliminary examination. 
The fees of the sheriff, Thos. Horn, alone amounted to $58.29. Some 
outside friend of Shanks' furnished him with an auger, with which he 
bored his way to liberty, and once free it is alleged that he was fur- 
nished with a good horse, a rifle, and a saddle bag full of provisions. 



1842 MISCELLANEOUS. 

At the February term of the county court, Ash Grove township 
was organized, and the same session a school township was organized 
therein. — S. D. Hailey resigned his position as superintendent of pub- 
lic buildings, and Henry Matlock was appointed in his stead. — In May 
it was shown that the county had expended on roads and bridges, out 
of the internal improvement (or road and canal) fund, the sum of 
$1,542.87, leaving a balance of the fund to the amount of $1,124.79. 
— The county tax levy for this year was 100 per cent over the State 
levy. — The expenses of the county this year were $1,387.52 ; receipts, 
$1,775.18. 

The August Election. — At this election the following were the suc- 
cessful candidates : John W. Hancock, State Senator ; Leonard H. 
Sims, representative; Thos. B. Neaves, sherift"; B. A. James, Jas. 



196 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

W. Blakey and Bennett Robberson, county justices ; Daniel Cotner, 
assessor. At the first session of the county court B. A. James Avas 
chosen presiding justice. Daniel Cotner, the assessor elect, died ])u- 
fore being qualified. 



1843 ITEMS. 



In February, Sheriff Neaves was made collector, and Thos. Tiller 
was appointed assessor, vice Daniel Cotner, deceased. — Leonard H. 
Sims, was appointed the county's agent to draw the road and canal 
fund from the State treasury. — The county court ordered a meeting 
of the inhabitants of the county at the court-house, on the first Mon- 
day in May, to organize a county agricultural society. It is not re- 
membered what was done at this meetinoj. 

At the August election John L. McCraw was re-elected county sur- 
veyor, his opponent being Marcus Boyd. — During this year Geo. R. 
Smith succeeded John P. Campbell, as receiver of the land office at 
Springfield, and Robert Smith took the place of "Uncle" Joel H. 
Haden, as register. The Smiths only held their positions about one 
year, however. — The total expenses of the county during 1843 were 
$1,883.12. — The following prominent citizens of the county died dur- 
ing the year: Thos. Horn, Wm. Fulbright, J. H. Massey, Archibald 
Young, and Radford Cannefax. — A county tax of 200 per cent over 
the State tax was levied this year. 



1844 NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED. 

In May of this year the first number of the Springfield Advertiser 
was printed at the county seat, the paper having been established by 
Warren H. Graves, Esq. The paper was a folio (four pages), with 
six columns to the page, and was Democratic in politics. It had a 
circulation of about 400. Of the office of this paper Mr, Graves says : 
" The original Advertiser office was the same in which the Standard 
and the Eagle had been printed. It had been idle for some time — I 
think for two or three years — and was under the control and in the 
possession of John S. Phelps ; but there was a suit between him and 
John P. Campbell, in relation to the ownership, which was afterward 
compromised, and the office went to Campbell. This was in the 
spring of 1846, and then I purchased a new office. The material of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 197 

% 

the old office was used in 1846, in the interest of John P. Campbell 
for Congress. The paper was published by E. D. McKinuey." The 
Advertise?' was published continuously up to the summer of 1861. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1844. 

The August election of this year was of unusual interest to the 
people of Greene county. It was a " Presidential year," and, in ad- 
dition to that circumstance, two of the citizens of the county were 
candidates for Congress, both Democrats, and both were elected. 
Doubtless such an instance is without a parallel in the history of the 
country, save in counties having large cities within them. 

The circumstance occurred in this way : At that date Missouri 
was entitled to five Congressmen, all of whom, by the law then in 
force, were elected by the voters of the State at large, there being no 
choice by Congressional districts, as is now the CEse, The Demo- 
cratic party of Missouri was divided into two factions, the " hards " 
and the " softs." ^ A dozen candidates were in the field for Cons^ress- 
men, among whom were John S. Phelps and Leonard H. Sims, one a 
*' hard " the other a " soft." The five candidates receiving the highest 
number of votes in the State were to be the Congressmen. D. C. M. 
Parsons, from Pike count}^ was one of the "hard" candidates. A 
few days before the election Parsons died, and the "hard" central 
committee substituted John G. Jameson in his stead. News traveled 
slowly at that day, for the lack of telegraphs and fast mails, and the 
tidings of Mr. Parsons' death did not reach all parts of the State until 
after the election. The result was that some of the " hards " voted for 
Parsons and others for Jameson, and that Leonard Sims, who obtain- 
ed the votes of " softs " and Whigs, received a plurality over Parsons 
and Jameson, and thus it so chanced that both Phelps and Sims were 
elected. Their colleagues were James B. Bowlin, James H. Relfe, 
and Sterling Price. The latter resigned in 1846, to engage in the 
Mexican war, and was succeeded by Wm. McDaniels. This was the 
beginning of the Congressional career of Gov. Phelps, which lasted 
for eighteen consecutive years. Hon. L. H. Sims is believed to be 
still living at Jacksonport, Arkansas. 

While Mr. Sims was in Congress he made a famous speech on the 



1 The "hards " were in favor of hard mone}', or of State bank currency on a metallic basis, 
convertible into coin on demand, no State bank bills to be of less denomination than $10. 
The "softs" favored the issue of bank bills of fl, $2, fo, and $5, and leaned toward the 
Whig idea of free bankintj. 



198 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

question of the Oregon boundary difficulty (" 54-40 or fight " ), between 
Great Britain and the United States, then under discussion in Con- 
gress. In this speech Mr, Sims scouted the idea of being at all doubt- 
ful of the result of a contest between this country and England, 
should it be necessary to decide the controversy by a fight. *' Why, 
Mr. Speaker," said he, "the ox-drivers of Missouri, armed only with 
their cattle-whips, can thrash all of the British troops in that quarter, 
and make the British lion scamper off with his tail between his legs, 
and take refuge in the far off forests of the north, and mingle his dole- 
ful whine with ' the wolf's long howl from Onalaska's shore ! ' " 

The county officers chosen at this election were B. A. James (who 
had resigned as county judge to make the race), representative ; Thos. 
B. Neaves, sheriff; B. F. Butler, assessor, and John W. Dagan, coro- 
ner. On the resignation of Judge James, Wm. C. Price became 
county justice, in May, and was elected presiding judge of the county 
court. 

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, 1844. 

Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and Theodore Frelinghuysen, of New 
Jersey, were the Whig candidates for President and Vice-President 
this year, and James Knox Polk, of Tennessee, and George M. Dal- 
las, of Pennsylvania, the Democratic nominees. There was greater in- 
terest taken in Greene county in this election than in any other since 
the organization. The county had doubled in population since 1840, 
and many of the new arrivals were Whigs, from Tennessee and Ken- 
tucky, warm admirers of" Harry of the West." James K. Polk, too, 
had his friends among the Tennesseeaus of this county, many of 
whom had known him in his own State, and, however unacquainted 
other portions of the country might have been with him, Mr. Polk was 
by no means a stranger to the county of Greene. 

Numerous meetings and one or two barbecues were held at Spring- 
field this year by the partisans of Polk and Clay. The Whigs were in 
great spirits, and some of them expected to carry the county for their 
candidate. The result of the election in November showed, however, 
that they were outvoted more than two to one, the vote standing: 
For Polk and Dallas, 817 ; for Clay and Frelinghuysen, 351. The 
vote of the State stood Polk, 41,369 ; Clay, 31,251. 

The Gubernatorial canvass attracted considerable attention from the 
fact that Charles H. Allen, the independent candidate for Governor, 
against John C. Edwards, Democrat, had formerly been a citizen of 
Greene county and circuit judge for this circuit. Allen and Edwards 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 199 

held a joint discussion in the court-house at Springfield, which was 
well attended. " Horse " Allen, as he was nicknamed, became some- 
what excited and jerked a book from Edwards' hand in such a violent 
manner that the volume was badly torn. Judge Allen received a very 
respectable vote in this county and only ran 5,621 votes behind Ed- 
wards in the State. 

Chas. H. Allen, at the time he was a candidate' for Governor, lived 
in some one of the ujiper counties. He was a man of fine presence, of 
commanding stature, a good lawyer, and, though impulsive, and often 
too hasty in action, was a gentleman of excellent character in the 
main. It is said he received his cognomen of " Horse " Allen from 
the following circumstance : On one occasion he was holding court 
and a disorderly attorney interrupted the proceedings by talking in a 
loud voice, being engaged in a sort of altercation with another lawyer. 
The judge commanded silence. To this command the attorney paid 
no attention. The sheriff chanced to be absent from the room at the 
time. Thereupon His Honor rose and, in a voice of thunder, cried : 
^^ Sit down ^ sir, and keep your mouth shut!'''' The lawyer wilted, 
sank into a seat and murmured, " Well, as you are judge of this court, 
I guess I will obey you this time." To this Judge Allen replied: 
" By G — , sir, I'll let you know that I am not only judge of this court, 
hut Tm, a hoss besides, and if you don't obey me, I'll make you !" 

Miscellaneous. — A bridge across the town branch, near Owen's 
wool-carding factory, was built in the fall of this year, the job being 
superintended by John Bedford. The bridge was built by Cephas 
Hill and cost $125. The tax for county purposes this year was 18^/4 
cents on the $100.00. The expenses of the county this year were 
$1,287.94; receipts, $1,303.77. 



1845 — MISCELLANEOUS. # 

In May the Springfield branch of the State Bank of Missouri was 
established, with J. H. McBride as president; J. R. Danforth, cash- 
ier; C. A. Haden, clerk. The opening of this institution was quite 
an event in the history of Springfield. 

In this year R. J. McElhany succeeded Wm. B. Farmer as post- 
master of Springfield. Farmer was a Whig, McElhany a Democrat, 
and James K. Polk, a Democratic president. 

At the August election, in addition to the regular county officials, 



200 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

there were elected two delegates from this district (the 21st) to a 
State constitutional convention, which convened at Jefferson City 
November 17, and after being in session for two months, presented a 
new constitution to the people of the State for adoption at the August 
election, 184(5. This constitution was rejected by a majority of 9,000. 
The delegates to the convention from this district were Thos. B, Neaves 
and Burton A. James, both of this county. 

This year the county's receipts were largelj'^ in excess of its expen- 
ditures, the former being $2,458.07, and the expenses $1,115.54, 
balance in the treasury, $1,342.53. Wm. T. Crenshaw, a prominent 
citizen of the county, died in October. 



1846 COUNTY COURT PROCEEDNIGS. 

In January A. L. Yarbrough was appointed sheriff, vice Thos. B. 
Neaves, who had been elected a member of the constitutional conven- 
tion. Yarbrough afterward had Wra. C. Price appointed his deputy. 
In May the town of Springfield was re-incorporated, but with bounda- 
ries so indefinitely described as to be incomprehensible at this day. 
(See history of Springfield). In July a county tax of 20 cents on the 
$100 was levied. 

In May Cass township was organized, on the petition of Jacob Fer- 
ryman and others. The original boundaries of this township were as 
follows : Beginning at a point on the northern boundary line of 
Greene county, six miles east of the eastern boundary of Dade county ; 
thence to the south boundary of Eobberson township ; thence east 
seven and one-fourth miles ; thence north to Sac river ; thence down 
Sac river to the range line between ranges 22 and 23 ; thence north 
with said range line to the northern boundary of the county ; thence 
west with the line dividing the counties of Greene and Polk to the 
place of beginning. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1846. 

This year, for the first time, Missoui-i elected Congressmen by dis- 
tricts. Greene county again had two candidates for Congress, Hon. 
John S.Phelps (for re-election) and John P. Campbell. Both were 
Democrats, Phelps a "hard " and Campl)ell a "soft." Each candi- 
date had a newspaper to advocate his claims. The Advertiser^ by 
Warren H. Graves, was Phelps' organ, while Campbell's paper was 



HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. ' 201 

the Texas Democrat, a journal established this year by himself and 
edited by his son-in-law, E. D. McKinney. The canvass was very 
spirited, but resulted in Campbell's carrying the county, and in Phelps' 
election by a large majority. The county officers elected this year 
were the following : — 

State Senator. — John W. Hancock, over Burton A. James. 

Representative. — Bennett Robberson, over L. A. Patillo and R. W. 
Eaton ("Dan Tucker"). 

Sherif. — Wm. McFarland, over Thomas Potter, A. L. Yarbrough, 
A. N. Farmer, Wm. Caultield, B. Cowan, G. W. Kelley, Chesley 
Cannefax, Thos. Tiller, B. F. Butler and Edmund Turner. 

County Justices.—J. M. Blakey, Elisha Headley and R. W. Sims, 
over Joseph Miller, Joseph Weaver, J. N. Bailey, J. O. Sheppard and 
James Dollison. 

Assessor. — James Redfern, over S. Clark, H. Bruten, R. Wood- 
ward and J. Langham. 

Coroner. — A. W. Maupin. 

Upon the reorganization of the county court in September, the new 
justices took their seats, and Elisha Headley was made presiding 
judge. Wm. McFarland, the new sheriff, attended court. McFar- 
land was a Whig and was elected sheriff of a Democratic county by 
reason of a multiplicity of Democratic candidates. He was a son-in- 
law of John Roberts, and operated the latter's distillery, at the big 
spring east of town. His chief distiller was one John Holcomb. 

The expenses of running the county this year were $1,498.03 ; re- 
ceipts, $1,413.38, The assessor's books showed that the total num- 
ber of property owners in the county in 1846 was 1,747. 

- GREENE COUNTY IN THE MEXICAN WAR. 

In 1846 the war between the United States and Mexico broke out, 
the annexation of Texas beino; the alleo;ed cause of the declaration of 
war by Mexico against the United States in April, and the attack on 
American soldiers by Mexicans the ground of the retaliatory declara- 
tion by the United States, May 13. 

In June Col. Alex. Doniphan's regiment, the 1st Missouri Mounted 
Volunteers, was organized at Ft. Leavenworth and soon after departed 
for New Mexico. In August Col. Sterling Price's regiment, the 
2d Missouri, was organized and also left for " the front." There were 
more volunteers than could be accepted. In September another regi- 
ment was organized at Leavenworth with Thos. Ruffin as colonel, but 
at that time it could not be received. 



202 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

In Euffin's regiment was one company from Greene county, com- 
manded by Capt. A. M. Julian. Samuel A. Boak was 1st lieutenant. 
The company marched from Springfield to Leavenworth and engaged 
in the organization of the regiment, were disbanded, and returned 
home after an absence of one month. The company numbered about 
75 men. 

In the following spring Samuel Boak organized another company, 

of which he was captain and 1st lieutenant. This company 

left Springfield in good shape, followed by tjie best wishes of quite a 
multitude that had assembled to see the soldiers start for the field 
where glory awaited them. A barbecue was given in a grove on St. 
Louis street, about 250 yards east of the public square, and there were 
speeches, a flag presentation, etc. The response was by Capt. Boak, 
who was a lawyer of fair ability, and had an ofiice with John S. Phelps, 
though he did not have much practice. He had not long been, nor 
did he long remain, a citizen of Springfield, and it is not known what 
became of him finally. 

Capt. Boak's company was mustered into the service in May, 1847. 
It comprised a portion of the 3d Missouri Mounted Infantry Volun- 
teers, Col. John Ralls, of Ralls count}^ commanding. This regiment 
operated as far into the Mexican States as El Paso, Chihuahua and 
Santa Cruz de Rosales, at which latter place, March 16th, 1848, under 
Col. Ralls, seven companies of the regiment, two companies of United 
States dragoons, under Maj. Beal, and the Santa Fe Battalion, 
under Maj. Walker, constituting a force of 600 or 700 men, fought 
a battle with the Mexicans under Gen. Freas, who were in the town 
and sheltered by l)reast\vorks. The fight lasted from 9 o'clock in the 
morning until about sun-down, when the place was charged, and 
the Mexicans defeated with a loss of 330 killed, many wounded, 
a large quantity of arms, ammunition, wagons, teams, etc. The 
Americans then occupied the town, the Mexicans having surrendered 
a large number of prisoners, who Avere released the next day on 
parole. 

In a few days after this battle, all the American forces returned to 
Chihuahua, where they remained until the close of the war, except 
seven companies of the 3d Missouri, that were stationed at Santa Cruz 
de Rosales, and occupied that post until the end of the war. In July, 
1848, these companies were ordered to Independence, Missouri, and 
mustered out the following October. The other three companies 
were stationed at Taos, New Mexico, during their term and never 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 203 

joined their regiment until they were mustered out with it, at Inde- 
pendence. These three companies had been under the command of 
Maj. Reynolds, who died on his return, in October, 1848, at Fort 
Mann, below the crossing of the Arkansas river. 

When Boak's company returned to Springfield, it was given a hearty 
welcome and an imposing reception. Another grand barbecue was 
held at F nl bright' s spring, where there was much speech-making and 
a general good time. 



1847 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Two townships were organized this year, — Dallas, July 8, and Por- 
ter, October 4. Dallas was organized in response to a petition pre- 
sented by D. A. W. Morehouse and others, and comprised what had for- 
merly been the south half of Ozark township, which township was now di- 
vided by a line " beginning on the east boundary line of Greene county, 
thence running west to the Widow Conley's, thence westwardly to Wil- 
liam Harwood's, thence west to the line dividing Ozark and Jackson 
townships." All territory north of this line was established as 
Ozark township. 

Porter township was reorganized (having first been erected in 1834), 
and its bounds declared to be " a line beginning at the corner of sec- 
tions 12 and 13, on the line between ranges 21 and 22, thence run- 
ning west to the State road leading from Si>ringfield to Fayetteville, 
thence south with said road to the county line." Elections in Porter 
township were held at Ingram's mills. Wm. Sanders and Matthew 
McCroskey were appointed justices of the peace. 

In this year the county was thoroughly organized for school pur- 
poses. Under the act of the Legislature of March 27, 1845, every 
congressional township was to be erected into a school township, the 
inhabitants thereof to meet at an appointed place, choose school di- 
rectors, determine as to the length of school, etc. About the last of 
November the people of the following school townships met and or- 
ganized, pursuant to an order of the county court, made in accordance 
with a petition of the majority of the voters thereof: Smith school 
tow^nship. No. 24 (being Cong. tp. 30, range 20), at John Smith's; 
Chaffin school township, No. 25 (tp. 29-18), at Robert Chaffin's ; 
Pryor school township. No. 26 (tp. 27-19), at Wm. Stout's. It is 
stated that schools were established in nearly every school township 
in the county during 1847 and 1848. 



204 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

At the August election Wm. C. Price was elected probate judge 
over Henry Fulbright, and John L. McCraw county surveyor over 
Marcus Boyd. In October Elisha Headlee was again made presiding 
justice of the county court. 

Prominent among the citizens of the county who died this year 
were General Joseph Powell, March 7, aged 39 ; Bennett Robberson 
and Sterling B. Allen, in J\i\y ; Sidney S. Ingram, August 9, and 
James C. Turner in December. 

In April the municipal government of the town of Springfield was 
established by the election of A. Maurice, Jr., mayor. The town 
needed a calaboose, and, having none, the county court graciously 
granted it the use of the county jail in which to incarcerate of- 
fenders. 

The total expenses of the county this j^ear were $1,360.63. 



1848 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Judge Jeremiah Sloan, one of the first justices of the county court 
of Greene county, died January 22, at his residence in Looney town- 
ship, Polk county. In April Wm. P. Davis was appointed deputy 
county clerk. Taxes were higher in 1848 than in any previous 
year, a levy for county purposes alone being made in July of 30 
cents on the hundred dollars. 

AUGUST ELECTION. 

The August election of the year 1848, called out a full vote in 
Greene county. Two of its citizens were again candidates for im- 
portant and responsible positions. Hon. John S. Phelps was the 
Democratic candidate for Congress for re-election) from this, then the 
5th district, against James Winston, and Hon. Littleberry Hendrick 
was the Whig candidate for Lieutenant Governor with Hon. J. S. 
Rollins, of Boone county, for Governor, Austin A. King and Thos. 
L. Price were the Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieuten- 
ant Governor respectively. The Greene county candidates were : 
For representative, Thos. B. Neaves, Democrat, and Marcus Boyd, 
Whig; for sheriff, G. W. Kelly, Dem., and AVm. McFarland, Whig ; 
assessor, James Kedfern, Dem., and S. Clark, Whig. The full vote 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



205 



of the county, by townships, this year may be found of interest, and 
is herewith given : — 

VOTE OF GREEN COUNTY AT AUGUST ELECTION, 1848. 





Governor. 


Lt. Governor. 


Congress. 


Represen- 
tative. 


Sheriff. 


Assessor. 


TOWNSHIPS. 




03 


1 


1 


a. 


g 






S3 


s 


1 


1 
1^ 


Camphell 


285 
66 
47 
87 

212 
76 
60 
37 
71 
37 
62 


219 
10 
27 
50 
42 
41 
33 
19 
19 
21 
30 


282 
66 
47 
87 

212 
76 
60 
37 
70 
36 
62 


220 
11 
28 
49 
42 
42 
32 
19 
18 
21 
30 


275 
66 
46 
84 

196 
72 
57 
36 
68 
39 
60 

999 


214 
6 
26 
53 
37 
39 
33 
17 
20 
16 
24 


234 
58 
45 
76 

189 
52 
50 
32 
57 
37 
54 


254 
10 
27 
58 
60 
68 
38 
17 
24 
26 
30 


210 
57 
40 
86 

167 
56 
51 
30 
58 
31 
51 


291 
17 
33 
55 
86 
75 
42 
24 
26 
33 
40 


162 
46 
40 
56 

115 
37 
37 
22 
59 
19 
51 


320 


Dallas 

Polk 


19 
33 


Cass 


80 


Finley 


112 


Robberson 

Boone 


85 
53 


Porter 


32 


Jackson 


24 


Ozark 


43 


Benton 


37 






Total 


1040 


511 


1035 


512 


485 


884 


612 


837 


722 


646 


838 







The Presidential election this year did not draw out a full vote of 
either party. The Democrats knew they were certain to carry the 
county and the State, and the Whigs were willing to concede the fact, 
and both parties had spent their strength at the August election. The 
Presidential vote stood : For the Cass and Butler electors, 825 ; for 
the Taylor and Fillmore electors, 401. Democratic majority, 424. 

September 10, of this year, the first number of a Whig paper called 
the Springfield Whig was issued at Springfield, by Fisher & 
Swartz. The paper was the successor of Mr. McKinney's Texas 
Democrat, and was edited by Hon. Littleberry Hendrick. The 
Whigs were proud of their new organ and gave it very fair support for 
a time. Mr. Hendrick and Dr. T. J. Bailey were its chief backers. 
The Whig suspended publication at Springfield, the following year, 
and the office was removed to Osceola. 



" THE BIG SLEET. 

In November of this year came the " big sleet, " as it was afterward 
known. The sleet began falling and then came rain and hail and 
freezing weather alternately, until the ice covered the ground to a 
depth of three or four inches. Timber was badly broken down, and 
in man}'^ places the roads were impassable, being blocked by the trees 
which on either side were weighted down with ice and fallen or bent 



206 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

down across the roadway so as to completely obstruct it. Ice shoes 
for horses were unknown here then, and many a horse slipped on the 
ice, fell and either himself or rider was severely injured. The people 
in many parts of the county were compelled to bring to light their 
old mortars and pestles and " beat" meal for bread, as it was impos- 
sible to get to mill for some days. Two men were reported to have 
fallen and fatally injured themselves. One of the men lived near 
Fair Grove. The "big sleet" was general throughout the 
Southwest. 



1849 A TEMPERANCE WAVE. 

In February of this year there was a great temperance revival in 
Springfield. A series of temperance meetings were held and a lodge 
of the Sons of Temperance formed. By the 1st of April this lodo^e 
contained about seventy-five members. On the 7th of April there 
was a grand temperance celebration in Springfield. The Sons of Tem- 
perance marched in full regalia from their lodge room to the Christian 
church, where addresses were delivered by Rev. B. McCord Roberts, 
Rev. Thomas Johnson, and others. A temperance dinner was one of the 
features of the day. It may be remarked, gently and with a certain 
sort of regret, that, to temperance reformers, Springfield at that day 
was a "field white for the harvest, " and could have furnished very 
many specimens of frightful examj)les of quaffing immoderately the 
flowing bowl, or " drinking between drinks. " Happily, the last 
state of that town is better than the first. 

IMPROVEMENTS . 

During the year many important and substantial public improve- 
ments were completed in the county. Two good bridges were built, 
one, costing $1,800, was thrown across the James river, at or near 
Cason's mill, and one, costing $900, was thrown over Finley creek, near 
Massey's mill. Additions and repairs, at an aggregatecost of $1,877, 
were made to the court-house, of which sum $250 was for a cupola. 
Of the latter improvement a story is told that a prominent citizen, 
once a general officer in the militia and a candidate for the Legislature, 
denounced the authorities for erecting such a structure. " If they 
can't find no other way of spending the people's money," said he, 
"they spend it putting up tupelowSy which is no account anyhow. " 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 207 



MISCELLANEOUS . 



State school money to the amount of $1,076.79 was received by the 
county this year, and distributed among the different school town- 
ships. Springfield school township received $114,27. The expenses 
of the county in 1849 were $3,042.52; receipts, $3,440.22; balance, 
$397.70. The delinquent tax list amounted to only $35.90. In April 
Peter Apperson was appointed postmaster at Springfield, vice R. 
J. McElhany, who resigned ; but later in the year that staunch old 
Whig, Wm. B. Farmer, was appointed by the Whig Postmaster Gen- 
eral to the office. Ex-Senator Josiah F. Danforth, died at San An- 
gelos, New Mexico, August 20, while on his way to California. 

THE JACKSON RESOLUTIONS. 

Early in the year 1849 there began a series of discussions in the 
Missouri Legislature concerning the slavery question, or rather the 
power of Congress over slavery in the territories. On the 15th of 
January Hon. C. F. Jackson, senator from Howard, afterward 
Governor of the State, introduced into t^he Legislature a series of 
resolutions as follows : — 

Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri : That 
the Federal constitution was the result of a compromise between the 
conflicting interests of the States which formed it, and in no part of 
that instrument is to be found any delegation of power to Congress to 
legislate on the subject of slavery, excepting some special provisions, 
having in view the prospective abolition of the African slave trade, 
made for securing the recovery of fugitive slaves ; any attempt there- 
fore on the part of Congress to legislate on the subject, so as to aflect 
the institution of slavery in the States, in the District of Columbia, or 
in the territories, is, to say the least, a violation of the principles 
upon which that instrument was founded. 

2. That the territories, acquired by the blood and treasure of the 
whole nation, ought to be governed for the common benefit of the 
people of all the States, and any organization of the territorial gov- 
ernments excluding the citizens of any part of the Union from removing 
to such territories with their property, would be an exercise of power 
by Congress inconsistent with the spirit upon which our federal 
compact was based, insulting to the sovereignty and dignitv of the 
States thus affected, calculated to alienate one portion of the Union 
from another, and tending ulimately to disunion. 

3. That this General Assembly regard the conduct of the Northern 
States on the subject of slavery as releasing the slave-holding States 
from all further adherence to the basis of compromise, fixed on by the 



208 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY, 

act of Congress of March 6, 1820, even if such act ever did im- 
pose any obligation upon the shivc-holding States and authorizes 
them to insist upon their rights under the constitution ; but for the 
sake of harmony and for the preservation of our Federal Union they 
will still sanction the application of the principles of the Missouri 
Compromise to the recent territorial acquisitions, if by such con- 
cession future aggressions upon the equal rights of the States may 
be arrested and the spirit of anti-slavery fanaticism be extinguished. 

4. The right to prohibit slavery in any territory belongs exclusively 
to the people thereof, and can only be exercised by them in forming 
their constitution for a State government, or in their sovereign ca- 
pacity as an independent State. 

5. That in the event of the passage of any act of Congress conflict- 
ing with the principles herein expressed, Missouri will be found in 
hearty co-operation with the slave-holding States, in such measures 
as may be deemed necessary for our mutual protection against the 
encroachments of Northern fanaticism. 

6. That our Senators in Congress be instructed and our Represen- 
tatives be requested to act in conformity to the foregoing resolutions. 

The foregoing resolutions were known as the " Jackson Resolutions, " 
from the name of their mover, but their real author was Hon. W. B. 
Napton, of Saline county, latterly a judge of the Supreme Court, who 
admitted the fact to the writer. Space is given to an account of the 
Jackson resolutions in this volume from the fact that, at the time, 
they engaged a large share of the attention of the leading politicians, 
and prominent men of the county. The representative of the county 
voted for them, but the sentiment of his constituents was not unani- 
mous in their favor. There were many who thought their passage 
untimel}^ unwise, and that they foreboded eventually a dissolution 
of the Union. 

Col. Thomas H. Benton, Missouri's distinguished Senator, was es- 
pecially opposed to the resolutions. He thought (and correctly, too, ) 
that they were aimed at him, and designed to deprive him of his seat 
in the United States Senate, which he had held for nearly thirty consec- 
utive years. The last section commanded him to act in accordance 
with the resolutions, the spirit of which he had often vigorously op- 
posed. 

Col. Benton appealed from the action of the Legislature to the peo- 
ple of Missouri and canvassed the State against the Jackson resolu- 
tions. In the summer of 1849 he spoke in Springfield. The meet- 
ing was held in Fairer's grove, in the southern part of town. While 
in Springfield Col. Benton was the guest of Joseph Moss, Esq. The 
meeting was largely attended. It had been reported that Hon. Thos. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 209 

B. Neaves, the county's representative, and John W. Hancock, the 
State Senator, both of whom had voted for the Jackson resolutions, had 
declared, with some others, that " Old Bullion" should not speak in 
Springfield, and trouble was imminent, the Benton men being on 
hand, in strong force, to protect their leader. No disturbance occur- 
red, save that, during the delivery of the speech, Mr. Hancock rose 
with his hat on, and asked the speaker if he might propound to him a 
series of questions. "Who are you, sir?" sternly demanded Mr. 
Benton ; ^ " take off your hat, sir, when you address a gentleman. " 
*'Iam John W. Hancock, sir, " returned Mr. H., "and I am State 
Senator from this district. " Mr. Hancock then put his questions in 
a respectful manner, but Mr. Benton paid no attention to them. 

Col. Benton's speech in Springfield was long remembered by those 
who heard it. He maintained that the spirit of nullification and trea- 
son lurked in the Jackson resolutions, especially in the fifth ; that they 
were a mere copy of the Calhoun resolutions, oflered in the'United 
States Senate, February 19, 1847, and denounced by him (Benton) at 
the time as fire-brands, and intended for disunion and electioneering 
purposes. He said he could see no difference between them, except 
as to the time contemplated for dissolving the Union, as he claimed 
that Mr. Calhoun's tended directly and the Jackson resolutions ulti- 
mately to that point. Col, Benton further argued that the Jackson 
resolutions were in conflict with the Missouri Compromise of 1820, 
and with the resolutions passed by the Missouri Legislature, February 
15, 1847, wherein it was declared that "the peace, permanency and 
welfare of our national union depend upon a strict adherence to the 
letter and spirit" of that compromise, and which instructed the Mis- 
souri Senators and Representatives to vote in accordance with its pro- 
visions. In conclusion. Col. Benton warned his hearers that the 
Jackson resolutions were intended to mislead them into aiding the 
scheme of ultimately disrupting the national union, and entreated 
them to remain aloof from them. 

PROGRESS OF THE COUNTY FROM 1840 TO 1850. 

During the decade from 1840 to 1850 the progress of Greene county 
was at no time impeded. The county increased year by year in popu- 
lation, wealth and influence until at the close of the year 1849 it oc- 
cupied a proud position among its sister counties of the State, standing 



1 "I knew well enough who he was, " Col. Benton afterwards said, " but I wanted to 
make him bow to me and take off his hat like a d— d nigger I " 
14 



210 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

twelfth in order of population, and tenth in vahie of real and })ersonal 
property. It must be born in mind that this state of aftairs was 
brought about when there were no railroads to assist in the develop- 
ment of the country, and no steamboats to aid its commerce and traf- 
ric. 

The citizens depended on themselves — on their own exertions for 
what they had. Everything was accomplished by hard work. Farm- 
ing was performed with the aid of tools almost primitive in their char- 
acter. Plows with wooden mold-boards were common; "nigger 
hoes " were in general use — implements Aveighing five pounds, made 
by a country blacksmith ; grain was cut with cradles, and occasionally 
it was reaped with sickles ; threshing was done with flails or the grain 
was trodden out by horses, and frequently winnowed by hand in the 
open air. Yet great quantities of produce were raised, and it found a 
ready, if not a good, market. Wheat was often 30 cents a bushel ; 
corn 5(7 cents or 60 cents a barrel ; pork from $1.25 to $1.50 per hun- 
dred. Other articles of farm produce brought proportionate prices. 

No inconsiderable amounts were realized from the sales of improved 
farms and lands. New comers preferred to buy land that had been 
tested and found to be productive. Even if the improvements were 
reallv insignificant in character and value, land containing them, if it 
had been successfully cultivated, was counted worth vastly more than 
unimproved land lying alongside. A man could "breakout" and 
partially improve a piece of raw land costing $200, or $1.25 per acre, 
that in two years would sell to a home seeker from Tennessee or Ken- 
tuck}^ for $2,000 or $3,000. In this way many men accumulated con- 
siderable sums of ready money — by improving lands and selling them 
again. 

Commerce with the outside world was difficult, but it was made 
fairly profitable. A valuable trade was kept up with the Indians. 
Farmers and traders were accustomed to send out from the county 
every year wagon loads of provisions — bacon, flour, potatoes, etc., — to 
the trading posts in the Indian Territory, to Ft. Gibson, Ft. Smith, 
Ft.. Scott, and other points, where they found ready sale, affair 
prices. A great deal of money was brought into the county by those 
who were in the Indian trade. The breeding and selling of mules was 
a business largely remunerative and considerabh^ engaged in. The 
long-eared animals were bought by dealers and driven to Southern 
markets, in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Avhere they were 
sold to cotton and sugar planters at handsome profits. Some Greene 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 211 

county citizens realized consideriible fortunes in tlie horse and mule 
trade. 

Merchandise of all kinds was brought into the country in wagons. 
Everything was bought in St. Louis and commonly shipped up the 
Missouri river on steamboats to Boonville, from whence it was brought 
here in wagons. Occasionally, especially from 1840 to 1844, when 
the Missouri river was very low, and steamboat freights very high, 
goods were hauled from St. Louis direct. It required about one 
month to make the trip to and from St. Louis with a load of goods, 
provided the Gasconade, the Meramec, and other streams were not 
high and the teams were not "water bound," for at that day there 
were no bridges across any but the smallest streams. The road to St. 
Louis was what came to be known long afterwards as the " wire 
road,'" and is that which is followed generally by the St. Louis and 
San Francisco railroad. The long distance from the wholesale mar- 
ket often made salt cost the consumer $5 a barrel. 

At different periods plans were set on foot for the improvement of 
White river, so as to make it navigable for light draught steamboats 
as far up as the mouth of the James, then in the southern part of this 
county, now in Stone. Congressional aid was sought, but the Demo- 
crats, then in power, were opposed to committing the government to 
the policy of aiding internal improvements, believing such a policy 
unconstitutional, and nothing could be obtained. The State was then 
appealed to and bills were introduced in the Legislature by the mera- 
V)ers from Greene to appropriate a sufficient sum (estimated at from 
$8,000 to $12,000) to render the stream navigable into this county, 
but all such bills were always loaded down with amendments for the 
improvement of other streams of the State to such an extent that the 
bills were uniformh^ killed. As late as 1850 Hon. Burton A. James, 
of Greene, State Senator from this district, introduced a bill, on which 
lie made an excellent speech, to improve White river, ])utthe measure 
failed. Had the stream been made navigable, merchandise could 
have been brouglit into the county all the way by water from St. 
Louis, down the Mississippi and up the White river, cheaper than it 
could be wagoned across the country from Boonville. 

The people of the county, even at that early day, were alive to 
the importance of securing railway communication with the outer 
world, and whenever an expression was obtained it was almost always 
unanimously in favor of a railroad. Various railroads to run from 
St. Louis or some other point on the Mississippi into Greene county 



212 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

were thought of from time to time, but not until March, 1849, was 
the Pacific raih-oad chartered, and soon after the " Southwest Branch " 
followed — the latter now the St. Louis and San Francisco — with its 
1,040,000 acres of land from the general government and bonds to 
the amount of $4,500,000 guaranteed by the State. From 1845 to 
1850 railroad meetings were held not only in Greene county, but in 
Lawrence, Barry, Ja!^pel• and McDonald. 

Mail routes had come to be pretty freely established throughout the 
county by 1850. Stage lines from Boonville, Jefferson, Lebanon, 
Fayetteville, ran through Springfield, and carried not only the mails 
but passengers. Other mails were carried on horseback. In 1850 
postage on letters was only five cents, and Hon. John S. Phelps had 
introduced a bill in Congress to still further decrease the rate of letter 
postage to three cents. 

Upon the first settlement of the country, and for many years there- 
after, the cultivation of cotton was attempted in the county, but the 
results were never altogether completely satisfactory. It is stated 
that in the '40s nearly every farmer in the county had his cotton 
patch, but it was only for home consumption, and was ginned, spun, 
and woven mostly b}^ hand, by the female members of the family. 

The county had improved in many respects very materially. The 
old log cabins of the pioneers gradually gave way to frame and brick 
buildings and comfortable barns arose on almost every hand. Saw- 
mills were put up in all parts of the county and lumber (native) 
became reasonably abundant and cheap. Churches sprung up and 
schools were established in every township. It was in the year 1842 
that the State made its first apportionment of school moneys — a very 
insignificant amount — only $1,999.69 to the entire State. In 1849 
the apportionment had reached the respectable sum of $59,456.01. 
Altogether, in the seven years from 1842 and including 1849, the 
amount of the school fund apportioned among the counties amounted 
to but $225,323.49, not as much as was distributed ten years later in 
a single year, and but a very trifiing sum compared with what is now 
annually expended. 

Greene county added to her share of the State school fund and very 
many o-ood country schools were opened in dift'erent parts of the 
county. " Select schools " were to be found in Springfield, at Eben- 
ezer, and elsewhere. In 1849 the Southwestern Missouri High School ; 
the Springfield Academy, by Bills &, McConnell ; Mrs. jNIerritt's and 
Mrs. Anderson's school for young ladies, and Miss McDonald's "Fe- 
male Institute " were the leading schools in Greene county. 



HISTORY OF GREEjNE COUNTY. 213 

CHAPTER IV. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1850 TO 1856. 

1850 — Miscellaneous — Another Indian Scare — The First Wire Fence in Greene County — 
Statistics — Fatal Casualties — Official Proceedings — The Political Canvass of 1850 — 
Four Candidates for Congress — The Benton and Anti-Benton Democrats — The "Wily 
Whigs," — Newspaperdom in 1850 — The August Election — The California Gold Fever — 
List of Those Who Caught it. 1S51 — Miscellaneous — Schools — Examinations — Re- 

• suscitatingaCity Charter — August Election — Springfield Markets — Deaths of Prominent 
Citizens — Prohibition — Democratic Reunion — Improvement of Wliite River. 1852 — 
Prohibition Again — Miscellany — The August Election — The Presidential Election — 
Deaths of Prominent Citizens. 185S — Miscellaneous. 1854 — County Officials — 
Railroad Matters — August Election — Hanging of Willis Washam — The First Legal 
Execution in the County — History of the Crime — Miscellaneous Matters. 1855 — A 
Hard Winter — The Poor House — Betting on Elections — New Paper and a New Party — 
The Know Nothings — Railroad Tax — Soldiers on the March — August Election — 
Court of Common Pleas — Business Firms and Business Done in Springfield in 1855 — 
Trial of John A. J. Lee for Murder. 

1850 — MISCELLANEOUS. 

January 14, the county was visited by one of the deepest snows known 
for many years. The snow was from 10 to 14 inches deep on a level. 

About the 20th of January Col. Marcus Boyd was appointed re- 
ceiver in the land office, in the room of Robert Smith, who had re- 
signed. Judge Dade was register of the office at the time. 

It was during this winter that another "Indian scare" occurred. 
A small party of Delawares, under a chief named " Long Horn," 
came into Jasper county and encamped on the north fork of Spring 
river, near a Mr. Petty's. They were in search of stolen horses, as 
written certificates in their possession showed. While the most of 
them were at Mr. Petty's procuring provisions, a man named Roope 
and six or seven of his sons and sons-in-law came upon the Indian 
camp and secured all the guns and other property and were about 
making off when (an alarm having been given b}^ an Indian boy) the 
Indians returned. Long Horn tried to take his gun away from Roope 
and was fired at by one of the white men. Other shots were fired at 
the Indians, but the latter stood their ground, and Roope and his 
party went away and soon afterward spread a report that another 
" Indian outrage" had been perjjetrated on "unoffending white citi- 
zens." The trnth was established very soon by Mr. Petty and other 
reputable citizens of Jasper county. 

It may here be set down that in the early spring of this year some 
farmer of Greene county, in a communication to the Southwestern 



214 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Flag^ announced that he had made a wire fence about certain portion^ 
of his premises, which was "a complete success." This was years 
before such a fence was patented, and seems to have been the farmer's 
own invention. "It turns cattle and horses perfectly," the writer 
said, " but I think it would work better if it had some sharp prongs 
attached to the wires to prevent the stock from scratching themselves 
against it so much." Who this farmer was that tirst used a smooth 
wire fence in Greene county (if not in Missouri) and suggested one of 
barbed wire, cannot now be learned as he only signed the name 
«' Farmer " to his letter to the newspaper. 

The population of the county this year was : Whites, 11,653 ; slaves, 
1,146; total 12,799. Of Campbell township : Free white 2,142 ; slaves, 
561. Number of school children, 4,548. Number of farms yielding 
annually $100 worth of produce and upwards, 296. Manufacturing 
establishments producing $500 worth of manufactured articles, 21. 

Mrs. Martha Blakey, wife of Judge James Blakey, died August 1, 
after a protracted illness. She was a native of Logan county, Ky., 
and at the time of her death was 31 years of age. Mrs. Olivia M. 
Bert-y, wife of Maj. D. D. Berry, died July 18, aged 39. Mrs. Berry 
was a daughter of Wm. Polk, of Arkansas, formerly of Tennessee. 

The Southwest Missouri High School opened in April with a large 
number of students, and in a flourishing condition generally. 

FATAL CASUALTIES DURING 1850. 

About the first of February a Mrs. Sanders, an aged and respected 
lady of the county, was drowned in James fork of White river by 
accidentally falling into the stream. The water was shallow, but very 
cold, and the lady, enfeebled by age, was unable to extricate herself 
and drowned before assistance reached her. — A little boy, a son of 
Col. F. S. Coleman, in attem[)ting to run from under a falling tree, 
which his brothers were cutting, fell and was caught by the tree, and 
crushed to death. — May 28, Rev. Jesse Mason, an aged and respected 
minister of the gospel, and a citizen of this county, started from home 
for Greenfield, Dade count}^ to fill an appointment. About three 
miles from his home his horse became frightened and threw him. He 
lay until evening before being discovered. After being taken up he 
never spoke thereafter. Four days later he died. 

OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 

In this year the sum of $206.40 was paid by the county to the pa- 
trolers for their services in "keeping straight" the slave population. — 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 215 

At the meeting of the county court in October, Henry Fulbright, 
one of the justices elect, was made presiding justice. — Some time dur- 
ing 1850, Wm. C. Price resigned the office of probate judge and was 
succeeded by Hon. James Arnold. — The official reports showed the 
total expenses of the county for the year 1850 to be $3,263.44 ; re- 
ceipts, $2,472.97 ; deficit, $780.47. Deducting from this deficit the 
balance in the treasury at the close of the last fiscal year, $397.70, 
still left the country in debt to the amount of $382.76, on January 1, 
1851. 

THE POLITICAL CANVASS OF 1850. 

Never since the admission of Missouri into the Union has there been 
a more exciting political canvass than that of 1850. It was an excit- 
ing period in the history of the United States, that year. The ques- 
tion of the admission of California into the Union with a constitution 
prohibiting slavery ; the compromise or " omnibus bill " under discus- 
sion in the U. S. Senate ; the passage of a fugitive slave bill by Congress 
and of " personal liberty " bills by certain Northern States calculated 
to interfere with the operations of the fugitive slave law, — these and 
other exciting questions caused great agitation throughout the country. 

In the early part of the year 1849, South Carolina, — always a State 
"touchy " in the extreme, proposing nothing and never satisfied with 
anything, — 'wanted to secede from the Union, and invited the other 
Southern States to go wnth her. A convention of the Southern States 
was called|to meet at Nashville, Tennessee, in June, 1850, to consider 
the situation and to take action " to preserve the rights and protect 
the interests of the South " — whatever that may have meant. The pas- 
sage of the "Jackson resolutions" by the Missouri Legislature, in 1849, 
in some sense committed the State to sympathy and co-operation with 
the Nashville convention, but no delegates were authoritatively sent. 

The Democratic party of the State was divided into two factions — 
the Benton Democrats, or the " hards," who indorsed Col. Benton's 
course and views, and favored his re-election to the U. S. Senate 
for the sixth term of six years, and the anti-Bcnton Democrats or 
" softs" Avho opposed him, and were bent on defeating him in his 
contest for re-election. The Whigs — "the wilv Whios " — consti- 

O J CD 

tuted the third party, and, taking advantage of the bitter and uncom- 
prising warfare between the Democratic factions, made shrewd and 
careful preparation to capture the senatorial, certain legislative, and 
other prizes for themselves — and in the end they were successful. 

In Greene county the campaign was hotly contested. The Benton 
Democrats held a county convention, April 8, which was presided over 



21G HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

bj Win. Coyne, and which nominated a full county ticket, headed by 
Elisha Headlee and L. J. Morrow, as candidates for representatives. 
Resolutions were adopted, indorsing Col. Benton, condemning the 
'* Jackson resolutions," and saying of the Nashville convention: 
"That although Missouri is bound, by the resolutions of the Legisla- 
ture, to take part in that convention, we repudiate the resolutions so 
binding her, and will cast the same odium on every Missourian who 
favors the holding of that convention, or who may attend it, that now 
attaches to every representative and delegate that attended the noto- 
rious ' Hartford convention ' of 1812." Another resolution declared, 
" that we are a law-abiding and Union-loving people; therefore, we 
repudiate all measures and men who might, by any possibility, endan- 
ger the perpetuity of the American Union." G. W. Dodson was 
chairman of the committee on resolutions and one of its members was 
F. T. Frazier, who, eleven years later, was an enthusiastic secession- 
ist, a member of the Senate of the " Claib. Jackson Legislature," and 
one of those who voted for the Neosho ordinance of secession. 

The anti-Benton Democrats, on " softs," put out a ticket some 
weeks later, substituting W. C. Price, for Headlee, for representative, 
and associating with him at tirst. Col. Staley, who was afterwards 
withdrawn. John W. Hancock was the candidate for State Senator, 
from this district, then composed of Greene, Taney and Ozark coun- 
ties. Burton A. James was the Benton nominee. 

The " wily Whigs " met in convention at Springfield, May 31. Hon. 
John S. Waddill, father of the present Adjutant General of Missouri, 
presided ; W. G. Roberts, was secretary. The convention made no 
nomination for county officers, deciding, wisely enough, to do nothing 
towards uniting the wrangling Democrats, but to make a " still hunt " 
and bring out quietly two or three prominent men of their own party 
as independent candidates, and try to elect them. Resolutions were 
reported by a committee composed of Littleberrj' Hendrick, Hugh 
Stewart, S. S. Vinton, W. Blakey, Wm. B. Farmer, and Dr. John W. 
Chenoweth, indorsing President Taylor's administration, and declar- 
ing : " That we most cordially approve of the course pursued l)y the 
Hon. Henry Chiy, of Kentucky, and Hon. Daniel Webster, of Massa- 
chusetts, in their endeavors to harmonize tiie conflicting interests and 
feelings of the American people, growing out of the questions in regard 
to slavery, and their course on that subject entitles them to the confi- 
dence and respect of the nation." The resolutions were unanimously 
adopted, and after appointing fifteen delegates, headed by Dr. H. M. 
Parrish, to a Congressional Convention to be held at Osceola in June, 



HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 217 

the convention adjourned — expressing no opinion in regard to the 
merits of the question of Benton vs. anti-Benton. 

In the 5th district there were four candidates for Congress. Hon. 
John S. Phelps was the regular Benton candidate ; Wm. Shields, of 
Lafayette,^ anti-Benton ; Samuel Woodson, of Jackson, Whig; and 
Wm. Gilpin, of Jackson, independent Benton Democrat. 

In Greene county the canvass fairly opened in Springfield July 6, 
when at a large meeting speeches were made by three of the candidates 
for Congress — Woodson, Shields and Gilpin. Col. Phelps was at 
the time in his seat in Congress. From this time onward the tiofht 
waxed hotter and hotter until the close. The two factions of the 
Democrats had each a newspaper. The Southwestern Flag, edited by 
John M. Richardson, was the organ of the Benton men ; the Advertiser, 
by Warren H. Graves, supported the anti-Bentonites. Each side, 
too, had good speakers. 

It is a mistake to suppose that political canvasses were conducted 
thirty years ago with more of courtesy, more of gentleness, more of 
mild words, than they are to-day. The crimination and recrimination 
were as common with party papers as they have ever been or are likely 
to be. The Benton men charged the anti-Bentons with being " disun- 
ionists, " " nuUifiers, " " aiders and abettors of treason and traitorous 
schemes, " and bestowed upon them a choice lot of epithets calculated 
to bring them into the contempt of all classes of patriotic people. They 
extolled their leader, Mr. Benton, " to the skies, " and denounced all 
his opposers, from his colleague in the Senate, David E. Atchison, to 
the humblest voter in the ranks. 

The anti-Benton men were as severe on their opponents. They 
denounced Col. Benton as a " boss " — at least that would have been 
the term employed in these days — of whose imperious, domineering 
conduct and bullying spirit they had become thoroughly tired, and 
with whose vacillating record on the subject of slavery they had 
become thoroughly disgusted. The Benton men were called " lick- 
spittles, " "Benton's slaves," " free-soil ers, " and even *' aboli- 
tionists, " and to call a man an abolitionist at that day in Missouri 
was to bestow upon him the sum of opprobrious epithets. The anti- 
Benton men, for the most part, denied that they were disunionists 
under all the existing circumstances, and professed unreserved loyalty 
to " the government established by Washington and Jefferson." 

The Whigs — ah! the "wily Whigs," — kept aloof from the 
Democratic quarrel, occasionally patting each side on the back when 

1 In 1861 a prominent secessionist and one of Gov. Jackson's financial commissioners. 



218 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



they could do 8o without being observed by the other side, and all 
the time remaining in an attitude as if they stood with their arms 
folded and saying very meekly of their own party: "Behold how 
great an institution is Whiggery ! See those unfortunate Democrats ; 
how angry they are ! We Whigs never quarrel, for Whigism means 
peace on earth and good will to men." 

In this county there was the most intense interest taken in the can- 
vass. Discussions between the contending factions sometimes resulted 
in personal difficulties, altercations and brawls. Each side accused 
the other of fraud and corruption of all sorts. The Advertiser and 
the i*^^a^ bristled with black lines and such headings as ^^ Another 
Lie Nailed!'' '■'Keep it Before the People!''' '■'■Look Out for 
Fraud!" '■'Read This," etc., etc. Meetings were held in every 
township in the county, and the " organizers " were abroad in every 
precinct in the land. Finally came the August election, and with it 
the conflict for a time ceased. 

Following is the official vote of Greene county at the 

AUGUST ELECTION, 1850. 





For Congress. 


Senate 


Representa- 
tives. 


Justices County 
Court. 


Sher- 
iff. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


1 


o 


1 


i 


1 


.si 


1 


1 




s 
e 

1 




S 

e 

1 

63 


8 

B 

s 

§• 

S 






S 

o 

•a 

3 


is 


1 




5(> 
43 

191 
88 
56 

142 
56 

ao 

27 
46 
90 
35 


30 
14 
259 
45 
15 
63 
28 
37 
18 
33 
35 
32 


19 
11 
44 

8 
21 
67 
17 
11 

4 
16 
13 

7 


2 
1 

3 


58 
41 

150 
86 
54 

129 
53 
30 
23 
48 
84 
36 


39 
24 

295 
32 
36 

132 
46 
47 
23 
49 
48 
31 


57 
44 

180 
85 
58 

167 
56 
32 
26 
45 
89 
36 


55 
34 

162 
76 
50 

123 
54 
28 
24 
45 
85 
29 


40 
24 

267 
20 
35 

107 
40 
43 
20 
49 
38 
31 


45 

29 
296 
58 
36 
107 
42 
47 
23 
47 
52 
37 


56 
49 

226 
86 
39 

114 
59 
26 
28 
45 
88 
30 


55 
43 

215 
82 
62 

119 
75 
57 
28 
46 
94 
40 


61 
39 

169 
75 
49 

135 
58 
25 
23 
46 
84 
31 


36 
22 

286 
34 
33 

130 
38 
22 
21 
49 
47 
31 


29 
22 

217 
17 
60 

113 
34 
54 
17 
42 
36 
34 


28 
26 

222 
19 
32 

147 
30 
16 
20 
43 
49 
38 


67 

50 

198 

105 

66 

132 

64 

42 

26 

46 

99 

40 


35 


Benton 


18 
■^57 




HI 


Dallas 

Finley 


17 

1?8 


Jackson 

Ozark 


36 

36 




?1 


Polk 


43 


Robberson 

Taylor 


41 
33 






Total 


860 


589 


236 


6 


792 


792 


875 


765 


714 


819 


846 


906 


795 


749 


674 


670 


965 


696 



The contest for State Senator in this district resulted as follows : 
Greene county — James, 792 ; Hancock, 792, a tie ; Taney county — 
James, 570; Hancock, 147. Ozark — elames, 183; Hancock, 164. 
Total — James, 1545; Hancock, 1103; James's majorit}^ 442. The 
result in the county was the election of one representative, Morrow, 
a Benton man, and one "wily Whig," Wm. McFarland. At the 
election of U. S. Senator in the Legislature on the final ballot, (the 
59th) Senator B. A. James and Representative Morrow voted for Ben- 
ton, and Mr. McFarland for Henry S. Geyer, who w^as elected. The elec- 
tion in Greene, except in the case of Mr. McFarland, was a complete 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 219 

triumph for the Benton Democrats. That 3^ear all Southwest Missouri 
went for Benton. 

THE CALIFORNIA GOLD FEVER. 

The discovery of gold in California in 1849 greatly excited the peo- 
ple of the West, and Greene county caught the infection. 

That yellow slave which doth knit and break religions ; 
Bless the accursed ; make the hoar leprosy adored ; 
Place thieves and give them title, knee and approbation, 
, With senators on the bench — 

Tempted many to perilous journeys and sore hardship that they 
might become its master. In the summer and fall of 1849 a few left 
the county for the new Eldorado, of whose riches such marvelous 
tales were told — where it was said even the wave of the river and 
the spray of the fountain were bright with the glitter of drops of virgin 
gold. In the year 1850 many men left the county and joined the 
srreat caravan of gold-seekers. Some of these made great sacrifices in 
order to obtain the means to procure an " outfit," and afterward had 
good cause to regret that they did so, having failed to strike " pay 
dirt," and the trip generally not " panning out." 

In the spring of 1850 Judge James Brown secured a number of 
young men to cross the plains with him in the capacity of teamsters, 
they receiving as pay for their services their board on the way, free 
freightage for 100 pounds of baggage, and twenty days' rations after 
they should reach California. The majority of the emigrants from 
Greene county to the Eldorado went by the northern route, via Forts 
Kearney and Laramie, and through the " great desert. " A few 
parties took the southern route, through Kansas, New Mexico and 
Arizolia. Mr. J.F. Danforth took this route, and died on the way. 
The largest company set out May 2. 

It is believed that the following list comprises a majority of the 
names of the Greene county Argonauts who left the county for Cali- 
fornia during the years 1849-50 : — 

Wm. L. Thomas and W. B. Anderson, G. B. and Samuel Andrews, 
Robert Adams. 

A. S. H.Boyd, W. H. Burden, W. H. Bedford, John B. Bedford, E. 
H. Boyd, Frank Beal, Willis Beal, T. G. Beazley, Dr. R. D. Barker, 

Dr. T. W. Booth, Joel Beal, W. C. Beal, Wm. Byrum, Biisto, 

and Taylor Beal. 

Chesley, W. R., and Joseph Cannefax, Crawford Crenshaw and son, 
L. A. D. Crenshaw, B. M. and John B. Cox, R. B. Coleman, Wm. 
Caldwell, J. P. and H. J. Cain, Wm. Cunningham, AVm. Campbell. 



220 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

C. Duke, Jonathan Durham, J. W. Dagan, N. Dryden, Thomas 
Davis, Geo. Dewitt, Rev. John DiHard and family, Josiah F. Danforth. 

John R. Edwards, Sidney East. 

John Farrier, Wm. and Marion Fulbright, Robert Foster, A. Fine, 
Joseph Fairer. 

Benj. Gainer, Jesse Grigsby and family. 

John H. Harton, S. W., C. N. and S. H. Headlee, Royal and 
Thomas Hazelton, John Hoover. 

W. C. Jones, James and Thomas Jeffries, Samuel Jopes, Michael 
Johnson, John In man. 

James Lee, G. Leeper, Robert Long. 

J. H. McBride, T. F. Miller, A. Morris, jr., Moses Moore, Alex, 
and W. McLane, Wm. Murray, N. McCorkle, James Myers (died). 

Thos. Norton, P. B. Owen. 

Dr. C. Perkins, Jacob and Moses Proctor, Willis Ferryman, E. 
Potter, Dr. Perham. 

Elbert, Reuben, and G. Rose, J. Rowan, John S. Robberson, A. 
Rountree. 

Patrick R., DeWitt C, and Wm. Smith, Henry Small, Jos. Sharp, 
R. Shipp, W. D. Sproul, G. W. Swift, Garland Shackelford, Wm. D. 
and Wm. Sims, Henry Somroe, Augustine and Thos. Simmons, John 
Perry, Wm. and W. Summers, J. Small, John H. Smith (died). 

James and A. C. Thompson, Elijah Teague, J. R. Townsend, 

Tunnehill, Dr. Tate (died). 

Seth Vaughn, Robert Wills, Marion and R. B. Weaver, Wm. Walls, 
Wm. and James Wilson, John H. Wisener, Daniel Webb, Walker. 

After divers hardships and privations, perils among Indians, suffer- 
ings from hunger and thirst and from heat and cold, and the ravages 
of disease, the exhaustion of long and arduous travel, many of the 
Greene county gold-seekers died in a strange land and never saw 
their homes again. Only comparatively a few bettered their 
condition . 

1851 MISCELLANEOUS. 

February 10, Stone count}' was formed by cutting Taney county in 
two by a line running north and south and a portion of Greene. In 
February (the 8th ) the following were elected oflScers of the Springfield 
bank: Warren H. Graves, president; Elijah Gray, Charles A. 
Haden, Hugh Stewart, and N. R. Smith, of Greene, .Tames Atkinson, 
of Benton, and J. N. B. Dodson, of Camden, directors. In June J. 
R. Danforth was elected cashier, and S. S. Vinton, W. C. Price, /and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 221 

P. H. Edwards were elected directors. — In June Mr. J. M. Richard- 
son, the well-known editor of the i^^a^, the Benton organ, retired 
after having performed valuable service for his paper and his party. 

Schools. — In addition to the schools already in operation in the 
county, Mrs. Fisk opened in Springfield, on the second Monday in 
March, a select school " for misses and young ladies." The school 
year was to consist of two sessions of five months each ; terms $5 per 
session. — The examination at the close of the summer term of the 
Ebenezer High School, September 9th, 10th, and 11th, attracted a 
large audience. Compositions were read by eighteen young ladies. 
Three of these compositions were thought worthy of publication : One 
by Miss C. Mitchell, subject, " Home ;" one by Miss R. Mitchell, sub- 
ject, " Childhood ; " and the valedictory, by Miss C. Hoover. The 
principal of Ebenezer school at the time was S. S. Headlee, Esq. — 
March 31, Mrs. Mary A. Elgin opened a select school for young la- 
dies, in Springfield. 

Attempt at Resuscitation. — March 3, an election was held in 
Springfield to choose municipal officers. Of this election the news- 
papers said that it was " an attempt to resuscitate the almost defunct 
act of incoriDoration, making Springfield a city.'" The election re- 
sulted in 45 votes being cast for Wilson Hackney, and 5 votes for 
Peter Apperson for mayor. Mr. Hackney received a majority of 40 
votes, but it seemed that he had not resided in the " city " for two 
years, and was therefore ineligible, and Mr. Apperson was declared 
elected. W. B. Logan, Wm. McAdams, S. S. Vinton, A. A. Mitch- 
ell, and Presley Beal were elected aldermen ; E. P. Gott, constable ; 
Richard Gott, assessor. 

The August Election. — At this election the county voted on the 
proposition to take $100,000 stock in the " Southwest Branch " of 
the Pacific railroad. The people were enthusiastically in favor of it, 
and the proposition carried by a large majority. Also this year 
Greene county elected its first probate judge. The official vote of the 
county was: For circuit judge, C. S. Yance3s 377 ; Littleberry Hen- 
drick, 577 ; C. W. McCulloch, 14. For probate judge, James Arnold, 
401 ; J. L. McCraw, 348. In favor of the county's taking $100,000 
stock in the Pacific railroad, 703 ; against, 184 ; majority in favor, 519. 

Springfield Markets in 1851. — As reported by Sheppard, Kim- 
brough & Moss, the prices of certain articles, during the summer 
and fall of 1851, ruled as follows : Sugar, 10 cents per pound ; cof- 
fee, I2V2 ; salt, $3 per sack; nails, 15 pounds for $1; rolled steel, 
40 cents per pound ; castings, 5 cents per pound; wagon boxes, 5 



222 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

cents per pound ; domestic (muslin) 7 and 10 cents per yard ; spun 
cotton, $1 and $1.10 per bunch; bacon, 8 cents per pound ; flour, 
$1.25 and $1.50 per hundred ; meal, 40 cents per bushel; feathers, 
25 cents per pound ; beeswax, 20 cents per pound. 

Deaths. — Among the citizens of the county who died this year 
were Mrs. Permelia E. Beale, wife of C. W. Beale, who died May 17, 
aged 22 ; at P^benezer camp ground, May 20, Mrs.^lizabeth Norfleet, 
aged 45 — she was the wife of David Noi^eet ; Thos. Daniel, of near 
Springfield,* died in June ; the wife of Judge R. W. Sims died July 
17 after a long illness ; John Edwards, an old citizen, died at Spring- 
field, July 7, aged 85 years. 

Prohibition. — In October the county court ordered that no dram 
shop license be granted in the town of Springfield for the ensuing 
twelve months. This was done in response to the petition of E. P. 
Gott and others, praying to that effect, and was the first prohibition 
legislation ever adopted in the county. For some time there had been 
a great deal of drunkenness and disorderly conduct in the place, at- 
tributable, for the most part, to the dram shops and those who fre- 
quented them, and the people, aided especially by the Sons of Temper- 
ance, set about abating those institutions in order that peace and 
quietude might prevail and a potent evil removed from their midst. 
The next year the county court rescinded and re-rescinded its action 
on the prohibition question two or three times. 

Democratic Reunion. — October 4, the Benton and anti-Benton 
Democrats met in mass convention at the court-house for the purpose 
of uniting the party and putting it in condition to meet the common 
enemy, the Whigs, the next year in the presidential canvass. John 
M. Richardson (Benton) called the convention to order. Wm. Coyne 
(Benton) was chosen president, and T. B. Neaves (anti-Benton) 
vice-president. A committee on resolutions, composed about equally 
of Bentons and anti-Bentons, reported the Baltimore resolutions of 
the national Democratic convention of 1844, and these, with a few 
additions, formed a common platform on which both factions hence- 
forth agreed to stand. Speeches were made b}' Hon, John S. Phelps, 
Joel H. Haden, and others, and after a general fraternization the 
meeting adjourned. Subsequent developments demonstrated, however, 
that the so-called " peace " proclaimed this day between the quarreling 
factions of the Democratic party, was in effect but a " hollow truce" 
which was to terminate on sudden notice within two years thereafter. 

Improvement of White River. — A bill was passed by the Legisla- 
ture and approved March 3, 1851, appropriating $8,000 out of the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 223 

State treasiiiy for the improvement of White river within the State 
of Missouri, " so as to make it navigable for steamboats and other 
water craft." The bill furthei- appropriated, for the same purpose, 
all the moneys then or thereafter to become due to the counties of 
Barry, Greene and Taney arising from the 500,000 acre grant do- 
nated b}'^ Congress to the State in 1841 ; and the internal improvement 
fund of the three counties named was also added to the appropriation. 
By the terms of the act Buckner S. Durham, of Barry ; A. L. Yar- 
brough, of Greene, and Isaac S. Baker, of Taney, were appointed 
river improvement commissioners. In July the appointment of Yar- 
brouffh as Greene county's commissioner was confirmed by the county 
court, and in October the treasurer was ordered to collect such por- 
tion of the internal improvement fund as had been loaned out and 
pay it over to the commissioner. Mr. Yarbrough died in 1853, and 
upon settling up his estate it was found that he had received $2,666.57 
of Greene county to be used as aforesaid. John Young was appointed 
commissioner in the room of Mr. Yarbrough. Some of the promi- 
nent wealthy citizens of the county invested in the White river im- 
provement scheme, but the scheme eventually proved a total failure 
and in 1858 was practically abandoned. 



1852 PROHIBITION AGAIN. 

The temperance question was again to the fore in the county this 
year. The anti-prohibitionists were greatly incensed at the closing 
of-the dram shops by the county court, in the fall of the previous year, 
and January 5, the court, in response to a petition to that effect, 
rescinded the anti-dramshop order made the previous October. Five 
days later, however, Allen Fielding applied for dramshop license, and 
there being a strong petition, very largelj'^ signed, by citizens and tax- 
payers, remonstrating against the license being granted, the court re- 
fused it, and thus rescinded its order for granting license. There 
was a great hubbub among the anti-prohibitionists consequent upon 
the action of the court, and an agitation against prohibition was begun 
and carried on until the April term, when the county court again re- 
scinded its order and agreed to grant dramshop licenses thereafter at 
$75 a year — $30 of which went to the State. Then the temperance 
people were disgusted ; but, taking heart of grace, they set to work 
after awhile to again change the minds of the members of the court to 
their (the temperance people's) way of thinking. 



224 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On the second of February a special election was held and Judge 
James DoUison was elected probate judge to fill the vacancy caused 
by the death of Judge Arnold, who died the previous month. 

In April Elisha Headlee again took his seat as county justice in the 
room of Henry Fulbright, who had been appointed receiver in the land 
office.^ Upon his accession to a seat in the county court, Judge Head- 
lee was made presiding justice. At the August election Henry King 
was elected in the place of Headlee, and upon the reorganization of 
the court, in October, Benjamin Chapman became presiding justice. 

The assessor's books showed that in this year there were in the 
county 2,425 persons owning property subject to taxation. 

Linden township was organized Jul}^ 5th. 

August Election, 1852. — At this election John S. Phelps was re- 
elected to Congress over John C. Price. L. J. Morrow and P. H. 
Edwards were elected as representatives to the Legislature from this 
county; Thomas Potter was elected sheriff; Henry King, county jus- 
tice {vice Headlee); John McPettijohn, assessor; Abner McGinty, 
coroner ; John L. McCraw, surveyor. All of the successful candi- 
dates were Democrats, except John L. McCraw, who was then a Whig, 
but a gentleman of large personal popularity. The official vote of the 
county at this election cannot now be found. It is known that the 
Democrats carried it, however, by their usual majority. This was 
the year in which Sterling Price, afterwards the distinguished Confed- 
erate oreneral, was elected Governor of the State on the Democratic 
ticket over James Winston, Whig, by a majority of 13,461, the vote 
standing Price, 46,245 ; Winston, 32,784. The vote for Governor 
this year was larger than that cast for President by about 12,000. 
Wilson Brown was elected Lieutenant Governor. Price had been a 
strong Benton man, but in 1853 turned against " Old Bullion." At this 
election, also, Hon. John M. Richardson, of this county, an ardent 
Benton man, was elected Secretary of State and served four years. 

Presidential Election. — The Democrats were united in Missouri 
this year and sank their ideas on Bentonism for the time for the pur- 
pose of assisting in the election of a Democratic President. The 
Presidential canvass excited considerable attention. " Liberty poles " 
were raised at various places in the county by both Whigs and Dem- 
ocrats, and many spirited meetings were held. Gen. Franklin Pierce 



1 Richard M. Jones was appointed register. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 225 

of New Hampshire, and Wm. E. King, of Alabama, were the Demo- 
cratic candidates for President and Vice-President, and Gen. Winfield 
Scott, of New York (or New Jersey), and Wm. H. Graham, of North 
Carolina, the Whig nominees. A free-soil ticket composed of John 
P. Hale, of New Hampshire, and George W. Jnlian, of Indiana, was 
voted for in the Northern States, but received no support in Missouri. 
The result in this county was as follows : For the Pierce and Kino- 
electors, 920 ; for the Scott and Graham electors, 484 ; majority for 
Pierce and King, 436. The vote in the State stood : Pierce, 38,353; 
Scott, 29,984; Pierce's majority, 8,369. 

Deaths. — Prominent citizens of the county who died this year were 
Judge James Arnold, the first probate judge of the county, in Janu- 
ary; ex-Judge James M. Blakey, in March; John P. Campbell, the 
founder of Springfield, so frequently mentioned in these pages, at 
Oil Springs, Cherokee Nation, May 28 ; and Joseph Weaver, the 
first State Senator from the county after its organization, August 14. 



1853 MISCELLANEOUS. 

The previous year C. B. Holland had been appointed postmaster at 
Springfield, but July 4, of this year he was removed, and Arch. F. 
Ingram, then a Democrat, appointed in his stead. 

In July, the county court, granting the prayer of some hundreds of 
petitioners, made an order " that no more dramshop licenses issue for 
the ensuing twelve months within the incorporate limits of Spring- 
field." Victory for the temperance people. In October, however, 
the July order was rescinded, and B. G. Andrews granted a dramshop 
license for six months. Victory for the whisky people. Verily an 
accommodating sort of a court, that. 

Sometime this summer the SoutJnoestern Flag, newspaper, sus- 
pended and was succeeded by the Lancet, a paper as sharp and cutting 
as the instrument for which it was named. 

February'24, 1853, the Legislature of Missouri passed an act creating 
the oflice of commissioner of common schools for the several counties 
of the State. The commissioner was to hold his oflSce two years. 
In December, A. H. Matthis was appointed the first commissioner for 
Greene county. 

At the August election A. G. McCracken was elected circuit and 
15 



226 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

county clerk over Joshua Davis, John D. Brown, and A. M. Julian. 
No complete returns of this election are now to be found. 

In the summer of this year the Benton and anti-Benton Democrats 
dug up the hatchet, which had been buried about two years, and re- 
newed hostilities, which did not cease entirely until Col. Benton ceased 
to breathe. Each faction charged the other with renewing the quarrel. 

In the summer and fall of 1853 occurred a severe drought. Corn 
was scorched so badly in the fields that it did not make half a crop ; 
hay was ruined ; root crops failed almost entirely. Even stock in 
some parts of the county, suffered intensely for water. In the fall 
hogs could be bought for $1.00 per hundred, owing to the scarcity of 
corn to feed them. There was considerable sickness in the county 
during and after the drought, and many children died of flux. 



1854 COUNTY OFFICIALS. 

There was a number of changes among the county officials this year. 
In January A. G. McCracken became county clerk, and upon taking 
the office appointed Warren H. Graves, the well known editor of the 
Advertiser, his deputy. , About the first of February Sheriff Thomas 
Potter died, and for a short period Abner McGinty, the coroner, acted 
as sherift\ February 24, Junius T. Campbell was appointed to the 
shrievality, and served as sheriff until after the August election. J. 
K. Gibson was Campbell's deputy. In April Col. Marcus Boyd was 
appointed county commissioner of common schools until Nov. 1, 1855, 
vice A. H. Matthis. Three months later, however, Boyd resigned 
and John D. Brown was appointed to the office. In July J. R. Dan- 
forth, county treasurer, resigned, and was succeeded by Wilson 
Hackney. 

RAILROAD MATTERS. 

Renewed interest was awakened in the subject of the completion of 
the Pacific railroad into Southwest Missouri. This county had al- 
ready shown that it was heartily in favor of the project, and willing to 
give it considerable substantial aid and encouragement. 

In 1851 the people, by a large majority, voted to instruct the 
county court to take $100,000 stock in the railroad, and this year, so 
interested were the people in the success of the enterprise, and so 
many were the reports that it was likely to fail for want of sufficient 
financial aid, that in May the count}'^ court ordered an expression of 
the voters of the county to be taken at the August election as to the 
propriety of taking another $100,000 in stock of the proposed road. 



] 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 227 

Nearly two mouths previous to the ordering of this electiou, Hon. Wra. 
C. Price had been appointed agent of the county to take $50,000 of 
stock, $10,000 of which was to be paid on the first Monday in April, 
1855, and $10,000 annually thereafter until the whole should be paid. 
It had been ascertained that the amount which Judge Price was 
authorized to subscribe was a far less sum than that demanded or ex- 
pected by the railroad company, and the county court was unwillino- 
to direct him to subscribe a larger amount without first ascertaining 
the will of the people in that regard, and receiving their approval. 
Not long thereafter, in July, representations were made to the court 
that whatever subscription the county should make must be made at 
once, and could not await the decision of the August election. Ac- 
cordingly the order made in May for a submission of the question of 
the $100,000 subscription to a vote was rescinded, and Judge Price was 
authorized to subscribe an additional sum of $50,000, on like conditions 
as to payment as the former subscription, with an additional condition 
that a depot should be located within one-half mile of the court-house 
in Springfield. In the latter part of August, however, it being repre- 
sented that to insist on these conditions would be to hazard a chance 
of losing the road, the court instructed Judge Price to withdraw them 
if necessary. / 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1854. 

Hon. Waldo P. Johnson and Hon. John S. Phelps were the candi- 
dates for Congress this year in this, the 6th district. Phelps was re- 
elected. In this county there was a multiplicity of candidates for the 
most important county offices. Wm. C. Price and W. B. Garoutte, 
both of this county, were the candidates for State Senator in this dis- 
trict, and Judge Price was successful. The result of the election in 
this county was as follows : — 

For Congress. — Phelps, 1,118; Johnson, 948. 

State Senator. — Price, 1,159 ; Garoutte, 842. 

Representatives. — Marcus Boyd, 895; Wm. McFarland, 765; J. 
W. Hancock, 649 ; N. A. Davis, 411 ; F. T. Frazier, 754 ; L. J. Mor- 
row, 783 ; R. E. Blakey, 70. 

Sheriff.— U. B. Colman, 514; A. H. Payne, 449; Samuel Ful- 
bright, 579 ; P. C. King, 569. 

County Justices. —J. W. Gray, 998 ; B. W. Henslee, 401 ; A. H. 
Leslie, 869 ; E. W. Jameson, 1,056 ; Henry King, 749 ; J. M. Bailey, 
620;N. D. McCall, 457. 

Assessor.— 3 Q\\n McPettijohn, 851 ; P. C. Roberts, 619. 

Coroner. — Abner McGinty, 108 ; Presley Shockley, 55. 

School Com7nissioner. — E. C. Davis, 157. 

Bank. — Yov, 1,323 ; against, 186. 



228 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Of the successful candidates, it may be said Senator Price was an 
anti-Benton Democrat ; Representative Boyd was a Whig ; Representa- 
tive Morrow, a Benton Democrat ; tlie others, Democrats. The " wily 
Whigs " came near electing both representatives, Hon. Wm. McFar- 
land failing of election by only 18 votes. 

This year Mr. Phelps ran as an anti-Benton candidate ; previously 
he had been a supporter of Col. B., and his " change of heart " was 
widely and diversely commented upon. Benton himself denounced 
him roundly. At that time " Old Bullion " was himself a member of 
Congress, having been elected in 1852. He did his best to accomplish 
Phelps' defeat by sending letters into the State from Washington, 
charging him with voting against Missouri's interests on difterent oc- 
casions, with "dodging" the vote on the appropriation for the St. 
Louis custom-house, etc. The Jefierson Inquirer was the journal se- 
lected as Benton's chief organ and hundreds of copies of that journal 
Avere scattered throughout the district. In Greene county the Lancet 
was the Benton paper, while the Advertiser was still anti-Benton. 

HANGING OF WILLIS WASHAM THE FIRST LEGAL EXECUTION IN GREENE 

COUNTY. 

August 25, 1854, the first legal hanging came off in Greene county. 
The subject was one Willis Washam, of Taney county. The crime 
which it was alleged Washam committed, and for which he was hung, 
was thus described at the trial : — 

Washam lived on a little farm down on White river, near Forsyth, 
in Taney county. He was a poor man, somewhat well advanced in 
years, and lived a retired, obscure life. He had married a woman, who 
had a son,^ some fourteen years of age at the time of his death. The 
Washam family was not a model one. The old man and his wife had 
frequent quarrels, and both of them treated the son with great cruelty, 
frequently beating him with uncommon severity. It is said that the 
boy often showed fight, and was known to strike his mother with a 
single-tree and with a hoe. 

One morning Washam and the boy went down on Bee creek to fish. 
According to the old man, when they reached the fishing place they 
separated. The boy never returned home alive. Some days after- 
ward his body was found in Bee creek, with a heavy stone tied about 
the neck and marks of violence on the body. Mrs. Washam at once 
accused her husband of having killed her son, and, giving an alarm, 
he was at once arrested and imprisoned at Forsyth. 

1 One version of the story is that the child was born after Washam and his wife were 
married, but that Washam always denied that he was its father. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 229 

Becoming alarmed, Washam struck out for Arkansas, taking with 
him liis own little boy, aged probably eight years, and riding a famous 
horse which he called " Tom Benton." He worked on a cotton plan- 
tation down on the Arkansas river for some months, or until, as he 
said, he had a buckskin purse a foot in length full of silver dollars. 
His little boy never murmured for a long time, but at last one morn- 
ing, while the two were lying in bed, he threw his arms about his 
father and said, " Daddy, when are you going to take me home to see 
my mammy?" Washam immediately arose, -and in two hours was 
on his way back to Taney county, and behind him on old " Tom Ben- 
ton," was his little boy, who was overjoyed at the prospect of soon 
seeing his "mammy." 

• Arriving at home, Washam was cordially received by his wife, who 
told him that he was now considered innocent of the crime of which 
he was accused ; that no proceedings had been commenced against 
him, and that indeed the matter had almost died out in the minds of 
the community. Washam lay down to sleep in fancied security, but 
before morning he missed his wife, and searching for her found that 
she had left the premises. Suspicioning that she had gone to Forsyth 
to betray him (which was true) Washam again mounted "Tom Ben- 
ton " and started to escape. He had not gone far before he was over- 
taken by the sheriff of Taney county, and arrested and taken to 
Forsyth. On his way to Forsyth the sheriff said Washam offered 
him "Tom Benton" if he would let him escape; but Washam said 
that the sheriff himself offered " to look the other way" if Washam 
would give him his horse. 

Washam had been indicted and on being arraigned at Forsyth took 
a change of venue to this county. There were many threats made to 
lynch him by the people of Taney county. 

At the July term, 1854, of the circuit court of this county Washam 
was brought to trial. Judge Chas. S. Yancey presided. E, B. Boone 
was circuit attorney, A. G. McCracken clerk nnd Junius T. Campbell 
sheriff (by appointment). Hon. Littleberry Hendrick was the coun- 
sel for the prisoner. The jury before whom Washam was tried was 
composed of Ezekiel C. Cook, foreman; Wm. Gray, Quails Banfield, 
Wm. White, James S. McQuirter, Sam'l McClelland, Mark Bray, 
John Freeman, Thos. Green, Joseph Moss, John R. Earnest, and 
Jabez R. Townsend. The trial lasted two days. The testimony was 
mainly of a circumstantial character, and that most damaging to the 
prisoner was the evidence of his wife. On the 21st of July the jury re- 
urneda verdictof "guilty of murder in the first degree." The next day 



230 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Judge Yancey sentenced Washam to be hung at Springfield on the 2.')th 
of August following, — speedy punishment and short shrift certainly. 

Mr. Hendrick made a hard fight for his client, but it was without 
avail. He made a strong speech to the jur}'^, and urged the members 
to be careful not to hang a fellow-man on circumstantial evidence. 
After Washam was sentenced Mr. Hendrick moved for a new trial and 
for arrest of judgment; both motions were overruled. He then 
moved for a suspension of the sentence until the case could be heard 
in the Supreme Court ; this motion was also overruled. He then 
prepared to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but as there was to 
be an adjourned term of the circuit court held in August, he decided 
to attempt to set aside the sentence of the court then. At this ad- 
journed term, two days before the hanging of his client, he moved to 
vacate, set aside, and annul the judgment of the court and set aside 
the verdict of the jury, but Judge Yancey refused to take any action 
in the matter. 

It is doubtful if Mr. Hendrick could have secured a new trial for 
his client in the Supreme Court, since all the proceedings had been 
regular, and there remained but the matter of guilt and innocence, 
questions of fact, which the jury had passed upon ; yet it is 
strange that he did not take the case to the Supreme Court, at nuy 
rate, even if but for the purpose of delay, and it is said that he after- 
ward expressed regret that he did not do so, as he was fully convinced 
of Washam 's innocence. 

On the 25th of August, the day set for the execution, without com- 
mutation, postponement, or mitigation of the sentence, Willis Wash- 
am was hung. The execution took place in the northeastern part of 
Springfield, on the north side of "Jordan, " and west of the present 
site of the cotton factory. The gallows stood not far from the tree 
on which the negro ravisher was hung. An immense crowd from all 
parts of Southwest Missouri was present, coming from Buffalo, from 
Bolivar, from Warsaw, and other points miles away. Washam made 
a short speech on the gallows, saying he was innocent of the crime 
for which he was to be made to suffer, " and," said he, " if I had 
plenty of money to hire big lawyers with and pay expenses, I could 
get clear. My old woman has sworn my lite away, but I am ready 
to die. I never done it, though, boys ; I never done it." 

Sheriff' Samuel Fulbright had been elected sheriff a few days previ- 
ously, and he was the executioner. It is said that he always regretted 
the part he had to perform on this occasion, even to his dying da}^ 
and there are those silly enough to allege, without any good reason, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



231 



that this was the moving cause that impelled him to take his own life, 
which he did, by poison, only a few years since. 

Washam died game, and after being pronounced dead his body was 
cut down and given to Dr. , of Springfield, who used it for sci- 
entific purposes. 

A few years since a story was put in circulation and obtained some 
credence, that Mrs. Washam, wife of him who was hung and mother 
of the murdered boy, had died at her home in Taney or Wright 
county, and on her deathbed, it is said, she made confession that her 
husband was innocent of the crime for which he died at Springfield, 
and that she, herself, had perpetrated the dreadful deed and murdered 
her own son with her own hands, tying the stone to his neck and 
sinking the body in Bee creek, and, then by all manner of devices, 
had contrived to fasten the burden of guilt upon her husband, and 
caused him to suff*er what should have been her punishment. After 
careful investigation the writer has been unable to obtain a corrobo- 
ration of this story, and does not hesitate to declare it a fabrication. 
At any rate, from the evidence and all of the facts adduced, there 
seems no reasonable dqubtbutthat Washam was guilty of a deliberate 
and atrocious murder and suffered a just* punishment. It is said that 
the story of Mrs. Washam' s confession was first told by an ingenious 
but unscrupulous attorney, who was trying to acquit a client of mur- 
der in the circuit court of this county. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

January 27, 1854, Judge Samuel Martin, a prominent citizen of 
the county, died at the age of 78. Judge Martin was a native of 
North Carolina, born November 19, 1776. He came to this county 

in 1830. In February Fanny Mitchell was sent to the State Insane 

Asylum. She had been insane since 1843. —When Wilson Hackney 
took the treasurer's office, in July, there was on hand and he was 
charged with $16,553.31, the principal of the township school fund; 
$1,261.50, of the 500,000 acre fund, to be used in internal improve- 
ments ; and $43.90 of the three per cent fund. The sum of $156 was paid 
to John Lair, Benjamin Kite, and John Gott for their services as pa- 
trols during the year, they having patroled at least four times a month. 
About the 1st of September Wm. Jones was appointed postmaster at 
Springfield, in the room of A. F. Ingram, who had been removed. 
The delinquent tax of the county for this year, as returned by Sheriff 
Fulbright, amounted to only $25.28 county tax and the same amount 
of State tax. 



232 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 
1855 A HARD WINTER. 

The winter of 1855 was an exceptionally hard one in Greene county, 
and was long remembered by the people, and indeed is not yet for- 
gotten. On the 4th and 5th of Februar}^ the thermometer stood at 20 
degrees below zero and the snow lay upon the ground to the unpre- 
cedented depth 6f 18 and 20 inches. Travel was greatly impeded for 
some days, and the Bolivar stage came in two days behind on one 
occasion. On the 19th of August following there was sharp frost. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The Poor- House. — In April Judge W. B. Farmer, who had be- 
come one of the county judges in place of Judge Jameson, was au- 
thorized to select a location for a poor-house, ascertain cost, etc. 
In July he reported that he had selected 200 acres belonging to James 
Douglass. The court approved the selection and authorized Judge 
Farmer to pay Mr. Douglass $1,000 as part payment for the property 
and a tax of 121/2 cents on the $100 was levied for building a poor- 
house and making all suitable improvements on the farm. 

" Betting on Elections.''' — The practice of betting on the results of 
elections was in 1855, as it is to-day, a very common one, notwith- 
standing a stringent law in force against it. It had become so fre- 
quent in this county and was deemed so reprehensible that stringent 
efforts were made to suppress it. At the March term of the circuit 
court, 1855, James Woods, J. P. Gray, David Payne, P. Nowlin, and 
H. S. Blankenship, were indicted for betting on an election — the pre- 
vious one — and all were convicted and fined. In the course of the 
trial one of the lawyers, a Democrat, proposed to acquit his client, a 
Whig, on the ground of insanit}'', alleging that the defendant had bet 
that the Whigs would carry the State, " which is certainly sufficient 
evidence that the prisoner is not of sound mind {non compos mentis) 
and not responsible," jocosely stated the facetious counselor. 

New Paper and a JSTew Party. — May 3, 1855, the first number of 
the Springfield Mirror was issued, by J. W. Boren, Esq., editor and 
proprietor. The new paper was the organ of the new '* American " 
or Know Nothing party, the successor to the Whig party, which vir- 
tually died after its defeat in 1852. The " Native American " party 
had for its corner-stone the principle that " Americans must rule 
America;" in other words that none but native Americans and non- 
Catholics ought to hold office in the United States, and it also favored 
a repeal of the naturalization laws requiring twenty years' residence in 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 233 

this country on the part of a foreigner before he could become natu- 
ralized. The party was a strange one, as it was a secret political or- 
der, whose members were oath-bound, and which had its lodges, its 
signs, its grips, its pass-words, and worked secretly to accomplish its 
openly professed motives. The party was composed chiefly of old 
Whigs, although there were many Democrats in its ranks. It is said 
that the order was started from patriotic motives, intending to divert 
the public mind from the discussion of the slavery question, then 
threatening to dissolve the Union. In Greene county the Know Noth- 
ing party was very popular at one time, as it was in many other local- 
ities, and carried the elections for two or more years, but received its 
quietus in the Presidential contest of 1856. 

Railroad Tax. — In September a tax of one and one-twentieth per 
cent was levied for the payment of $20,000, the amount of the first 
installment due on the county's subscription to the stock of the South- 
western Branch of the Pacific railroad, then heading for Springfield. 
Sherifi" Fulbright was ordered to give an additional bond of $80,000 
for the faithful collection and disbursement of this tax. 

Soldiers on the March. — About the middle of November the greater 
portion of the 2d United States regular cavalry passed through Spring- 
field and Greene county on their way from Jefferson Barracks, near 
St. Louis, to Ft. Belknap and Utah Territory, to maintain the authority 
of the government against the Mormons. The regiment was com- 
manded at the time by Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, then in the reg- 
ular army, afterward the distinguished Confederate general who was 
killed in the first day's fight at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862. 
When they marched through this county the soldiers attracted great 
attention and presented a fine appearance. The people were glad to 
see them, showed them many attentions and seemed to regret that they 
had to depart so soon. But wHen the next soldiers came into the 
country, some six years later, the people were sorry when they came, 
and only too glad when they left ! 

August Election. — James Dollison was elected probate judo-e at 
this election by a vote of 509, to 341 for Geo. W. Mitchell. John L. 
McCraw was re-elected county surveyor, receiving 563 votes to 80 for 
W. P. Dabbs. In January there was a special election throughout the 
State to choose a judge of the Supreme Court in the room of Hamil- 
ton R. Gamble, who had resigned. W. B. Napton, Democrat, of 
Saline, and Abiel Leonard, "American " Whig, of Howard, were 
the candidates. It is remembered that Leonard carried Greene 
county. 



234 



HlhTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



Court of Common Pleas. — December 13, an act was passed by the 
Legislature establishing a probate and common pleas court in Greene 
county, to be held at Springfield. Gov. Price appointed Hon. P. H. 
Edwards the iirst judge of this court, and S. H. Boyd, its first clerk. 
The establishment of this court was of great advantage to the county. 
Judge Patrick H. Edwards was born in Rutherford county, Tenn,, 
Nov. 9, 1821, and died at Neosho, Nov. 24, 1882, He came to Greene 
county in 184- and married in Springfield in 1845. For a time he 
was connected with W. H. Graves, in the publication of the Adver- 
tiser. 

The number of school children in the county this year was 5,980. 

Certain County Officers. — In April, Wm. B. Farmer became 
county judge, vice Judge Jameson ; C. B. Owen and J. K. Gibson 
were appointed deputies under Sherilf Fulbright ; in July, John S. 
Waddill was appointed county attorney and counselor ; in the same 
month the county judges began to receive $3 per day for their ser- 
vices, their former compensation being but $2; in December, Benj. 
Atkinson was appointed county assessor in place of John McPettijohn, 
resigned; D. L. Fulbright was appointed deputy sheriff at the same 
time. 

Business Firms. — During the year 1855 the following were the lead- 
ing business firms in the county, and opposite the name of each firm 
is set the amount of ad valorem tax paid on merchandise sold during 
the year : — 

Name affirm,. Tax Paid. 

Sheppard & Kimbrough . $15.86 
Burden & Stephens . . 4.88 

J. A. Casey 1.75 

C. B. Holland . . . . 17.27 
Van Bib])er & Staley . .3.53 
Wm. Mc Adams . . . 7.50 
G. L. Mitchell . . . . l.GO 

R. A. Plumb 40 

G. P. Shackelford & Co. . 15.51 
T. J. M. Hawkins . . . 3.94 

B. G. Andrews 60 

A. E. Goss 50 

McElhaney & Jaggard . 38.47 



Name of firm. 


Tax Paid 


Morrow & McDerrell 


. $ 5.00 


H. G. Ramey & Co. . 


. 7.00 


C. Sheppard & J. B. Kim- 


brouo;h .... 


13.00 


R. W. bonnell . . . 


. 1.35 


L. J. Morrow 


. 4.00 


J. L. Holland . . . 


. 12.49 


Biofbee & Clark . . . 


11.69 


G.^W. Hancock & Co. 


. 3.00 


McGinty & Haden . . 


. 15.13 


Stephen Bedford & Co. 


. 12.00 


W. B. Logan & Co. . 


. 39.77 



TRIAL OF JOHN A. J. LEE, FOR MURDER. 

Some time in the year 1854, John A. J. Lee, the town marshal of 
Buffalo, Dallas county, shot and killed a young rough from the coun- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 235 

try, whom, with some of his companions, he was trying to arrest for 
drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Lee was indicted in Dallas 
county, but the case was sent to this county on change of venue. 

After various continuances by reason of the absence of witnesses, 
etc., the case came to trial at Springfield, at the September term, 

1855, Judge Yancey on the bench. On the 15th, Lee was tried, and 

the jury, after a brief consultation, returned a verdict of not guilty, 
basing the verdict on the ground of self-defense. The jury before 
whom Lee was tried consisted of John S. Gott, P. C. King, R. W. 
Donnell, Joseph Winfield, W. D. Proctor, Alexander Evans, J. M. 
Bailey, Geo. D. Blakey, Wm. Smith, Alfred Horseman, Joseph D. 
Haden, and Chesley Cannefax, the latter the foreman. 



CHAPTER V. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1856 TO 1860. 

1856 — Miscellaneous Official Business — Items — Statistics — Prohibition — Fatal Acci- 
dent—The Political Campaign — Col. Benton in Springfield Again — He Replies to 
TomNeaves— Dr. Larimore's Candidacy — The County Canvass— Official Vote at the 
August Election — The Know Nothings Sweep the County — The Presidential Election — 
Greene County and "Bleeding Kansas" — The "K. G. C." — Going to Kansas to Vote — 
The First Agricultural Fair in Greene County— Crop Failure — Some Advertise- 
ments. 1557- Miscellaneous — Appointments — Bank Items — The Land Office — Ef- 
fects of the Crop Failure— A Famine in the Land — Necrology — Assessed Values — 
The "Peculiar Institution " — Runaway Slaves — The Auction Block — Fatal Casual- 
ties—The Fair of 1857 — Springfield in"l857 — A "Boom" — The Political Canvass — 
A Forged Letter — The Liquor Question — White River Improvement— A Steamboat 
at the Mouth of the James — Miscellaneous. i555 — Miscellaneous — The First Grange 
Meeting — Items — Springfield in 1858 — Arrival of the First Coach on the Butterfield 
Overland Stage Line — Statistics — The Political Canvass — The "Union" Meeting — 
August Election— The Fair of 1858— Building the New Court House — Deaths — Re- 
view of 1858 — Statistics. i555— Miscellaneous — The Court House — Formation of 
Christian County — Items — Organization of Pond Creek, Wilson, and Clay Townships — 
"Pike's Peak or Bust! " —The August Election — Springfield Matters — Hanging of 
"Martin Van Buren" Danforth, a Negro Ravisher. 

185(J MISCELLANEOUS OFFICIAL BUSINESS. 

At the April session of the connty court a new township was laid 
off west of Springfield, and called at first Farmer township, in honor 



236 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of Judge W. B. Farmer, at that time a membe(r of the court, but 
absent when the new township was named. Afterward, upon motion 
of Judge Farmer himself, the name was changed to Center township. 

N. K. Smith, J, L. McCraw, and S. C. Nevill, were appointed com- 
missioners to select the swamp and overflowed lands of this county, 
and were afterward allowed $380 each for their services. 

Greene county's share of the State school fund this year was $5,236. 
The capital of the general county school fund amounted to $1,294 93, 
which amount was apportioned among the several school townships of 
the county. 

Taxes were uncommonly high this year. In July a tax of I6V3 
cents on the hundred dollars was levied for county purposes, and 80 
cents on the hundred dollars for railroad purposes. The sheriff was 
ordered not to collect the last named tax until further orders from the 
county court, which he afterward received, and in November Judge 
Farmer, who had been appointed agent for the purpose, was ordered 
to pay the balance due on the first installment of $20,000 on the 
county's subscription to the stock of the Pacific railroad. 

October 6, Sylvester Black well was made overseer and superinten- 
dent of the county poor farm. John Lair, E. P. Gott, and Benj. 
Kite, were each paid $55 for twelve months' services as patrols in 
Campbell township. In this month a tax of $200, half State and half 
county, was levied on dram shops by the county court, licenses to run 
for only six months, making the annual tax $400 for each dram shop. 
Such a vigorous remonstrance was made, however, that a few days 
later the court reduced the license from $200 to $60 for each six months. 
Previously, in December, 1855, the Legislature had passed the fol- 
lowing act: " Be it enacted, etc., That hereafter no application for 
license as grocer, dramshop, or tavern-keeper, in the city of Spring- 
field, shall be entertained by the county court, unless the court shall 
be satisfied that at least one-half of the taxable inhabitants thereof 
have signed the same. This act to be in force after its passage. Ap- 
proved December 4, 1855." 

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 

On the 23d of January snow fell in this county to the depth of 
fourteen inches. — In April John D. Brown was appointed county 
school commissioner until the next regular election. — The number of 
persons in the county this year owning property liable to taxation was 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 237 

2,430. — The population of Springfield was 721. — October 23, Joshua 
Davis, a prominent citizen of the county, died of flux, aged 63 years. — 
In December Larkin Payne was president of the Springfield bank. — 
The total value of the taxable property of Greene county in 1856 was 
$2,012,928, as folloAvs : Number of slaves, 1,420, —value, $704,975, 
or $496 apiece. Land 217,131 acres — value, $1,449,895. Town lots, 
$105,907. Money, notes etc., $239,926; other personal property, 
$512,725. The amount of the county tax levied was $5,259.96 ; 
State, $6,733.11 ; total tax, $11,993.07. —About the 1st of June an 
old lady named Goss living in the eastern part of the county, com- 
mitted suicide by hanging herself. — In the fall of the year a daily 
mail line was established from Jefferson City to Springfield. — In the 
latter part of December Mr. Thos. Edmondson, an old and respected 
citizen, was at work engaged in covering a shed, when the scaffold- 
ing gave way and he fell to the ground, shivering his leg at the ankle 
joint. Amputation was resorted to, but after a few days of intense suf- 
fering Mr. Edmondson died. 

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1856 THE AUGUST ELECTION., 

A most intensely exciting political contest was that of this year, es- 
pecially in Missouri and Greene county. It was not only a Presiden- 
tial year, but a Gubernatorial year, and besides there were a Con- 
gressman and county officers to elect. Only two Presidential tickets 
were voted in the county — the Democratic, headed by James Bu- 
chanan, of Pennsylvania, and John C. Breckenridge, of Kentuck}'^, and 
the Native American or Know Nothing, headed by Millard Fillmore, of 
New York, and Andrew Jackson Donelson, of Tennessee. This year 
the Republican party ran its first Presidential ticket, with Fremont 
and Dayton as candidates, but it received no votes in this county, and 
but few outside of the Northern States. 

For Governor there were three candidates. Trusten Polk, was the 
regular Democratic nominee for Governor, with Hancock Jackson for 
Lieutenant Governor; Thos. H. Benton was an Independent Demo- 
cratic candidate for Governor, with J. W. Kelly, of Holt county, for 
Lieutenant Governor; the " American " candidates were Robert C. 
Ewing, of Lafayette, and Wm. Newland, of Ralls county. Col. Ben- 
ton was making his last fight for political existence, and bravely he 
fought and well. He made a canvass of the State, visiting the prin- 
cipal cities and towns, and came to Springfield, July 8. He spoke in 



238 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

a grove then standing where the city lots and city buildings now are. 
His speech, while it was a good one, did not equal his former effort. 
It was somewhat vindictive and malevolent. Mr. T. B. Neaves had 
said that if Benton abused him as he had abused other anti-Benton 
Democrats in a speech at Bolivar, he would " bounce a rock off his 
head. " To this Benton alluded in his speech. "As if I were afraid 
to speak my mind about such a fellow as Neaves, " he said, contemp- 
tuously, and then rising to his full height and s^ieaking with all of his 
wonderful volume of voice, — '* tvhen 1 have faced and fought And7'ew 
Jackson/ " O. B. Smith introduced Col. Benton to the audience. A 
barbecue was had on the grounds. 

The American candidate, Robert C. Ewing, also spoke in Spring- 
field, May 25, and the Democratic candidate, Hon. Trusten Polk, de- 
livered a speech here June 29. 

Thomas H. Benton had hosts of strong friends in this State and in 
this county, some of whom even yet cherish his memory with great 
fondness. Men name their boys for him, hang his portrait in their 
parlors, and never tire of talking about him. Perhaps it was well 
that Benton died when he did, for had he lived longer, doubtless he 
would have become a Republican, as man}'^ a one of his henchmen did, 
and this would have disgusted many of those who admired him to the last. 

The candidate for Secretary of State with Benton was John M. 
Richardson, a lawyer of Springfield and the former editor of the Hag. 
He ran largely ahead of his ticket in this county. 

The straight-out Democrats and the "Americans" also held mass 
meetings in the county, and by reason of the split in the Democratic 
ranks, the latter succeeded in obtaining for R. C. Ewing a plurality 
of the votes cast for Governor. Polk ran a few votes ahead of 
Benton . 

For Congress there were but two candidates regularly in the field — 
John S. Phelps, straight Democrat, and B. H. Emerson, of Hick- 
ory county, Benton Democrat. The latter carried Greene county by 
nearly 500 majority, being supported by the Americans and the Ben- 
ton men. The vote in the district resulted: Phelps, 9,818; Emer- 
son, 6,911 ; Lurimore, independent, 110. The irrepressible Dr. Lar- 
imore frequently possessed the hallucination that he was a candi- 
date for office, but the delusion was never held by any considerable 
number of the voters. He always called himself an "independent 
candidate of the people." His favorite method of canvassing was the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



239 



distribution of circulars. He closed his electioneering document of 
this year with the following paragraph : — 

Gents, please be so kind as to give my respects to your wives and 
all the ladies, and tell them that I love children, and that my oppo- 
nents are all lawyers, who have but little sympathy for the ladies, in 
any way ; and that I am the doctor, who has the respect of all the ladies 
within my acquaintance ; and that I am the ladies' friend, in health 
and in sickness. Yours truly, P. B. Larimore. 

The county canvass was lively. Three tickets were in the field — Dem- 
ocratic, Benton and American. On the 10th of May the latter party met 
in convention in the female college at Springfield, and nominated a 
full county ticket as follows: For representatives, Wm. McFarland 
and George W. Kelly ; sheriff, P. C. King ; assessor, Allen Mitchell ; 
treasurer, Wilson Hackney. Afterward the straight Democrats nom- 
inated W. H. Graves and John W. Hancock for representatives ; Sam- 
uel Fulbright for sheriff; David Kenney for assessor. The Benton 
candidates were : For representatives, F. T. Frazier and Larkin 
Payne ; for sheriff, C. S. Bodenhamer ; for assessor. Berry Moore. 
The following was the vote of the county by townships : — 

AUGUST ELECTION, 1856. 





GOVERNOK. 


Cong. 


Representatives. 


Sheriff. 


Assessor. 


Townships. 












1 


S 


5s 


"8 

1 


i 


o 


•fa 

1 


«. 

S 






l! 


^ 

s 






s 


1 

6q 




o 


a 


s 


§ 


1 

1 


6 


1 


1 




^ 
^ 


1 


1 


1 






1 


.& 
S 
S 


1 




1 




eq 
^ 




1 






a 


ft 


1 


Boone 


22 


47 


43 


31 


59 


56 


43 


39 


46 


1'?, 


'>0 


31 


32 


45 


41 


38 


2<? 


Campbell, 1st District... 


39 


35 


49 


45 


61 


36 


29 


46 


52 


37 


3.1 


40 


30 


48 


52 


29 


29 


2d " ... 


71 


50 


109 


76 


134 


46 


34 


99 


109 


70 


68 


68 


47 


101 


107 


35 


58 


3d " ... 


49 


35 


98 


57 


103 


36 


29 


80 


96 


44 


58 


39 


45 


86 


92 


36 


32 


Cass 


59 
38 


66 
70 


51 
39 


59 
41 


107 

98 


69 

78 


58 
68 


57 
34 


55 
40 


59 
37 


54 
36 


63 
57 


56 
57 


55 
32 


52 
32 


56 
60 


60 


Center 


62 


Finley 


97 


40 


-11 


89 


80 


45 


31 


34 


46 


87 


98 


86 


47 


37 


36 


40 


79 


Jackson 


19 


48 


70 


15 


^^'>. 


51 


48 


69 


71 


16 


24 


14 


54 


77 


74 


47 


17 


Linden, 1st District 


81 


24 


7 


72 


30 


24 


18 


4 


10 


75 


76 


75 


19 


14 


6 


16 


72 


2d " 


35 


42 


3 


35 


44 


40 


39 




6 


27 


30 


33 


37 




1 


37 


27 


Polk 


23 


40 


13 


^0 


41 


42 


37 


10 


19 


22 


52 


37 


36 


9 


10 


35 


m 


Porter 


23 

38 


48 


64 

94 


26 
46 


99 


57 
69 


45 
5"^ 


56 
93 


76 
100 


20 
35 


20 
34 


57 
25 


40 
67 


42 

103 


59 

9'> 


34 

43 


17 

?7 


Robberson 


Taylor 


45 


5 


42 


47 


38 


10 




40 


45 


43 


47 


41 


14 


41 


43 


3 


42 






Total 


639 


612 


722 


649 


1132 


659 


531 


661 


771 


584 


622 


666 


581 


690 


697 


509 


567 



There were 51 scattering votes for Congressman, and 36 votes for George Irvin for county asseesor. 

It will be seen that the Americans, or " Know Nothings," made a 
clean sweep of this county at this election, being successful in electing 
every candidate on their county ticket. It showed conclusively that 



240 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



the men in the county who " knew Sam," luiew something else be- 
sides — how to keep their opponents divided and thus slip between 
them and bear off the prizes. The result of the Gubernatorial elec- 
tion in the State was as follows: Polk, 46,993; Ewing, 40,589; 
Benton, 27,(318. It was charged by both Americans and Benton 
Democrats, that Wm. Newland was fairly elected Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor, but " counted out " by the anti-Bentons. 

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, 1856. 

As previously stated but two Presidential candidates were voted for 
in Greene county at this election — James Buchanan and Millard 
Fillmore. Fremont, "Benton's son-in-law," as certain Democrats 
were fond of denominating him, received no votes. The result of the 
election showed that very many men Avho had voted as Democrats in 
August voted for Fillmore, the Know Nothing candidate. The elec- 
tion called out a full vote, more ballots being cast than at the 
August election. It was charged by the Mirror, the American organ, 
that " the Democrats set a barrel of whisky in the streets of Spring- 
field for electioneering purposes." Be this as it may, the Democrats 
carried the county, but by the small m:ijority of 26. The following 
is, by townships, the 

OFFICIAL CANVASS OF THE VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN 1856. 

Townships. 

Boone 

Campbell, 1st District 

2d 

3d 
Cass 
Center 
Finley 
Jackson 
Linden, 1st District . 

" 2d 
Polk 
Porter 
Robberson 
Tavlor 



Buchanan. 


Fillmore 


61 


51 


115 


148 


71 


107 


97 


218 


50 


44 


53 


46 


127 


65 


48 


71 


100 


38 


106 


20 


49 


17 


42 


78 


68 


68 


42 


32 



Total 



1029 



1003 



The vote in the state resulted: Buchanan, 58,164; Fillmore, 
48,524. Buchanan's majority, 9,640. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 241 

GREENE COUNTY AND '* BLEEDING KANSAS." 

From the first to the last of the troubles in the territory of Kansas, 
the result of attempting to decide whether or not there should be 
slavery in the State upon its admission into the Union, the people of 
Greene took a more or less conspicuous part therein upon the 
pro-slavery side. For some time many of those interested in the in- 
stitution of slavery, believing- their interests to be in danger, and that 
the end would justify the means, had been members of a secret jjolit- 
tcal order looking to the preservation, extension and pei-petuation of 
he " peculiar institution." This organization had many members in 
this count}^ and three or four lodges or " camps," These were in 
communication with other camps in other States, and performed an 
important part of one division of the work for which the order was 
created. 

The order had its hailing signs, its grips, its pass-wortls, and was 
near akin and auxiliary to the famous Knights of the Golden Circle. 
It did what it could to make Kansas a slave State. Some of its 
members, as well as some other citizens of the county who w^ere not 
members, went from time to time to Kansas and voted every time a 
territorial Legislature was to ])e chosen or a constitution adopted, and 
as regularl}'^ returned to their Missouri homes after the election ! But 
the Free-Soilers of the North were pursuing the same tactics, 
and there was that sort of excuse for the Missourians — if it be proper 
to. call it an excuse. Sharp's rifles and brass cannon and powder and 
shot were bought with the proceeds of Northern church collections, 
and sent in charge of men who would use them " to consecrate 
the soil of Kansas to freedom," as the abolition sentimentalists 
expressed it, and there was a great deal of fraud and other wrong 
perpetrated by both the Free-Soil and pro-slavery factions. 

As stated, from the start the pro-slavery men of Greene county had 
taken great interest in the aflairs of Kansas. The proximity of that 
territory to this county, its likeness of soil and climate, had made it 
a desirable objective point of emigration for people here, when they 
should become tired of their homes and desire a change, and those 
who had slaves wished, of course, to take them along. Then there 
was a strong desire to have Kansas made a slave State for the reason 
that the politicians of the South had made this the measure of the de- 
votion of Southern men to " Southern rights." It was not until 
September 1, 1856, that any open demonstration of consequence was 
16 



242 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

iiuide by the pro-slavery men of this county in favor of lending a help- 
ing hand to the brethren in Kansas. On that day a large and enthu- 
siastic meeting was held at the court-house in Springfield. Resolu- 
tions of the strongest character were adopted, denouncing free-soilism 
and abolitionism in the severest terms, and pledging aid of a substan- 
tial character to the pro-slavery people of Kansas. A financial com- 
mittee was raised to secure funds to be used in aid of the cause, and a 
considerable sum of money was raised on the spot. Stirring speeches 
were made by Hon. Wm. C. Price, of Springfield ; R. W. Crawford, 
of Mt. Vernon, and W. H. Atter, of Bolivar. A number of men en- 
rolled themselves to go to Kansas at a minute's warning, and " fight 
the abolitionists." A day or two before a large meeting was held at 
Greenfield, Dade county, which was presided over by John P. Shields 
and addressed by Col. John T. Coffee ; Dr. S. M. Sproul was 
appointed captain of a military company. 

In the latter part of the month of August, " Judge " R. G. Rob- 
erts, formerly of Cedar county, then of Ft. Scott, Kansas, delivered 
a speech at Springfield in the interest of the pro-slavery party of 
Kansas, which speech excited great interest, and really was the first 
of the kind that stirred up the people here to active exertion in be- 
half of their brethren across the border. Judge Roberts canvassed 
Southwestern Missouri in the interests of the pro-slavery party in 
Kansas. 

Some time in July a company of armed Missourians started from 
Dade and Polk counties for Kansas, intending to go into the Fort 
Scott region and assist in defending that country against the " Free- 
State men. There joined this company a dozen or more citizens of 
Greene county, who were armed and mounted, chiefly at their own 
expense, and who, for the most part, left their homes at night. The 
Greene county men were led by a distinguished citizen of the county, 
now dead, and went out in defense of what they believed to be 
right. They started to fight, but, happily, when they reached the bor- 
der, they found there was no occasion for their services, hostilities 
having ceased in that quarter, and very soon the most of them had 
returned to their Greene county homes. 

THE FAIR OF 1856. 

The Southwest Missouri fair of 1856, the first in Greene county, was 
held at Springfield about the first of October. It lasted three days and 
drew a large crowd of people. Seven counties participated — Greene, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 243 

Taney, Dade, Lawrence, Polk, Webster, and Barry. Premiums for 
the best horses were awarded to " Scipio," owned by P. B. Owen ; 
•* St. Charles," owned by I. B. Rickets; "Zephyr," by T. c! 
Rainey; "Kate Donelson," by Dr. T. J. Bailey. The sweepstakes 
premium for best bull was received by C. A. Haden & Go's " Lexing- 
ton," and John Wells's bull. The best cows were those of C. A. 
Haden and R. P. Faulkner. The best buggy horse was the one 
owned by Wm. McAdams. The best span of mules were those of 
T. G. Newbill. 

Li choosing new officers for the fair association. Col. Marcus Boyd 
was elected president ; T. G. Newbill was the vice president for this 
county, and the Greene county directors were N. R. Smith, J. W. 
Hancock, S. C. Nevill, John H. Miller, and R. B. Weaver. The fair 
was held on the grounds of the association, (called the Southwest 
Missouri District Fair Association) about a mile and a half west of 
Springfield. Many of the visitors from other counties camped out 
during the fair, having brought everything with them, tents, provis- 
ions, negro servants, etc., in order to have a good time. 

CROP FAILURE. 

This year, owing to the wet weather in the spring and drouth in 
the fall, there was a failure of crops. Corn especially was light, and 
everything was " short." The effects of this crop failure were more 
plainly visible the following spring. 

ADVERTISING IN 1856. 

The magnificent advertisements to be seen in the Springfield pa- 
pers of to-day are in strange contrast with those which appeared in 
the Mirror, the Lancet, and the Advertiser along in the 50's. The 
business men of that day contented themselves with inserting a stand- 
ing advertisement of a few lines, or of but one-fourth of a column at 
the most, which was usually set as solid matter, without display lines. 
Some of the advertisements were models of plainness and simplicity. 
The following are extracts from the advertising columns of the 
Springfield Mirror in 1856. 

BY THE EDITOR. 

Those of our friends who have promised to pay their subscriptions mmeal&ndi -fiour, will 
confer a favor by bringing it along. Wood will also be taken for all debts due "the office. 

WHISKY BY THE BARREL. 

Having bought the mill and distillery 5 miles east of Springfield, of K. P. Haden, I am 
now prepared to fill all orders with the best quality of whisky by the barrel at 40 cents a 



244 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

gallon. I will keep constantlj' on hand whisk}' by the barrel at the store of McGinty & 
Haden in Springfield, J. D. Haden. 

WESTERN HOTEL. 

The undersigned begs leave to inform his old friends and the public generally that he is 
now prepared to receive and entertain travelers and all others who may favor liim with a 
call. He will be able to keep a man and his horse all night for 75 cents. He will also 
board at from $1.75 to $2 per week. Stage passengers and transient sojourners will be 
charged 25 cents per meal. His table will at all times be supplied with the BEST the mar- 
ket affords, and his stable well filled with good provender. Travelers maj' rely on them- 
selves and horses faring well. Hotel on St. Louis street, opposite Lair's blacksmith shop. 

John S. Bigbee. 



1857 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Wilson Hiickuey, the newly elected county treasurer, was required 
to give a bond to the amount of $40,000. 

Apjwintments . — At the August election, 1856, Allen Mitchell had 
been elected county assessor, but failing to file his bond in time, could 
not take the office on January 1 of this year, and the county court 
was forced to appoint him, which it did, January 27. — At the same 
time J. W. D. L. F. Mack was appointed deputy county clerk. — 
March, 12 Hon. W. C. Price resigned as State Senator, and was 
appointed by Governor Polk to the judgeship of this circuit made 
vacant by the death of Judge Yance3^ — In August John M. Richard- 
son was appointed the agent of the county to look after its swamp and 
overflowed lands. He was instructed to visit Washington, to obtain 
patents for all the lands to which the county was entitled (about 
18,000 acres) and was to receive $200 for his services, which sum w^as 
to be paid out of the proceeds of the sale of the swamp lands. — 
November 2, B. H. Bills was appointed county school commissioner, 
for two years from date. — December 5, Elisha Headlee Avas appointed, 
under the law, the first public administrator of the county. 

Bank Items. — In January the following were chosen officers of the 
Springfield bank : President, John W. Hancock ; cashier, J. R. 
Danforth ; clerk, D. C. Smith; directors, R. J. McElhaney, N. R. 
Smith, and Charles Sheppard ; attorneys, S. H. Boyd and J. H. Mc- 
Bride. — By June 18 stock to the amount of $50,000 had been sub- 
scribed to the branch bank — securing its permanent location at 
Springfield. 

Tlie Land Office. — On the 20th of March the office was closed for 
want of a register, that functionary's time having expired and his 
successor not having been appointed. Thos. J. Bishop had been the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUxN'TY. 245 

last register. A few days later W. H. Graves, the editor of the 
Advertiser, was appointed. From the 1st of May until the oOth of 
November there were 666,280 acres of land entered at this office, and 
175,072 acres sold for cash, amounting in all to 841,352 acres. This 
was the largest amount of land ever before disposed of at the office in 
one year. It was not all sold to hona fide settlers, however, much of 
it having been bought by speculators on a venture. At the close of 
the year over 2,000,000 acres remained unsold in this land district, 
much of which was worthless. 

Effects of the Crop Failure. — Early in the spring of this year the 
effects of the crop failure of last year began to be most keenly felt by 
the people of the county. Seed of all kinds was very high. Seed 
sweet potatoes brought $7 per bushel ; Irish potatoes, $2 ; seed corn, 
$1.50; common spongy, unsound corn and "nubbins," $1. Other 
articles of grain and provender were corresponding!}^ scarce and dear. 
Many of the farmers were unable to buy corn and hay, and numbers 
of their cattle and hogs starved to death. Horses became very poor 
and thin. Those attached totheMt. Vernon stao-e could not be urared 
into a trot, and even provoked the ridicule of the newspa^Dcrs. The 
sprmg was very backward, and fruit was greatly damaged thereby. 
The latter portion of the season was so favorable, however, that a 
most bountiful crop of wheat was raised. Notwithstanding the hard 
times, many families left the county for California in the spring. 
Corn was poor and sjDoiled by frost, and on Christmas sold at from 
$1 25 to $1.50 per bushel. 

The season of the spring of 1857 will long be remembered in South- 
west Missouri, on account of the famine that prevailed. The situation 
in other counties was far worse than in Greene. There was real suf- 
fering in the counties of Barry, Lawrence, Webster, Polk, Dallas, 
Laclede, Ozark and Taney. In Ozark county, of which Rockbridge 
was then the county seat, the May term of the circuit court was 
adjourned, l)ecause of the scarcity of provisions in the town and coun- 
try — the people not being prepared to feed themselves well, to say 
nothing of feeding a crowd of hungry lawyers, witnesses, jury- 
men, etc. 

Deaths. — February 7, Judge Charles S. Yancey died, after an 
illness of two months. Only a few months previously his wife and 
sister had died, and afterward his own health was very poor, until the 
fatal illness came upon him. — July 6, Rev. Jonathan Carthal died. — 
Larkin Payne, a prominent politician, died in October. — Dr. T. W. 



246 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNIY. 

Booth, well known to the people of Greene, died in Newton connty 
on the last day of the year. — Mrs. Sarah Hornbeak died August 11, 
and Mrs. Eliza J. Alexander died a week later. 

Assessed Values. — The assessor's books for this year showed 
2,824 names assessed. The total assessed value of property in 
the county was $3,468,103. The number of polls was 2,076 ; num- 
ber of slaves, 1,436. The county tax levied was $4,594.63. The 
total delinquent tax was only $43.01 — a remarkable showing, consid- 
ering the hard times, failure of crops, etc. In December, in order to 
facilitate assessments, the county was divided into five districts. 

THE ' ' PECULIAR INSTITUTION. ' ' 

Slaves were worth a good price in Greene county this year. About 
the first of January there was an auction sale of this species of prop- 
erty in Springfield. One "likely" negro man, 35 years of age, 
brought $1,000. Two women were put upon the block and sold fair- 
ly ; one, 26 years of age, brought $830 ; the other, aged 30, brought 
$715. March 30, a negro woman, 40 years old, with a child of two 
years, sold for $900 ; another, about 30, with a two-year-old child, 
brought $860. 

Occasionally slaves escaped from their masters about these days, 
and struck out toward the north star, or for the abolitionists in Kan- 
sas, or for the Indians in the western part of the Indian Territory. 
One or two were said to have been spirited away by interested parties 
and taken to California. In May, 1856, the following advertisement 
appeared in the Springfield papers and those of Southwest Missouri 
generally : — 

Three Hundred Dollars Eeward ! — Uah away from the subscriber, on the 21st of 
April last, two negro men— LOGAN, 45 years of age, bald-headed, one or more fingers 
on the right hand crooked, or else so stiff he cannot bend them. DAN, 21 years, 
six feet high; his toes were frost-bitten last winter, so that it is perceivable by exam- 
ining the naked foot; there is also a scar on his body. Both negroes are black. I 
will pay .$ 100 for the apprehension and delivery of Logan, or to have him confined so 
that I can get him. I will pay $200 for the apprehension of Dan, or to have hira con- 
fined so that I can get him. John S. Doak. 

Mr. Doak was a negro trader, living a few miles from Springfield, 
who bought and sold slaves for the Southern market. It would seem 
that he was not an easy master, and that it was not strange his slaves 
should run away, when he described them by their " crooked and stifle 
fingers," their *' frost-bitten toes," and the " scars " on their bodies. 
The negroes were afterwards caught in southern Kansas, below Ft. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 247 

Scott, while on their way to California, and were returned to their 
master. Accompanying thein was another Greene county runaway 
slave, belonging to the Danforth estate. 

About the first of September, three more negroes, belonging to 
Henry McKinley, ran away. In an advertisement offering $300 for 
their return or lodgment in jail, Mr. McKinley thus described them ; 

" Campbell, a black boy about 33 years old, five feet ten inches high, with a blemish 
in his right eye caused by being snagged, stutters in talking; Jim, a mulatto, about 26 
years old, five feet seven inches high; King, a black boy, about 22 years ©Id, stoop- 
shouldered, with some beard on his face. Said negroes left my house on the 1st inst., 
to go to meeting at Mr. Allen Edmondson's, in this county. " 

In July there was a sale of eleven negroes belonging to the estate of 
Nathan Boone, deceased, a son of Daniel Boone. The sale took place 
on the Boone farm, about four miles from Ash Grove, in Boone town- 
ship. The negroes were said to have been " well sold." In Decem- 
ber,- a negro girl ten years of age, was sold in Springfield for $552. 

FATAL CASUALTIES. 

John Ellison, who lived four miles east of Springfield, was struck 
by lightning, June 20, and instantly killed. In the first week of No- 
vember, a Mr. Foster, of Springfield, was drowned in the James. He 
was subject to fits or partial derangement, and it was supposed that 
while in one of these he attempted to cross the stream, and fell in and 
was drowned. When found the body had evidently been in the water 
some days. 

THE FAIR OF 1857. 

The second fair of the Southwest Missouri Agricultural and Me- 
chanical Association was held on the grounds near Springfield, Oct. 
3-6, 1857. Notwithstanding the fact that the weather was very 
gloomy and unfavorable generally, there was a large attendance, a 
great number of entries, and many important premiums awarded. 
The following were the officers of the association chosen for another 
year : President, Marcus Boyd ; secretary, Charles Sheppard ; treas- 
urer, J. W. D. L. F. Mack; directors, John W. Hancock, C. A. Ha- 
den, T. G. Newbill, W. M. Horton, of Greene ; E. M. Campbell, of 
Polk; James S. Rains, of Jasper ; Peter Hogle, of Dade ; P. A. Dud- 
ley, of Lawrence; J. G. Hollis, of Webster; A. Hooker, of Laclede. 

SPRINGFIELD MATTERS IN 1857. 

At the city election in Springfield, April 6, the following officers 



248 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

were chosen : Mayor, John S. Kimbrouo'li ; council men, W. B. Lo- 
gan, W. G. Evans, and N. K. Smith ; recorder, eTohn S. Bigbee ; mar- 
shal, Josiah Leed}'. 

In the latter part of June, occurred the examinations in the Spring- 
field schools, of which there were two at the time, the Springfield Fe- 
male College, Rev. Charles Carleton, superintendent, and the Spring- 
field Female High School, Miss Sarah Bailey, principal. The exer- 
cises were witnessed by good audiences, and the examinations were 
said to have reflected credit on both teachers and pupils.^ In the same 
month the female college property was sold by Mr. Carleton to a joint 
stock company, that made arrangements with Mr. C. to continue the 
school. August 21, the examination in the Springfield Male Acade- 
my came off successfully. 

Two circuses exhibited in Springfield this year — Lent's on August 
22, and okl John Robinson's, Sept. 14. Both shows attracted large 
crowds, from miles away. ^ 

November 18, the first number of the Weekly Missouri Tribune, 
was issued by John M. Richardson. It was devoted to " Union De- 
mocrac3^" Motto: " The people of Missouri love the Union, and 
will maintain it at all hazards."" — In the first week in May there was 
no flour on sale in Springfield, " Qr to be had for love or money." 
Corn meal was $1.50 per bushel. The same condition of afiairs ex- 
isted in the first part of the month of August. 

In the fall of this year there was a " boom " for Springfield. In 
September considerable building was done. The Presb3^terian Church 
was well under way, work on the Methodist Church was begun, and 
many dw^clling houses went up. In November there had i)een so many 
accessions to the population that no empty dwelling houses — " not 
even a shed," the papers said — could be rented. 

THE CANVASS OF 1857. 

January 12, 1857, Gov. Trusten Polk was elected U. S. Senator to 
succeed Senator Geyer, his term to begin March 4, following. 
A new Governor was to be chosen. The anti-Bentons, or regular 
Democrats, nominated Hon. Robert M. Stewart, of Buchanan county. 
The " Americans" nominated Hon. James S. Rollins, of Boone coun- 
ty, who was indorsed by the majority of the Benton Democrats.^ The 

1 Miss M. C. Nevill received the highest honors at the Female College. 

2 Col. Bentou had writon a letter from Washiugtoii to his friends iu Missouri, urging 
them to vote for liollius. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 249 

candidates made a joint canvass of the State and spoke at Springfield 
June 29 ; a large crowd, nnmbering- 2,000, was present, and each 
crowd, Know Nothings and " Sag Nichts," as the Democrats were 
called, claimed the victory for its leader. 

In February the Democrats of Greene held a connty convention, 
which was presided over by F. T. Frazier, hitherto a Benton man, 
and which sent the following delegates to the Democratic State con- 
vention : W. C. Price, Dr. N. A. Davis, John Kinney, F. T. Frazier, 
and Matthew Chapman. The delegates were instructed to vote for 
the nomination for Governor as follows : First choice, John W. Han- 
cock, of this county ; second choice, Waldo P. Johnson ; third choice, 
Claib. Jackson ; fourth choice, George W. Hough. 

Upon Judge Yancey's death, as before stated, Wm. C. Price was 
appointed circuit judge. Price was State Senator at the time, and, 
resigning, a vacancy was created, which was to be filled at the August 
election. John S. Waddill, of Springfield, was the American candi- 
date and W. H. Riley the Democratic nominee. 

For circuit judge there were four candidates, Wm. C. Price, the 
then incumbent ; Littleberry Hendrick and J. H. McBride, of Spring- 
field, and J. R. Chenault, of Jasper county. A strong fight was made 
for and against Judge Price in this county. 

Forjudge of the probate court and of the court of common pleas of 
Greene county there were three candidates. Sample Orr, J. D. Brown 
and H. R. Jarrett. 

The election in this county resulted as follows : — 
For Governor. — Rollins, 1,135; Stewart, 748. 
For State Senator. —Waddill, 1,065 ; Riley, 587. 
For Circuit Judge. — Hendrick, 658 ; Price, 630 ; McBride, 415 ; 
Chenault, 47. 

For Probate Judge. — Ovv, 726; Brown, 593; Jarrett, 273. 

Waddill was elected Senator by 889 majority, carrying four coun- 
ties, Greene, Webster, Dallas and Ozark, out of the five composing 
the district. The fifth county, Wright, gave Riley a majority. 

Chenault was elected circuit judge over Hendrick, the next highest, 
by about 600 majority, but it is possible Hendrick' s defeat was ac- 
complished by a forged letter sent out from Springfield to certain 
counties, stating that Hendrick had withdrawn in favor of McBride. 
One of these forged letters is still in existence, and a copy is herewith 
appended : — 

Springfield, Mo., July 30, 1857. 

Messrs. Means, Wyrick and others: After having written to every 



250 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

county in this judicial circuit, in regard to the rehitive strength of Mc- 
Bride and Hendrick, and having relial)lc assurance from each, we, the 
following Americans and Benton men, together with the mass of each 
of the above parties in this county, have concluded to center upon 
McBride in order to defeat Price. In union of action there is har- 
mony, and, in accordance with the above, we shall act. Old Greene 
will be sound to the core for the defeat of Price and his Phelps coad- 
jutors. (Signed) Joseph Moss, Stephen Bedford, John Dade, 
Elijah Gray, Larkin Payne, Hose a Mullings, T. J. Bailey. 

The vote in the State this year, as canvassed, stood : Stewart, 47,- 
975 ; Rollins, 47,641 ; Stewart's majority, 334. The Rollins men, 
however, declared that their candidate was fairly elected, but was 
cheated in the count by " doctoring" the returns from certain coun- 
ties in this quarter of the State. The truth of this declaration was 
never fully established. 

the liquor question. 

In January Representative McFarland, in compliance with a prom- 
ise made in the canvass of 1856, introduced a bill in the Legislature to 
repeal the Springfield liquor law, noted on a previous page. The la- 
dies of Springfield sent up a remonstrance, and the gallant legislators, 
by a large majority, refused to repeal the law. During the discussion 
in the House many eloquent speeches were made by Wilson, of Platte, 
Switzler, of Boone, and others. In February a petition was circu- 
lated in Robberson township praying the Legislature to pass a law 
prohibiting the sale of liquor in that township. A remonstrance was 
also circulated. Both petition and remonstrance came before the Leg- 
islature in a few days, the former signed by 114 ladies and 109 gentle- 
men, and the result was the passage of an act prohibiting the sale of 
liquors in "the 30th congressional township." 

white river improvement. 

In April John Young, commissioner for the improvement of White 
river, was paid $198, or $3 per day for 66 days' service as such com- 
missioner, having expended in that time only $371 of the county's 
appropriation. Some time this spring a small light-draft steamboat 
came up the river as far as the mouth of the James, discharged some 
freight, took on a few bales of cotton, and returned to Memphis. The 
first night out on her return trip she tied up at a point in Stone coun- 
ty, five miles from the mouth of the James, and in the night there was 
a stabbing affray between the mate and a deckhand. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 251 

FIRST EFFORT TO FORM CHRISTIAN COUNTY. 

In January the first real effort of the Legishitiire to organize Chris- 
tian county was made. The people of Greene were hostile to the 
organization of the new county, as it was to take off a strip of terri- 
tory seven miles in width and running east and west across the south- 
ern part of the county, and in this territory was some valuable taxable 
propert3^ The county had a railroad debt of $80,000 which it was 
very desirable this property should be taxed to pay. The owners of 
the property had helped to create the debt and care was to be taken 
that they should help to pay it. The Greene county legislators were 
able to stave off the creation of Christian county two years from 
this year. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

About New Year's day Mr. E. C. Davis, superintendent of com- 
mon schools, well known in Greene county, was arrested in Jef- 
ferson City and committed to jail on a charge of forgery. Afterward 
he was sent to the penitentiary for two years. — In July the county 
court ordered notice to be given that no interest on county warrants 
would be paid after that date, as there was sufficient money in the 
treasury to pay all demands against the county. A tax of only I2V2 
cents on the $100, and a poll of only I2V2 cents a head were levied 
this year. — About the last of May Prof. G. C. Swallow and the corps 
of the State Geological Survey were in Springfield and Greene county 
ensrao-ed in their work. — In the month of Jnne, notwithstanding the 
famine, lands in the vicinity of Springfield sold at from $75 to $100 
per acre. R. P. Faulkner sold his farm of 250 acres for $40 per acre. 
The county school fund this year amounted to $7,235.52, of which 
$4,664.40 was from the State, $2,229.94 from the county, and $341.18 
from the townships. — On the 19th of June a severe hailstorm passed 
over a portion of the Grand and Kickapoo prairies, doing considerable 
damage to fruit and the growing crops. — During the year there was 
considerable discussion among the people regarding the building of a 
railroad from Cape Girardeau to Springfield. Meetings were held in 
this part of the State in favor of the project, and plenty of substan- 
tial aid was promised. November 28 a bill chartering the " Spring- 
field and Cape Girardeau Railroad" passed both Houses of the Legis- 
lature. — November 28 Greene county was attached to the 14th judi- 
cial circuit, Hon. P. H. Edwards, judge. Hitherto it had belonged 
to the 13th district. The times of holdiuix court were fixed as the 



252 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

first Mondays in March and Octol)er. — In August four prisoners, 
named Lee, Smith, LeDuc, and McAlpin, escaped from the county 
jail. Sheriff King offered $200 reward for their capture. — The great 
financial crash of 1857 affected Greene county no little. The mer- 
chants were put to great sti'aits to pay their wholesale creditors in St. 
Louis, and the people of the county had but little money with which 
debts could l)e discharged, owing to the numerous bank failures 
throughout the country. 



1858 MISCELLANEOUS 

In January the county court appointed H. R. Jarrett, John Murray, 
L. A. Rountree, A. H. Payne, and John Elani, district assessors, 
under the new law, and John M. Richardson county attorney. At 
the same session a dramshop license was refused J. F. Fagg & Co., 
of Springfield, because a majority of the citizens of Campbell town- 
ship, including about three hundred ladies, had remonstrated against 
granting any more licenses in the township. There was not a licensed 
dramshop in Springfield at that time. 

On the last of January one Arthur Blankenship, of Barry county, 
who had poisoned his wife, a sister of Enoch Jessup, of this county, 
and who had shortly thereafter married another woman and then fled 
the country, was arrested in Searcy county, Ark., and returned to 
the jail at Cassville. Mr. Jessup had been especially active in pro- 
curing the arrest of Blankenship, oftering $500 reward for his cap- 
ture. In March thereafter Blankenship, with some other prisoners, 
escaped from the Cassville jail, but Blankenship returned and sur- 
rendered himself to the sheriff. His trial coming on in April, he took 
a change of venue to Lawrence county, and in September following 
he broke jail at Mt. Vernon and again escaped. 

Owing to the numerous failures of banks of issue about this time 
there was great financial depression throughout the country. The peo- 
ple of Greene had to contend not only against this adverse circum- 
stance, but against a great scarcity of produce, owing to the failure 
for two seasons of the corn crop. Many farmers became discouraged, 
and in the spring of this year sold their lands for low prices and re- 
moved to Kansas and elsewhere. 

On the 18th of May a small steamboat landed at the mouth of the 
James, in Stone county, and landed some freight for the merchants 



HISTORY OF GRJ3ENE COUNTY. 253 

of Ozark, then in this county. In tliis year the improvement of 
White river by public aid practically ceased. Occasionally thereafter, 
even up to the present time, a steamer wends its way as far up as 
Forsyth. 

July 3, a meeting of farmers and others was held at Ozark, Linden 
township, to consider the situation of afiairs generally. The chair- 
man was John Collins, of Taney county. Resolutions were adopted 
that, in view of the stringency of money matters and the extortions 
of " middlemen, " it was the duty of those composing the nleeting to 
start a " co-operative store." The resolutions were similar to some 
of those adopted by the Patrons of Husbandry fifteen years afterward, 
and this was doubtless the first" grange " meeting ever held in Greene 
county. 

In August it was first made public that the sulphur springs, near 
Ash Grove, possessed " remarkable medical properties." 

March 20, a child of Mr. Hargiss, living in the northern part of the 
county, was burned to death b}'- its clothes taking fire. In August a 
little son of R. B. Coleman, of Springfield, fell from a horse and frac- 
tured his skull, making a dangerous wound. October 20, a man 
named Gillmore was caught in the machinery of Nowlin's mill and 
literally crushed to pieces. 

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 

In February Mr. Stephen Bedford killed a gray eagle in this county 
which measured six feet between the tips of its wings. — In March, at 
a negro sale in Springfield, one negro girl, aged 18 or 20, brought 
$875 ; another, aged 30, brought $552 ; a " boy," of 22, sold for $1,- 
615; a small boy, $1,000; another, $1,100; one woman and three 
children, $2,125. — A "grand" 4th of July celebration was held in 
Mr. Haun's yard, in Springfield ; orations were delivered by Revs. 
Woods and Morrison. — This year the county court imposed a license 
tax on " menageries" of $50 a day; on "smaller affairs," $25 per 
day. — ^ August 21, J. D. Hade completed his new steam mill at Spring- 
field. — In October Thos. J. Whitlock's steam mill, six miles from 
Springfield, was put in operation. — On the fourth of September there 
was a considerable frost in portions of this county and the weather Avas 
cold enough for fire. — A Mr. Coleman picked an apple from his orchard 
in the autumn of this year, measuring nearly five inches in diameter 
and weighing two pounds. — November 20, Mr. Richardson's Tribune 
newspaper, at Springfield, died, aged one year. — The corn crop was 



254 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. ' 

short this year again, and in December sold for $1 a bushel : corn 
meal was worth $1.25. — A tax of 30 cents on the $100 for county 
purposes was levied this year. 

SPRINGFIELD IN 1858. 

In the winter of 1857-8 a h)cal dramatic organization, called " The 
Thespian Society," gave a series of entertainments at Temperance 
Hall, which were well attended. The proceeds of one evening were 
donated to the Springfield Female College. 

Upon the removal of the post-office to the house occupied by Drs. 
Wooten & Goodall, in January of this year, the Mirror remarked 
that, if one or two more removals had occurred, every house in town 
would have been the post-office at one time. In September it was 
again removed to a new building on South street. 

Two lodges of Good Templars were in good condition in the town 
this spring. "Eureka" lodge had for officers: N. F. Jones, W. C. 
T. ; Mrs. J. M. Morgan, worthy vice; E. P. Faulkner, secretary; 
J. R. Danforth, treasurer; Chas. Fox, inside guard; J. B. Perkins, 
outside guard. " Pride of the West " lodge was officered as follows : 
R. J. Beal, worthy chief; Jane Gott, worthy vice ; John Ricks, sec- 
retary; Jasper McDonald, treasurer; Benj. Gott and J. P. Bailey, 
guards. 

The Odd Fellows celebrated their anniversary this year by a pro- 
cession and a supper in the evening at Temperance Hall. Hon. Sam- 
ple Orr delivered an address. The Masons made a similar observance 
of St. John's Day, June 24. 

June 17 Mr. Ingram's foundry was fairly opened at Springfield. 
This was the first institution of the kind in Southwest Missouri, and 
its inauguration was a matter of much interest to the people. Mr. 
Wm. Massey had the first piece of casting made. 

The Presbyterian church was dedicated July 4th, and at the same 
time the M. E. South church building was well under way. 

The sum of $5,000 was subscribed for a male academy in the place, 
(such an institution being imperatively demanded at that time), in 
July, and by the 1st of September there were two such academies in 
the town, besides five female schools and two music schools, all of 
which were well attended. 

In September, there having been great complaint made of certain 
nocturnal disturbances and disorderly conduct, the city council passed 
an ordinance directing the marshal to arrest all persons found on the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 255 

streets or "loitering or wandering about" at unusual hours. White 
persons so offending were to be imprisoned until 8 o'clock the next 
morning; negroes were to be soundly whipped. "So shall ye put 
away evil from among you," etc. 

Notwithstanding the hard times following the crash of 1857, and 
the partial iiiilure of crops in this county for three years, property in 
Springfield advanced to fair prices this fall. In September some lots 
in the south part of town sold for $200 per acre. A house and lot on 
South street sold at sheriff's sale for $2,000 ; another on St. Louis 
street brought $2,052. A lot adjoining Temperance Hall brought 
$1,000. The corner lot on the west side, known as the Haden proper- 
ty, but bought of Sheppard & Kimbrough, was purchased by the 
county for the present court-house site for $3,000. A large lot of 
land near town and in other parts of the county was sold, even at 
sheriff's sale, for fair prices. 

In the fall of this year the Butterfield stage company decided to run 
a line of stages from St. Louis to California via the southern route, 
through Kansas, New Mexico, Utah, in order to avoid the snows and 
the fierce Indians to be encountered on the northern route. Septem- 
ber 17th the first outward bound overland mail stage for California 
passed through Springfield, which had been made a station on the 
line, three hours ahead of time. It was a great event to be sure ! 
When the driver came bounding in on the square on the top of the 
huge old Concord stage, loaded down Avith mail bags and baggage 
and crowded with passengers, and cracked his whip like a rifle shot, 
then drove up in front of Gen. Smith's hotel, and brought up all six 
of his gaily harnessed and spirited steeds with a pull of the lines that 
set them back on their haunches, and yelled " Who-o-o-a there, blame 
your hearts: all you tl link about is ruimiii' ! ^ '' — when all this hap- 
pened, as it did, Springfield took off its hat and cheered heartily and 
lustily. There was great rejoicing. That night the event was cele- 
brated by letting off sky-rockets, throwing fire-balls, reducing dry 
goods boxes to ashes, hurrahing, and violating the prime obligations 
of the Good Templars ! October 22, the first overland mail stage from 
California — 23 days out from San Francisco — passed through town 
having on board five passengers, the mail, some treasure, etc. One 
of the passengers is said to have been Gen. J. W. Denver, from Pike's 
Peak. Denver City was named for Gen. D. 

On Christmas day, 1858, the population of Springfield was about 
1,200. There were sixteen mercantile houses doing a business an- 



256 HISTORY OF GKEENK COUNTY. 

nually that aggregated $300,000 ; two drug stores, one cabinet shop, 
one furniture store, seven blacksmith shops, two tin shops, two sad- 
dle and harness shops, three hotels, three wagon shops, three jewelry 
establishments, two printing offices (Ihe 31 h'i'or and the Advertiser) 
three churches, five schools, ten lawyers, five doctors, four clergy- 
men, four secret orders (Masons, Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, 
and Good Templars), three tailor shops, two milliners, a daguerrean 
gallery, Capt. Julian's carding machine, a gunsmith shop, three 
butcher shCps, a hatter's sho}), three confectionery stores, one livery 
stable, three boot and shoe shops, one dentist, a land office, a bank, 
land agents, twenty carpenters, house and sign painters, two brick 
masons, and one saloon, the latter institution being located beyond 
the "Dead Sea. " 

During the year 1858 300,000 feet of lumber had been sold in the 
place. Smith & Graves were engaged in putting up a planing mill, 
which was completed the following spring, Mr. Ingram was engaged 
in repairing and adding to his foundry. Hitherto the foundry had not 
been able to do good work ])ecause of the presence of so much sul- 
phur in the coal used. Four hundred bushels of dried fruit were 
shipped to St. Louis in 1858. J. H. Caynor & Co. had a tobacco 
manufactory which emploj^ed thirty hands, and invested $15,000. It 
had consumed 175,000 pounds of toI)acco, and turned out 800 boxes 
of the manufactured article. A Mr. Fao-tj; was also eno;ao;ed in tobacco 
manufacturing. The city authorities began, at about the close of the 
year, to take the first steps for the permanent improvement of the 
streets, alleys, sidewalks, crossings, etc, which hitherto had been in a 
deplorable condition. The majority of the business houses around 
•the square were temporary structures, and all, or nearly 'all, were 
frame buildings, a sample or two of which could recently be seen. 

ABSTRACT OF THE ASSESSORS' BOOKS FOR 1858. 

The following is an abstract of the assessors' books of the county 
for the year 1858, together with an abstract of the tax books : 

Assessed Values. \ Taxes, 

No. of slaves, 1,589, value $ 749,5oo'countv tax, from polls $ 1,277.50 

No. acres of land, 365,713; value... l,938,460|State tax from i>oll> 766.50 



No. townlots, 166; value. 92,560 

Money and Notes 413,914 

Other personal properly 687,531 



County tax from propert}' n.<i46.13 

State tax from property 7,764.09 

Lunatic Asylum, Irom property.... 664.40 



Total $3,882,045 Total $22,118.62 

The number of polls paying taxes was 2,044. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 257 

THE POLITICAL CANVASS OF 1858. 

On the 5th of April there was held in the court-house at Sprin<r- 
field what was called a - Union meeting. " It was presided over by 
Joseph Goodin, and Z. M. Rountree was secretary. The object of this 
meeting was to put on record the fact that those composing it were 
opposed to the dissolution of the Federal Union, and to do everything 
possible to prevent such a thing. Already the best men of the count 
try feared for the fate of the republic. Northern fonatics and South- 
ern fire-eaters were striving to rend it asunder. The former did not 
want to live in a country (so they said) whereof one-half depended for 
prosperity on the begetting and bringing up of children for the slave 
market, and so the constitution which permitted slavery was denomi- 
nated an instrument of infamy, and the flag of the stars and stripes 
was denounced as a flaunting lie. The fire-eaters of the South were 
blustering and complaining that their "rights" had been or were 
about to be trampled on by the North, and therefore they were for se- 
ceding and breaking up a government which they could not absolutely 
control: 

With neither of these factions had the " Union " meeting of 1858 
any sympathy. Resolutions denouncing the intemperate polTticians of 
all parties for the injuries they were working were unanimously adopted 
The attempt of Congress to fasten the Lecompton constitution 
upon the people of Kansas against their will was denounced as «♦ an 
act of tyranny, oppression, and injustice. " The passage of the Kan- 
sas-Nebraska bill and the repeal of the Missouri compromise the meet- 
ing believed to answer the intention of their authors as " enterino- 
wedges for the detestable plot of severing the American Union. ^' 
The people, irrespective of party, were invited to join with the mem- 
bers of the meeting in forming a new organization, having for its ob- 
ject and motto the preservation of the Federal Union under the con- 
stitution. The members of the committee on resolutions were Elijah 
Gray, Hosea Mullings, Simon Bird, Joseph Headlee, George Howard, 
James H. Edwards, A. H. Leslie, H. R. Jarrett, J. W. Boren, Mar- 
shall Murray, J. L. McCraw, R. B. Owen, and Joseph Burden. 

Hon. Marcus Boyd and Hon. Sample Orr addressed this meeting in 
strong Union speeches. It was agreed to call a nominating conv^'en- 
tion on the 17th of May to select county ofBcers and a " vigilance com- 
mittee " was appointed for each township. 

May 17, according to appointment, the Union convention re-assem- 
17 



258 ' HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

bled. Its members were chiefly old Whigs and Americans, although 
many former Democrats participated. Judge Sample Orr presided ; 
" Alphabet" Mack was secretary. Col. Marcus Boyd and Oscar B. 
Smith were nominated for the Legislature, Henry Matlock for sheriff, 
Joseph Burden for treasurer, and James W. Gray, John R. Earnest, 
and Samuel Hall for justices of the county court. R. B.Owen,E. 
Headlee, James Murray, R. W. Donnell, George McElhaney, John 
Elam, J. R. Weaver, Dr. Frazier, R. Teague, J. L. McCraw, and I. 
N. Jones were appointed an executive committee. 

Speeches were delivered by Sample Orr, Stephen Bedford, John M. 
Richardson, ot Springfield, and John W. Payne, of Mt. Vernon. All 
of the speakers warned the people of the danger of the dissolution 
of the Union and civil war, and declared that a national success 
of either the "National Democrats" or the " Black Republicans " 
would be dangerous to the life of the republic. 

The Democratic convention, composed principally of anti-Benton 
democrats, and called "antics," " Sag Nichts," etc., by their oppo- 
nents, held their convention May 8. Resolutions professing devotion 
to the old Union, " formed by Washington, Jefferson, and the patriots 
of '76," were adopted and the following ticket nominated: For 
Representatives, W. C. Price and Henderson Greene ; for sheriff, 
Joseph K. Gibson ; for county justices, Joseph Rountree, Greenberry 
Robberson, and John T. Boles. 

About the 1st of June F. T. Frazier, of this county, was nominated 
for the State Senate, by the Democratic senatorial convention, at 
Ozark. Mr. Frazier had formerly been a strong Benton man and 
hostile to the " anties," who now nominated him. Hon. John S. 
Waddill, also of this county, was his opponent, being then in office 
and a candidate for re-election. He was an old Whig and received 
the support of old Whigs, Know Nothings, Benton men (if it can be 
said that there were Benton men after the death of Col. Benton in the 
previous April), and " Union men." 

The candidates for Congress were Hon. John S. Phelps, Democrat, 
and Hon. John M. Richardson, Whig, Benton, Union, etc., both gen- 
tlemen of this county. They stumped the district, then largely 
Democratic. 

The August election in Greene county resulted as follows : — 

For Congress. — Richardson, 1,135 ; Phelps, 1,029. 
For State Senator. — Waddill, 1,156; Frazier, 969. 
Representatives. — Marcus Boyd, 1,128 ; O. B. Smith, 1,075 ; Hen- 
derson P. Greene, 984 ; Wm. C. Price, 977. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 259 

jSherif. — Henry Matlock, 1,075; J. K. Gibson, 1,014 
Treasurer -Wilson Hackney, 1,207; Joseph Burden, "901. 
Comity Justices.— J. W. Gray, 1,121; Jos. Eountree, 1 106 • J 

T:l7lTsXt''' ^""'^™^' '''^'^' AllenRobberson,'l,b05; J.' 

So far as the county ticket was concerned, but one Democrat, Jo- 
seph Rountree, was elected to any office, but Frazier beat Waddill for 
the Senate in the district by a majority of 273, and Phelps' majority 
over Richardson in the Congressional race was 5,280. This year the 
Emancipationists ran tickets in portions of Missouri, and their candi- 
date for the Legislature in Gasconade county, Mr. Sitton, was elected. 

THE FAIR OF 1858. 

The third annual fair of the Southwestern Association was held at 
Spnngfield, in September, lasting four days. There were laro-e 
crowds present each day. In addition to the ordinary attractions of 
first-class agricultural fliirs, there was a -grand tournament" one 
day, wherein a number of the young men of the county took a tilt 
with wooden lances and mounted on horseback, at a suspended rinc.' 
and he who displayed the most dexterity and exhibited the best horse- 
manship was to receive a gold chain and cross, which he was to be- 
stow on some -maiden fair," who thereupon was to be considered 
- queen of beauty." Mr. J. A. Foster wielded his hickory lance and 
managed his horse most successfully and was awarded the prize, which 
he presented to Miss Mattie C. Nevill. Ou the last day of the fiiir 
five young ladies rode for a prize sid^isaddle. The contest was de- 
cided in favor of Miss Clem Ware, of Dade county; but there was 
great dissatisfaction at the award, and some ladies speedily raised a 
purse of $60 to buy a fine saddle for Miss Sue Moore. At the close of 
the fair T. G. Newbill, Esq., was chosen president of the society for 
another year. 

BUILDING THE NEW COURT-HOUSE. 

August 28, 1858, the first steps were taken by the authorities to 
build the present court-house. W. B. Farmer, Warren H. Graves, 
and Josiah Leedy were appointed a board of commissioners on public- 
buildings to select a suitable location for the erection of a new court- 
house and jail and to select plans and report the probable cost. On 
the 4th of October the commissioners made their report, and the same 
day the county court appropriated $3,000 to pay for the site of the 
building, which was purchased of Chas. Sheppard and J. B. Kim- 



260 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

broiigh. The same day an appropriation of $40,000 was made for the 
building of tlie court-house and jail, according to the plans and speci- 
fications drawn by Josiah Leedy, who was paid $163.25 for his 
work. In the latter part of December sealed proposals for com- 
pleting the new structure were opened by the court, and on Christ- 
mas day the contract was awarded to Josiah Leedy for $36,000 ; 
the highest bid made was $45,000. 

DEATHS DURING 1858. 

May 8, Gen. Nicholas K. Smith died at his residence in Springfield, 
aged— . May 23, Mrs. Marion S. McGown, wife ofH. C. McGown, 
died at her home on Leeper prairie. S. G. Headlee died some time 
in June. A. W. Maupin, of Springfield, died June 15, aged 50. 
The wife of R. E. Blakey, of Springfield, died Nov. 16. Wm. Aber- 
nathy, of Springfield, died December 1. Mrs. Mary A. McClure, 
^wifeof Dr. M. M. McClure, of Springfield, died Dec. 24, aged 30. 

REVIEW OF 1858. 

During the year 1858, notwithstanding the "hard times," some 
money was made by the people of the county, or at least considerable 
amounts were brought in. Over 1,000 yoke of oxen were sold to 
parties outside of the county, chiefly to those interested in the Santa 
Fe and Utah trade. The average price paid was $75 per yoke. 
About 1,450 horses and mules were sold; the most of them going 
south to the planters of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, although 
many were sold to Butterfield and the Overland Stage Company. 
The average price at which these animals sold was $140, and the ag- 
ofreirate amount realized from the sale of oxen, horses, and mules was 
not far from $275,000. Owing to the shortness of the corn crop no 
hogs were fatted and sold to any considerable extent. Pork was 
scarce at $5 per hundred. At the close of the year there were more 
than 250,000 pounds of tobacco on handj, which, it was expected, 
would be manufactured and worked up in the county by the four to- 
bacco factories then in successful operation, whose sales for the cur- 
rent year had not been far from $50,000. 

Besides Springfield, the other towns of the county were in thriving 
condition. Ozark and Linden were flourishing, and confidently ex- 
pected soon to cut loose from Greene and form a part of a new county. 
Ebenezer had two stores, sundry mechanical shops, and considerable 
village population. There were 17 post-offices in the county. At 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 201 

Springfield there were 35 regular arrivals and as many departures of 
the mail each week. Improvements of all kinds were going on, and 
the county had undertaken to build a $40,000- court-house. The Pa- 
cific railroad company claimed 168,000 acres of land within the bound- 
aries of Greene, and there were 15,000 acres of unsold swamp land 
belongin2:to the countv. 



1859 MISCELLANEOUS. 

On the 5th of January a military company was formed at Spring- 
field under the laws of the State. The company was organized at a 
meeting held at the court-house, presided over by J. A. Foster. The 
following officers of the company were chosen : Captain, H. R. Jar- 
rett ; 1st lieutenant, John Hursh ; 2d lieutenant, J. A. Foster; 3d 
lieutenant, R. E. Blakey. A uniform for the company was adopted, 
to consist of a blue frock-coat, light-blue pants, and a stiff cloth cap, 
five or six inches high, with a plume. Col. Jarrett, the captain, for- 
warded a copy of the constitution and by-laws of the company to Gov. 
Stewart for approval, together with a petition for arms and for admis- 
sion into the service of the State. 

In January a remonstrance of the citizens of Linden township, 
against granting a dramshop license for that township, was granted. 
In Finley township there had been no whisky or other intoxicants 
sold for four years, and on the 15th of January there was not a single 
"grocery" or dramshop in Greene county. In October application 
for dramshop license for Springfield was made but refused, and an or- 
der made that no such license should issue for Campbell township for 
twelve months. 

January 29, an act incorporating the " Springfield Male Academy" 
passed the lower house of the Legislature, and February 12, C. B. 
Holland, J. Robinson, R. P. Faulkner, J. M. Bailey, and Littleberry 
Hendrick, trustees, advertised for sealed proposals to build a brick 
college building in the southwestern part of the town of Springfield — 
to be 30x65 feet in area, and two stories high. March 28 the incorpora- 
tion act became a law. 

About January 20, State Senator Frazier introduced a bill in the 
Senate house of the Legislature, which passed that body, for the aboli- 
tion of the common pleas and probate court of this county. 

In the spring of the year Christian county had been formed. The 



262 HISTORY' OF GREENE COUNTY. 

southern jDart of this county, including the greater portion of the 
townships of Fiuley and Linden, had been made a part thereof. This 
cut down the area of the county very considerably, and lessened the 
value of taxable property very materially — so much so, indeed, that 
the county found itself in very straightened circumstances toward the 
close of the year, as it had paid out an extraordinarily large sum for 
costs in criminal prosecutions, notably in the prosecution of numerous 
parties for violations of the liquor law during the year. 

THE NEW COURT-HOUSE. 

In January the sheriff was ordered to sell the building then used as 
a court-house to the highest bidder, the proceeds to be applied on the 
new court-house, and the purchaser to remove the property off the 
square, and "clear away all the rubbish." W. H. Graves was ap- 
pointed commissioner of public buildings, in place of Gen. N. R. 
Smith, deceased. The county court made an order to loan the sum of 
$8,000, without interest, to Josiah Leedy, the contractor for the new 
court-house, on his giving proper security. The money was to 
be applied to building the new county structures. Work progressed 
fairly at the start and through the summer- of this year, but in 
the fall it began to lag, owing to the failure of the court to comply ' 
with the contract in respect to payments as fast as the work pro- 
ceeded. 

In December the county court ordered that, whereas the contract 
for building the new court-house had been let December 25, 1858, the 
work to be paid for as it progressed, the last payment to be made 
December 31, 1861, and whereas, since the letting of the contract, the 
county had lost a large portion of its most valuable territory, by the 
formation of Christian county, ^ which territory contained a large share 
of its taxable wealth, and whereas, by reason of unusually large pay- 
ments of costs in criminal cases, the county treasury was well nigh 
depleted, leaving theordinary expenses of the county unprovided for — 
therefore, the county's representatives were instructed to ask the 
Legislature to pass an act allowing Greene county to borrow $16,000. 
The representatives, Boyd and Smith, introduced the bill, prepared by 
County Attorney Richardson, and the Legislature passed it January 
10, 1860. 



1 All the printed authorities consulted show that Christian county was not organized un- 
til March 8, 1860. See Campbell's Gazetteer (ed. of 1874), p. 137 ; Switzler's History of 
Missouri, pp. 495 and 592 ; Missouri Hand-book, etc. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 263 



ITEMS . 



January 12 occurred the examination at Ebenezer High School, Mr. 
Avery, principal. Boarding could be had in the place for $1.50, which 
included lodging, washing, fuel, and lights. — February 12 the stage 
coach between Springfield and Tipton was stopped near the northern 
line of this county, in Polk county, and an attempt made to rob it by 
a band of highwaymen, who were after the " treasure box " from Cali- 
fornia, carried by the coach. — About the 1st of March W. R. M. 
Campbell killed what was known as a " Washington eagle," measur- 
ing seven feet from the point of one wing to the tip of the other. — 
The tax for county purposes was twenty cents on the $100 this year. — 
There was considerable excitement among the people when the news 
of John Brown's insurrection at Harper's Ferry, Va., reached the 
county, and many declared that the first gun had been fired in what 
would prove to be a bloody civil war. — ^^In January the post-office 
called Pond Creek was changed to Little York. 

THREE TOWNSHIPS ORGANIZED. 

In April, 1859, after the formation of Christian county, and a loss 
of a portion of Greene county territory, included in the townships of 
Linden and Finley, it became necessary, for our county court to 
adapt itself to the circumstances, and so there were created three 
new townships in the southern part of the county, Pond Creek, Wil- 
son, and Clay. 

The boundaries of Pond Creek were a line beginning at the north- 
east corner of section 2, tp. 28, range 23 ; thence south with the sec- 
tion line to the south boundary of the county ; thence west to the 
Lawrence county line ; thence north to the northwest corner of town- 
ship 28, range 24 ; thence east with the township line to the begin- 
ning. Elections were to be held at Wade's Chapel. 

Wilson township was bounded by a line beginning at the north- 
west corner of Pond Creek township ; thence east on the township 
line between townships 28 and 29 to the range line between ranges 
21 and 22 ; thence south with said line to the Christian county line ; 
thence west along the county line to the southwest corner of Pond 
Creek township ; thence north to the beginning. Elections to beheld 
at J. M. Rountree's school-house. 

Clay. — Beginning at the northwest corner of Wilson township ; 
thence east to northeast corner of section 6, tp. 28, range 20 ; thence 



264 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

on the section line south to Christian county ; thence west on the 
county line to the southeast corner of Wilson township ; thence north 
to the beiijinninoj. Elections to be held at II, Hollin<!;sworth's. 

" pike's peak or bust." 

During the fall of 1858 there was some interest felt in this county 
in the reported discovery of gold in vast quantities, at and in the 
vicinity of Pike's Peak, Colorado, In the spring of 1859 there was 
considerable emigration from this county to the alleged " new Eldo- 
rado," but in the fall of the year many who went to find fortunes at 
*' Pike's Peak or bust," returned, somewhat disappointed and crest- 
fallen, and " busted, by thunder." For some time the excitement 
over Pike's Peak ran as high as it did over California in 1849 and 1850, 
but, as the real truth was sooner learned, it did not last so long. It 
made a good market for work cattle and horses during the year, and 
the ill wind, that it proved to be, blew somebody good after all. 

THE AUGUST ELECTION, 1859. 

At the August election, 1859, "Alphabet" Mack was elected cir- 
cuit clerk over James Bond ; Frank J. Abernathy, county clerk, over 
A. M. Julian, W. B. Farmer, H. D. Trantham, and J. M. Rainey ; 
R. B. Owen, clerk of the probate and common pleas courts, over S. 
D. Galbraith ; and J. L. McCraw, county surveyor, over G. W. 
Mitchell. This being " an off year," there was not much interest 
felt in the result of the election and party lines were not much re- 
garded in voting for candidates. 

SPRINGFIELD MATTERS. 

In the winter of 1859 there were two first-class music teachers in 
Springfield. Mr. E. B. Narcross taught a - vocal class, and Mrs. 
Burden gave instruction in instrumental music. 

In April the citizens complained of the authorities for allowing cer- 
tain of the streets and sidewalks to go without certain badly needed 
improvements, and called upon the authorities to show what had be- 
come of the money paid into the city treasury the past year. Where- 
upon the treasurer, W. McAdams, Esq., published a statement, from 
which it appeared that the receipts of the treasury from all sources 
from July 2, 1858, to March 31, 1859, had been $673.89, of which 
there had been paid out $256.50 for improving streets and alleys, 
fencing and shrubbing the graveyard, taking the census, etc. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 265 

At the city election, April 5, S. H. Boyd was elected mayor; Jo- 
siah Leedy, marshal ; John S. Bigbee, recorder, and R. P. Faulkner, 
N. F. Jones, and Benjamin Pegram, councilmen. 

Early in March J. E. Smith and W. H. Graves started their new 
steam planing mill, the lirst of the kind ever in the county. The 
first lumber in the town had been sawed with a whipsaw. 

DIED IN 1859. 

January 11, Thos. W. Jernagin ; January 14, Kindred Rose, Jr., 
and the wife of John Gardner; January 25, A. B. McClure. 

HANGING OF " MART." DANFORTH. 

In August of this year occurred a most horrible affair in this county, 
long remembered and not yet entirely forgotten. A Mr. John Morrow 
lived five or six miles south of Springfield with his wife, a most esti- 
mable lady, and one or two children. Mrs. Morrow was a sister of 
the Hunt brothers, well known in the county. 

At the time in question, Mr. Morrow had been absent from home 
on business, and his wife was left alone in the house, which was in an 
isolated quarter, remote from other houses. A negro man named 
Martin, belonging to the Danforth estate, had been engaged in haul- 
ing past the residence of Mrs. Morrow and knew that she was alone. 
Takino; advantao-e of her condition the black villain came to the house, 
fought his way in, despite the frantic eiforts to repulse him on the 
part of the poor woman, who threw hot water on him and resisted him 
as best as she could until her strength gave out, and at last succeeded 
in perpetrating that nameless crime for which there is no adequate 
earthly punishment. 

As soon as possible Mrs. Morrow gave the alarm, and soon a dozen 
or more negroes upon whom the least suspicion fell were apprehended 
and brought before her for identification. It seems that she was un- 
acquainted with the brute who had dealt so cruelly and outrageously 
with her. At last " Mart." Danforth was brought to her and she at 
once recognized him. There were other circumstances tending to 
connect him with the offense, and he was at once arrested and taken 
to Springfield, and placed under guard in a room on the east side of 
the square. Here he confessed his guilt in the presence of the offi- 
cers and others, and exhibited the wounds on his breast made by the 
scalding water thrown by Mrs. Morrow. There was not the slightest 
doubt of his guilt, without any mitigating circumstances whatever. 



266 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Court was in session at the time, and '* Mart." alias '* Martin," 
was promptly indicted. Before he could be tried, however, or even 
arraigned for trial, a mob of men made their way up to the room where 
the negro was confined, on the east side of the square, took him away 
from his guards, hurried him down the stairs and through the streets 
to a tree which stood on the north side of Jordan, west of where 
the cotton factory now stands, and strung him up. In a few minutes 
he was dead. The body was cut down and given hasty burial. After- 
wards it was " resurrected," and dissected by a Springfield physi- 
cian. No attempt was ever made to punish those composing the vig- 
ilance committee, and, August 19, the circuit attorney dismissed the 
case against Martin, without stating the reason why, and so the matter 
ended. 

In view of all the circumstances, without justifying mob violence in 
general, it is proper to state that there was excuse for this one act of 
lawlessness on the part of those who hung Mart. Danforth. Negro 
men were prone to commit ofienses of the most terrible character upon 
unprotected and defenseless white women, and it is said that many a 
crime of this description was perpetrated in this quarter of Missouri 
that went unpunished, because of the unwillingness of the poor vic- 
tim to make public her horrible misfortune. Women were afraid to 
be left alone or to travel unprotected, and this was a state of afi*airs 
not to be borne with complacency. The law then provided no punish- 
ment, save a mutilation that rendered the commission of a second of- 
fense of the kind impossible, and this was not considered a penalty at 
all adequate to the gravity of the offense. 

This same year in Saline county, three negroes were hung for out- 
rages upon white women, and one was burned for murder. A few 
years before, in Jasper county, two negroes had murdered a physi- 
cian, outraged his wife, then murdered her and burned her body, and 
that of her children in the house where she lived. The perpetrators 
were cauo-ht and burned to death in the Diamond Grove. Greene 
county people were not alone in taking the law into their own hands 
in extreme cases. Nine years thereafter it was deemed necessary to 
apply the same remedy for the perpetration of rape — in the case of 
"Bud" Isbell's takinir oft\ 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 267 

CHAPTER VI. 
FROM 1860 TO THE "GOOSE POND" MEETING, JUNE 11, 1861. 

1860 — Miscellaneous Matters — The Presidential Campaign of 1860 — Character of the 
Contest — A Greene County Man Nominated for Governor, Hon. Sample Orr — His 
Race Against the Foxy "Fox " Jackson — Two Greene County Men for Congress — The 
August Election — Official Vote — The Republicans of Southwest Missouri in 1860 — 
The November Election — Official Vote of Greene County — The Bell and Everett Men 
Sweep the County — Forty-two Lincoln voters — Names of Some of Them — After 
the Presidential Election — Cruelty to a Slave Punished. 1861 — Miscellaneous 
proceedings of the County Court — The Last Negro Patrols Appointed — The 
Legislature of 1861 — Election of Delegates to the State Convention — Official 
Vote of Greene County and of the 19th Senatorial District — The Work of 
the Convention — The Winter of 1861 — Secret Meetings of Union Men and of Seces- 
sionists — The Union Conference of March 31, Near Old Delaware Town — Names of 
Prominent Union Men and Secessionists — After the Firing on Ft. Sumpter — Great 
Excitement — Preparing for the Fight — A "Black Republican" Takes Possession of 
the Springfield Post-Office and Hauls Down a Secession Flag — The Union Men 
Alarmed — Important Letters — The Union Men on Guard in Springfield. 

I860 MISCELLANEOUS, 

In January, Frank J. Abernathy, took the office of county clerk 
in the room of A. G. McCracken, who had held the office for many 
years. J. W. D. L. F. Mack, then circuit clerk, was appointed 
county attorney, and Thos. C. Rainey, county assessor. On the 10th 
the Legislature passed the act enabling the county court to borrow 
money to discharge its indebtedness and complete the new county build- 
ings, and in June the court appointed R, B. Owen and J. W. etc., 
Mack, agents, to borrow $10,000 from the Bank of Missouri, or any- 
other bank or corporation, on bonds which were to run until April 1, 
1863. 

The assessors' books for this year showed 2,618 names of persons 
owning property liable to assessment. The tax for county purposes 
was fixed at 40 cents on the $100. 

On the 3d of April, Springfield was placed in telegraphic commu- 
nication with the outer world by way of Bolivar and Jefferson City. 
The first telegraph operator was W. H. Parsons. The line was after- 
ward extended to Fayetteville, Ark., and from thence to Ft. Smith. 

Prominent among the deaths in this county in 1860 were Judge 
Jacob Bodenhamer, who died May 14 ; Ex-Sheritf and Representative 
Thos. B. Neaves, June 15; J. Erskine Danforth, September 3 or 6. 



268 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

THE TRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860. 

In very many respects the Presidential campaign of 1860 was the 
most remarkable, not only in the history of Greene county, but of the 
United States. Its character was affected not only by preceding but 
by succeeding events. Among the former were the excited and ex- 
citing debates in Congress over the repeal of the Missouri Comprom- 
ise, and the Kansas-Nebraska controversy ; the passage by the Legis- 
latures of various Northern States of the " personal liberty bills," 
which rendered inoperative in those States the fugitive slave law ; the 
John Brown raid on Harper's Ferry, Va., in the fall of 1859, and va- 
rious inflammatory speeches of prominent leaders of the Republican 
and Democratic parties in the North and in the South. 

There was the greatest excitement throughout the country, and 
when it was in full tide the Presidential canvass opened. The slavery 
question was the all-absorbing one among the people. The Republi- 
can party, while it had not received a single vote in Greene county, 
had carried a large majority of the Northern States in the canvass of 
1856, and every year since had received large accessions to its ranks, 
and under the circumstance of there being great dissension in the 
Democratic party, prognosticating a split, bade fair to elect its candi- 
dates. The Democratic convention at Charleston, S. C, April 23, 
after a stormy and inharmonious session of some days, divided, and the 
result was the nomination of two sets of candidates — Stephen A. 
Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson for President and Vice-President, 
by the Regulars, and John C. Breckenridge and Joseph Lane, by the 
Southern or States rights wing of the party. 

The " constitutional union " party, made up of old Wiiigs, Know 
Nothings, and some conservative men of all parties, nominated John 
Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, on a plat- 
form composed of a single line — "The union, the constitution and 
the enforcement of the laws." 

The Republican party was the last to bring out its candidates. It 
presented Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, on a platform, de- 
claring, among other things, that each State had the absolute right to 
control and manage its own domestic institutions : denying that the 
constitution, of its own force, carried slavery into the territories, 
whose normal condition was said to be that of freedom. Epitomized, 
the platform meant hostility toward the extension of slavery, non-in- 
terference where it already existed. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 269 

It was to be expected that Missouri, being the only border slave 
State lying contiguous to the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, 
should be deeply concerned in the settlement of the slavery question. 
Her people or their ancestors were very largely from Kentucky, 
Tennessee, Virginia, and other slave-holding States, and many of them 
owned slaves or were otherwise interested in the preservation of slav- 
ery, to which institution the success of the Republican party, it was 
believed, would be destructive. There were many of this class in 
Greene county. There was not only a selfish motive for the friend- 
liness toward the " peculiar institution," but a sentimental one. It 
was thought that it would be unmanly to yield to Northern sentiment 
of a threatening shape or coercive character. If slavery were wrong 
(which was denied), it must not be assailed at the dictations of North- 
ern abolitionists. 

The canvass in the State was very spirited. The division in the 
Democratic party extended into Missouri. The Democratic State 
convention nominated Claiborne F. Jackson, of Saline county, for 
Governor. The Bell and Everett party nominated at first Robert 
Wilson, of Andrew, and on his withdrawal, Hon. Sample Orr, of this 
county. Judge Orr was selected in the room of Mr. Wilson by the 
central committee. Very soon the politicians began a series of ma- 
neuvers designed to develop Jackson's views on the main questions 
before the country, and especially as to which of the two Democratic 
presidential candidates he favored. For a long time the wily Saline 
county statesman succeeded in evading the question and in defining 
his position ; but at last the Missouri Republican and other Douglas 
organs " smoked him out." He announced in a well-written com- 
munication that he was for Douglas, because he believed him to be the 
regular and fairly chosen nominee of the party ; but at the same time 
he announced himself in favor of many of the principles of the Breck- 
enridge party. He was called by some who disliked him " a Douglas 
man with Breckenridge tendencies," "a squatter sovereign on an 
anti-squatter sovereignty platform," etc. 

When Jackson's letter appeared, soon thereafter the Breckenridge 
men called a State convention and put in nomination Hancock Jack- 
son, of Howard, for Governor, and Monroe M. Parsons, of Cole, for 
Lieutenant Governor. 

Being encouraged by the feuds in the Democratic party, the Bell 
and Everett men had high hopes of electing their gubernatorial can- 
didate at the August election, and of carrying the State for " Bell, of 
Tennessee," the ensuing November. To this end they did everything 



270 



HISTORY or GREENE ((I^IY. 



possible to foment additional discord and widen the breach between 
the two wings of their opponents ; bnt they over-did the business. 
The Democrats saw through their tactics, and, agreeing to disagree as 
to Presidential candidates, practically united in the support of C. F. 
Jackson and Thos. C. Reynolds, at the Augnst election, and triumph- 
antly elected them by a plurality of about 10,000. C. F. Jackson, 
Douglas Democrat, 74,446 ; Sample Orr, Bell and Everett, 64,583 ; 
Hancock Jackson, Breckenridge Democrat, 11,415 ; J. B. Gardenhire, 
Republican, 6,135. 

In Greene county the Bell-Everett men were largely in the majori- 
ty. The people of this county had generally concluded that in the 
Constitutional Union party alone there was safety for the country and a 
guarantee against the dissolution of the Union. The nomination of 
Judge Orr, a citizen of the county, well and favorably known, on the 
Bell-Everett ticket did much to attract voters to that party from this 
locality. 

For Congress there were three candidates in this district (then the 
6th). Hon. John S. Phelps was the regular Democratic nominee 
(Douglas) ; Hon. James S. Rains, of Jasper county, was the Union 
or Bell-Everett candidate ; and Judge Wm. C. Price, of this county, 
ran as a Breckenridge man. The canvass was very spirited. Meetings 
were held in the counties by all three of the parties, and these were 
addressed by nearly all of the leading candidates. The August elec- 
tion demonstrated the superiority in numbers of the Bell-Everett men 
in Greene, every candidate on the ticket carrying the county. The 
following is an abstract of the official canvass of the votes cast for Gov- 
ernor and Congressmen by townships, and in the aggregate of those 
cast tor county officers : — 



AUGUST ELECTION, 1860. 

Townships. Sample Orr. C. F. Jackson. Hancock Jackson. Phelps. Rains. Price. 

Boone... 52 21 41 18 46 55 

Campbell 529 187 29 229 428 80 

Cass 114 59 ... 49 107 25 

Center 98 49 ... 48 88 25 

Clav 24 50 9 55 19 9 

Pond Creek 81 15 4 15 67 17 

Jackson 117 9 1 11 119 7 

Kobberson 186 40 18 39 166 33 

Taylor 88 37 17 30 80 29 

Wilson 53 35 ... 32 48 10 

Total 1,337 502 119 526 1,168 290 

James B. Gardenhire, Republican, received one vote for Governor 
in Pond Creek township. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 271 

Bepresentatives in the Legislature. — Marcus Boyd (Union), 1,092 ; 
S. W. Headlee (Union), 1,052; John W. Hancock (Dem.), 705; 
John Kenney (Dem.)» (^'^2; R. E. Blakey (Ind.), 145; Wm. B. 
Garontte (Ind.), 82 ; A. J. Ragsdale (Repub.), 44. 

County Justice.— :io\\\\ Murray (Union), 1,223; Frankhn White 
(Dem.), 576. . 

Sheriff. — Thos. A. Reed (Union), 1,061; Samuel Fulbright 
(Dem.), 734 ; Jabez Owen, 188. ^ 

Treasurer.— y(n\. McAdams, 1,199; Wilson Hackney, 45. 

8chool Commissioner. — B. H. Bills, elected by 123 plurality over 
J. E. Wright and R. S. Kelso. 

Assessor. — Jesse H. Kelly, elected over J. M. Ramsey. 

Coroner. — k. F. Church (Union), elected over several competitors. 

For the first time in the history of the county, straight Republican 
votes were cast in Greene county, to the great disgust and indignation 
of politicians of all of the other parties. The Republican party had a 
State organization this year, and as stated had put a ticket in the 
field. It had also nominated a full set of Presidential electors, the 
candidate in this district being Hon. John M. Richardson, a former 
Secretary of State, and a leading Benton Democrat. Mr. Richardson 
was at the head of his party in this part of Missouri, and to him the 
few members, scattered here and there, went for counsel, guidance, 
and instruction. 

The Republicans in Southwestern Missouri in 1860 were few in 
number and widely scattered. Greene county contained about 50 of 
them, but only a few knew it until after the election. Republicanism 
was in bad odor among the people of this section in that day, and its 
professors did not go about with a brass band and proclaim their prin- 
ciples to everybody. They held meetings, it is true, but they were 
for the most part convened in secret, and the proceedings were not 
published in the daily papers. 

In shady nooks, among the dells of the Ozarks, in cabins isolated 
from other human habitations, were the places, and at nights, when 
other men slept, were the times, when the Republicans of Southwest 
Missouri met in 1860, and struck hands to support Abraham Lincoln 
for the Presidency. They knew each other. There was a system of 
hailing signs and grips, as among the Know Nothings, by which one 
Republican recognized another, whether he lived in Benton, or Polk, 
or Greene, or Stone county. A few of these were Northern men who 
had moved into Missouri, but the majority were originally from Ken- 
tucky and Tennessee, and, reared amidst slavery, they had grown to 
dislike it, and to be opposed to its further extension. 



272 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Nothing daunted by their defeat in August, the Bell and Everett 
men in Missouri kept up the fight for their presidential candidates, 
and came within a few hundred votes of carrying the State for them in 
November, the vote standing : — 

For the Douglas electors 58,801 

For the Bell electors 58,372 

For the Breckenridge electors ol,317 

For the Lincoln electors 17,028 

Douglas' majority over Bell 429 

Douglas' majority over Breckenridge 27,484 

It is said that many Democrats voted for Bell because they thought 
he was the only candidate that could defeat Lincoln. In the October 
election the Republicans had carried Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, 
and Lincoln's election was almost inevitable. Fusion tickets against 
the Republicans had been formed in New York, New Jersey, and other 
Stiites, and many thought the Tennessee statesman might be elected 
after all. 

In Greene county the vote for President was as follows : — 

Townships, Bell. 

Campbell 515 

Kobberson 99 

Jackson 8(5 

Taylor 44 

Clay 5 

Wilson 9 

Pond Creek 54 

Center 70 

Boone Ml 

Cass 7;; 

Totals 986 414 298 42 

For prosecuting attorney of this circuit J. A. Foster received 9f>3 
votes, W. W. Turner, 285, and Julian Frazier, 279. 

Great was the astonishment of everybody when it was learned that 
in Greene county 42 votes had been gived to "Abe" Lincoln. It 
was known before the election that there were a few Republicans in 
the county, perhaps a dozen, and it had been contemplated by certain 
over-zealous "Southern rights" men to wait upon them, if they 
should vote for Lincoln, inform them that their room in this county 
was vastly preferable to their presence, and invite them to leave for a 
more congenial clime ; but upon learning there were so many of them, 
and that there were many more who would have voted the Republican 
ticket had they voted at all, and that they all would be protected in 
the right to vote as they pleased by hundreds of the Bell and Douglas 



envidge. 


Douglas. 


Lincoln 


183 


182 


21 


29 


18 


• •• 


8 


12 


• •• 


18 


8 


• •• 


11 


24 




2 


11 


• •- 


13 


21 


10 


24 


16 


... 


60 




... 


66 


6 


11 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 273 

men, the contemplated waiting upon was dispensed with, and the 
invitation to leave was postponed. 

Among the Republicans of Greene county in 1860 were Hon. John 
M. Richardson, Benj. Kite, H. F. Fellows, A. J. Ragsdale, " all of the 

Ragsdales," Charles Starks, Archie Clark, J. D. Holcomb, 

Barnum, John Reynolds (murdered afterwards for his politics), Jo- 
seph Goodwin, Alexander Goodwin, George Cooper (killed by guer- 
rillas), Joseph Cooper, Wesley Matherly, Alexander Hammontree, 
John Hammontree, Joe Mullinax, J. R. Mullinax. 

AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 

The news of the election of Lincoln and Hamlin was received by 
the people of Greene county generally with considerable dissatisfac- 
tion ; but, aside from the utterances of some ultra pro-slavery men, 
there were general expressions of a willingness to accept and abide by 
the result — at least to watch and wait. A larsce number of citizens 
declared themselves unconditional Union men from the first — as 
they had avowed themselves every year since 1850, when they had 
been Benton men, opponents of the " Jackson resolutions," of nul- 
lification, of fanaticism of every sort, and from every quarter, and 
when they had met in convention at Springfield from time to time> 
and so avowed themselves and these now were the men who had voted 
for Bell, and men who had voted for Douglas, and even men who had 
voted for Breckenridge. Upon the secession of South Carolina and 
other Southern States, however, many changed their view. Indeed, 
there was nothing certain about the sentiments of men in those days, 
but one thing — they were liable to change ! Secessionists one week 
became Union men the next, and vice vei'sa. There was withal a uni- 
versal hope that civil war might be averted. 

A majorit}^ of the people of the county, it is safe to say, believed 
that the interests of Missouri were identical with those of the other 
slave-holding States, but they were in favor of waiting for the develop- 
ment of the policy of the new administration before taking any steps 
leading to the withdrawal of the State from the Federal Union. " Let 
us wait and see what Lincoln will do," was the sentiment and expres- 
sion of a large number. And they waited. 

While many of the people of the county were slaveholders, the ma- 
jority of the class was merciful toward this species of their chattels 
and treated them with much consideration. A hard and cruel master 
was almost unknown. There was a strino;ent law ao'ainst mistroatin<ii: 
18 



274 ' HISTORY or greene county. 

slaves, and in this connty it was enforced. In January of this year 
(1860), the grand jury of Greene county indicted C. S. Bodenhamer 
for " cruelty to a slave," and he was duly arrested and held upon the 
charge. 



1861 MISCELLANEOUS. 

In February the county court appointed John Lair, Benj. Kite, and 
M. J. Hubble patrols for Campbell township, to keep order among 
the slaves for twelve months, " provided they will serve without pay, 
and free of charge." These were the last patrols ever appointed in 
Greene county. In a few months there came into the county a force 
of patrols several thousand strong, whose captains were Nathaniel 
Lyon and Franz Sigel ; and there were others under Sterling Price 
and Ben McCulloch, and the movements of these patrols were on so 
large a scale that they obscured the proceedings of Messrs. Lair, Kite 
and Hubble. 

By the 1st of j^pril three rooms in the new court-house were com- 
pleted, and the clerks of the three courts, county, circuit, and pro- 
bate, moved in and took possession. The circuit clerk, " Alphabet" 
Mack, was appointed county attorney for one year. 

In July the county court held its last session for the year. A State 
and county tax of 71-/3 cents on the $100, a county tax of 40 cents, 
and two poll taxes were levied. J. W. Mack was appointed justice 
of the peace for Campbell township, vice Nick F. Jones, who had 
joined Gov. Jackson's Missouri State Guard, and was with the South- 
ern army in Barry county. The court adjourned to meet the first 
Monday in October, but subsequent events made it necessary to post- 
pone this meeting until April 7, 1862. 

THE LEGISLATURE OF 1861. 

On the last day of December, 1860, the 21st General Assembly of 
Missouri met at Jeft'erson City. The retiring Governor, " Bob " M. 
Stewart, delivered a very conservative message, taking the middle 
ground between secession and abolitionism, and pleading strenuously 
for peace and moderation. He declared among other things that the 
people of Missouri " ought not to be frightened from their propriety 
by the past unfriendly legislation of the North, or dragooned into se- 
cession by the restrictive legislation of the extreme South." He con- 
cluded with a thrilling appeal for the maintenance of the Union, de- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 275 

picting the inevitable result of secession, revolution and war. Many 
of Governor Stewart's predictions were afterward fulfilled with start- 
ling: and fearful exactness. 

The inaugural of the new Governor, Claiborne Fox Jackson, in- 
dorsed the doctrine of his famous resolutions of 1849 — that the inter- 
ests and destiny of the slave-holding States were the same ; that the 
State was in favor of remaining in the Union so long as there was any 
hope of maintaining the guarantees of the constitution ; but that in 
the event of a failure to reconcile the differences which then threat- 
ened the disruption of the Union, it would be the duty of the State 
'* to stand by the South," and that he was utterly opposed to the doc- 
trine of coercion in any event. Gov. Jackson concluded by recom- 
mending the immediate call of a State convention, in order that " the 
will of the people may be ascertained and effectuated." 

In accordance with the Governor's recommendation, the Legisla- 
ture, on January 17, passed a bill calling a convention, to be com- 
posed of three times as many members as in the aggregate each sena- 
torial district was entitled to State Senators — that is, three delegates 
from each senatorial district in the State — and appointing February 
18, as the day on which they were to be elected, and February 28, the 
day on which the convention should assemble. Hon. F. T. Frazier, 
of this county, and State Senator from this district, andHons. Marcus 
Boyd and S. W. Headlee, the county's representatives, voted for the 
convention bill, the 10th section of which contained the following im- 
portant provision : — 

No act, ordinance, or resolution of said convention shall be deemed 
to be valid to change or dissolve the political relations of this State 
to the government of the United States, or any other State, until a 
majority of the qualified voters of this State, voting upon the question, 
shall ratify the same. 

The author of this section was Charles H. Hardin, then a Senator 
from the Boone and Callaway district, and Governor of Missouri in 
1874-6. Thus the secession of the State was made an impossibility 
without the consent of the majority of the voters. After a much dis- 
turbed and very turbulent session, the Legislature adjourned March 
28. 

ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE STATE CONVENTION. 

Pursuant to the provisions of the act of the Legislature, the election 
for delegates to the State convention was held Monday, February 18, 
1861. The candidates from the 19th senatorial district (composed of 



276 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



the counties of Greene, Christian, Stone, Taney and Webster) were 
Sample Orr and Littlcberry Hendrick, of this county, and R. W. 
Jamison, of Webster, who were " unconditional Union " men, and 
opposed to the secession of Missouri under any circumstances, and 
Nick F. Jones and Jabez Owen, of Greene, and T. W. Anderson, who 
were understood to be in favor of secession in certain emergencies. 
S. H. Boyd, of this county, was at first an unconditional Union can- 
didate, but withdrew in favor of Judge Jamison. A brief canvass was 
made throughout the district, by the leading candidates, the public 
pulse felt and found to beat warmly in favor of the old Union and 
against secession. Meetings were held at Springfield and well at- 
tended by the Unionists. Those who favored secession were in the 
minority, but they were outspoken, and made up in zeaVand spunk 
what they lacked in numbers. The following was the vote of this 
county by townships, and of the entire district by counties at this 
election : — 



VOTE OF GREENE COUNTY AND THE NINETEENTH SENATORIAL DIS- 
TRICT AT THE SPECIAL ELECTION, FEB. 18, 1861. 





UNCOKDITIONAL UNION. 


CONDITIONAL UNION. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


6 


s 

o 


s 


CO 

S 

1 


a 

o 

CO 


s 
o 

to 




567 

156 

131 

89 

37 

30 

85 

98 

95 

149 


568 

159 

133 

92 

38 

30 

87 

101 

97 

150 


566 

157 

131 

91 

88 

30 

86 

101 

96 

150 


133 
23 

7 

10 
19 

1 


120 

21 

7 

10 
19 


120 




20 




7 


Taylor 


10 


Clav 


19 




1 










34 
52 

27 


30 
52 

27 


31 




52 


(Jass 


27 






Total in Greene Countv 


1,437 
791 
191 
222 
675 


1,455 
801 
208 
231 
735 


1,446 
804 
206 
236 
697 


306 
107 
17 
216 
216 


286 
104 
18 
207 
210 


287 




103 


Stone County 


15 


Taney County 


208 


^Vebster County 


162 






Total in District 


3,316 


3,430 


3,389 


862 


825 


775 



It will be noticed that the vote of this county and of the senatorial 
district was overwhelmingly in favor of the unconditional Union can- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 277 

didates, and the election, by a vote of four to one, of such men as 
Sample Orr, Littlebeny Hendrick, and Robert W. Jamison, settled 
the political status of the people of this district beyond all question. 
In Pond Creek township, this county, the secession candidates did not 
receive a vote, and in Wilson two of them only had a single ballot 
cast for them. Some of those voting for the Union candidates after- 
ward became secessionists, or sympathizers therewith, and not a few 
eventually fought gallantly for the " lost cause." 

THE WORK OF THE CONVENTION. 

The convention assembled at Jefferson City, February 28, 1861. 
Sterling Price, of Chariton county, afterward the distinguished Con- 
federate gjeneral, was chosen president. On the second day it ad- 
journed to meet in St. Louis, where it re-convened March 4, continued 
in session until the 22d, when it adjourned to meet on the third 
Monday in December, subject, however, to a call of a majority of a 
committee of seven. Before adjourning, a series of resolutions was 
adopted, two of which were of superior importance, and here proper 
to be noted : — 1. Containing the explicit declaration that there was 
no adequate cause to impel Missouri to dissolve her connection with 
the Federal union. 2. Taking- unmistakable o-round against the em- 
ployment of military force by the Federal government to coerce the 
seceding States, or the employment of military force by the seceding 
States to assail the government of the United States. 

It is believed that in these two resolutions the convention reflected 
the sentiment of a very large majority of the people of the State at 
that time. Judges Orr and Hendrick, the members of the convention 
from this county, upon their return home, were warmly commended 
by the people and press for their course. 

THE WINTER OF 1861. 

During the months of Januarj^ February, and March, 1861, there 
was great interest manifested in public affairs by the people of the 
county. A few public meetings were held, but no important proceed- 
ings were had. The prospect of war was freely discussed, and many 
prepared for it. A few openly sympathized with the seceded States, 
but the majority preferred to take no decided steps to aid either side. 
Many declared that Missouri had done nothino- to brins; on a war, and 
should do nothing to help it along should one break out. " We are 
neither secessionists nor abolitionists," said they, " and we are neither 
fanatics nor fire-eaters." 



278 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

Meantime, and especially in February and March, numerous secret 
meetings were held in the county by both Union men and secessionists. 
Every man's politics was known (or was thought to be), by every 
other man, and invitations were sent out to attend these meetings 
only to those who were known to be " sound." Each side knew that 
the other side was meeting secretly, and yet there was no attempt at 
interference. Both parties met and were friendly. The policy seem- 
ed to be that of the " I'll let you alone, if you'll let me alone " kind. 
Few attempts were made at sending out spies. 

On one occasion, in March, — about the 31st, — a[secret meeting of 
the unconditional Union men was held near the Christian county line, 
about where the battle of Wilson Creek was afterward fought. This 
meeting was attended by delegates from several counties in this part 
of the State. Col. J. J. Gravelly, afterward a member of Congress 
and Lieutenant Governor of the State, Avas a delegate from Cedar 
county. Col. Marcus Boyd and Judge Hendrick represented Greene ; 
Asa G. Smith was from Stone ; John M. Filler was from Lawrence. 
The meeting was a conference between the leading Union men of 
Southwestern Missouri to determine what was best to do, to in- 
terchange opinions, to exchange information relative to the condition 
of affairs in their respective counties,' etc., etc. It is said that there 
was at this meeting a secret agent of President Lincoln's, and that 
the result of the conference was a determination to " stand by the 
Union " at all hazards, and if necessary fight for it, which it was as- 
serted hundreds of men in Southwest Missouri were willing to do. 

The secessionists met from time to time, and deliberated with 
closed doors. Honestly believing that the best interests of Missour 
would be served if she should sever the legal ligament that bound her 
to the Federal Union and unite her fortunes with those of her sister 
Southern States, these men worked zealously and faithfully. They 
met in secret conclave from time to time at each other's houses. 
They got ready for any emergency that might come. They were encour- 
aged from time to time by emissaries from Gov. Jackson and the 
secession cause in the central portion of the State, who promised 
them plenty of arms if the time should come to use them, and 
plenty of powder when the time should come to burn it. Very many 
of this class of our citizens deprecated civil war, and sincerely hoped 
that it might be avoided, but resolved that, if come it did, they would 
bind their fate to that of the Southern cause, allied as they were 
to that section by ties of kinship of birthplace, of self-interest, of 
commonalty of sentiment, of sympathy. It may be that no men were 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 279 

ever more mistaken, but certainly no men were ever more in earnest 
and more honest in opinion than were the secessionists of Greene 
county in the late winter and early spring of 1861. 

Without making invidious distinctions, it is but fair to say that the 
leading Unionists of Greene county in the winter and spring of 1861 
were Mordecai Oliver, Col. Marcus Boyd, S. H. Boyd, Sample Orr, 
Littlebury Hendrick, R. B. Owen, R. J. McElhany, John S. Plielps, 
Dr. T. J. Bailey, Benj. Kite, S. W. Headlee, John M. Richardson, 
Henry Sheppard, 

Among the leading " Southern" men, or secessionists, were John 
W. Hancock, Hon. F. T. Frazier, W. C. Price, Sam'l Fulbright, 
Jo. Carthal,D. D. Berry, sr., John Lair, Dr. G. P. Shackleford, Rev. 
Chas. Carleton, Henry Fulbright, Junius T. Campbell, O. B. Smith, 
R. B. Weaver, Peter S. Willies, Col. Freeman, Nick Fain Jones, Esq., 
Capt. Don Brown, Thompson Brown. 

AFTER THE FIRST GUN AT SUMPTER. 

The firing on Ft. Sumpter by the Confederates, April 12, 1861 ; 
the proclamation of President Lincoln calling for 75,000 volunteers ; 
Gov. Jackson's refusal to respond to the requisition on Missouri; the 
affair at Camp Jackson ; the great excite ment throughout the State 
and the country, — these are incidents the particulars of which are 
too well known to need setting forth in these pages. 

The news of the firing on Sumpter was received at Springfield 
by telegraph, causing the most intense feeling and excitement. The 
Advertiser issued an extra announcing the event, and the people as- 
sembled in crowds and squads and discussed the incident itself and its 
probable consequences. Very soon thereafter, April 22, Gov. Jack- 
son convened the Legislature to meet in extra session May 2, and at 
that session a " military bill " was passed, providing among other 
things for the organization of the military forces of the State, called 
the Missouri State Guard. One company of the State Guard was 
organized in this county, under orders from Gov. Jackson and was 
commanded by Capt. " Dick" Campbell. 

PREPARING FOR THE FIGHT, 

The Unionists of the county, largely in the majority, were bold and 
outspoken and disposed to be aggressive. "^^ A military organization 
was soon effected. Arms were procured from|^the Overland^Stagc 
Company and from the gun racks at home. Ammunition was obtaineil 



280 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

when and where it could be. Leaders were not wanting. For weeks 
certain prominent men of the county had been in correspondence with 
the Union leaders at St. Louis and Washington and had received 
instructions to prepare for the direst emergencies as best they could, 
and to patiently bide their time. 

The Union men of Greene county were of all political parties. 
Hon. John S. Phelps, the member of Congress from this district, a 
Douglas Democrat, returned from Washington to his home at Spring- 
field early in the troubles and at a conference of Union men held in 
the bank building, on the north side of the square, gave as his opinion 
that the honor and interests of the people of Greene county com- 
manded them to stand by the old Union. Li this view he was joined 
by other Democrats. The Bell-Everett men were nearly all Unionists, 
Hon. Sample Orr, their late candidate for Governor, having declared 
himself months before,^ to be not only a Unionist, but a coercionist — 
that is, in favor of making war upon the seceded States at once, and 
coercing or whipping every " rebel " back to hio allegiance. 

A " BLACK REPUBLICAN " POSTMASTER IN SPRINGFIELD. 

Earlv in May Benj. Kite, a Republican, who had voted for Lincoln, 
received a commission as postmaster of Springfield. Mr. Nathan 
Robinson, a secessionist, was the then incumbent, and Mr. Kite states 
that a secession flag was flying over the post-office. The new com- 
mission had been sent to Kite at an obscure country post-office be- 
tween Springfield and Bolivar, and the fact was unknown at Spring- 
field that a change in postmasters had been made. It was understood 
that such a change would be resisted. With his commission and a 
loaded revolver in his pocket, Mr. K. states that he entered the post- 
office one morning, and presenting both of his evidences of authority 
to the astonished gaze of Mr. Robinson, demanded possession of the 
office in the name of the pistol and by the authority of the commission. 
Mr. Robinson made no resistance, but gave up the keys, and b}^ Kite's 
orders struck his colors — that is to say, took down the secession 
flag. 

THE UNION MEN ALARMED IMPORTANT LETTERS. 

After the agreement between Gens. Price and Harney, that no more 
troops were to be armed or organized in Missouri on either side, the 
minds of the people in this quarter were easy for some days, but they 



' At a political meeting in Franklin county. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. ' 281 

very soon became disturbed and feverish when reports were received 
that the secessionists were arming, organizing, and preparing for war 
all the time, regardless of the Price-Harney treaty. In the stage- 
coach at Springfield, a letter, dropped by Hon. J. S. Rains, showed 
that negotiations were pending with the Cherokee Indians to induce 
them to enter the conflict on the Southern or secession side. The 
following are copies of letters and telegrams written by prominent 
Union men in Springfield about this time, and exphiin themselves : — 

Springfeld, May 24, 1861. 
To Stebbins, President Mo. River Telegraph Co. — I sent 
dispatch on yesterday, as follows : 

General Stei'ling Price — I hope you will forthwith order General Rains to cease the or- 
ganization of militia under the military law. Answer. Phelps. 

And another to Governor Jackson, and another to-day to General 
Price. They refuse to reply. What does it mean? 

John S. Phelps. 

To Stebbins — Is it fully understood that the execution of the mili- 
tary law is to be suspended? If no invasion from Arkansas and 
Indian country, there will be no difficulty in Southwest. It is reported 
Governor Reynolds passed on his way to Arkansas — why? Colonel 
Freeman, of Polk, has also gone to Arkansas. Is Reynolds in St. 
Louis? He said near this place: "The military law shall be en- 
forced." There is rumor that guns and meu are expected from 
Arkansas. The following letter was found in one of the overland 
stage-coaches after General Rains passed : 

Sarcoxie Mo., May 3, 1861. 
" General ,T. S. Rains : Dear Sir — From latest advice we learn that the Cherokee In- 
dians, and probably other tribes, are anxious to lend their aid to our States. Ross states 
that he can furnish fifteen thousand men well armed. I suggest the propriety of Governor 
Jackson appointing commissioners to visit them and secure theip services. Things are about 
as when you left. The Republicans are all leaving for Kansas. We fear there is a bad mo- 
tive in view. Arm us as quick as possible. (Signed) A. M. Patterson. " 

On the back of the letter is this indorsement to Governor Jackson : 

"I would advise you opening a correspondent at once with Ross. (Signed) Rains. " 

The document is here in hands of county clerk. Governor Rey- 
nolds was in the stage for Fayetteville, and Major Russell, formerly 
of Arkansas, was with him, entered on way-bill "Major Russell and 
friend." Governor R. pretends to be frightened, and says the people 
of St. Louis would not permit him to go home and see his sick wife, 
etc., but that he intends to avenge himself on the people of St. Louis 
and the submissionists of Missouri. A reliable gentleman states, from 
expressions used by secessionists, he is convinced a movement on us, 
from the South, is expected ; hence stopped the telegraph in Arkansas. 
I have appointments till Tuesday ; will be here to-morrow night, and 
will leave Sunday morning for Hickory county. 

John S. Phelps. 



282 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

General Harney telegraphed General Price relating what had been 
told him, and intimating the probability of his sending a regiment to 
Springticld to protect peaceable citizens. In reply to this, Price sent 
the following : — 

Jefferson City, May 24, 1861. 

General W. S. Harney^ U. /S. Army: — 1 am satisfied your 
information is incorrect. It cannot be that arms or men are crossing 
into Missouri from any quarters without the knowledge of the Gov- 
ernor or myself, and we have no such information. I advise that 
you do not send a regiment into the Southwest — it would exasperate 
our own people. I have attended to dispatches enclosed me by you, 
from Springfield and St. Joseph. I am dismissing my troops, and I 
will carry out my agreement faithfully. 

[Signed] Sterling Price. 

Major-General Commanding M. S. G. 

On receipt of Gen. Price's telegram Gen. Harney sent the follow- 
ing note to Frank P. Blair : — 

Friday Morning, May 24, 1861. 
Dear Colonel : — I send you a copy of a telegraph just received 
from General Price. It is what I expected and hoped. I consider it 
entirely satisfactory. Don't you? 

Yours truly, Wm. S. Harney, Brig. -Gen. 

In a few days after Phelps' telegrams had been sent and acted 
upon, the following letters were written by prominent Union men of 
Springfield to O. D. Filley of St. Louis : 

Springfield, Mo., May 30, 1861. 
O. D. Filley, Esq. : Dear Sir: — Everything is quiet here, but 
both parties appear feverish and restless. The Union men hope the 
Price and Harney arrangement may be carried out, but they have no 
confidence in its being done. Rains has commenced oro-anizino- under 
the military bill, and if he once gets his secession bands armed we 
will, no doubt, have war in our midst. Some of our secessionists 
from Missouri are in Arkansas, soliciting aid, but to what extent I 
am unable to inform you. Arkansas is doing what she can to con- 
centrate troops near our borders. They are entrenching themselves 
at Harmony Springs, near Maysville. * * * * 

Your friend, John M. Richardson. 

Springfield, Mo., May 30, 1861. 
O. D. Filley, St. Louis: My Dear Sir: — Gentlemen of respect- 
ability and of unquestioned veracity, residents of our place, heard 
Reynolds and Russell make speeches in Arkansas, urging Arkansans 
to come to the rescue of Southern men in Missouri. Five thousand 
of them are assembling on the Missouri line. Reynolds went to Lit- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 283 

tie Rock in furtherance of these damnable purposes. There now 
rests no doubt in the minds of the people out here of the business of 
Eeynolds, Freeman and Russell into Arkansas. I saw a young man 
on my way home, near Warsaw, and he told Kimbrough and myself 
that three or four wagons had started for Arkansas for arms. I 
received a letter from Colonel Williamson, of Mellville, Dade Co., 
Mo., yesterday, and he says a military company of Cedar county, 
headed by Captain Walker (under the late military hiw), has 
ordered his (Willamson's) Home Guards, to disband, and on refusal 
to do so they will march upon them. Since my return home I have 
messengers and letters from all parts of the Southwest, inquiring of 
me what the government will do for their safety. The people are 
overwhelmed with terror and fright. Rains is still enlisting men. 
On the 11th of June a g-eneral mass meeting of secessionists is adver- 
tised to come off at this place. Deviltry is intended by it, we 
greatly imagine. The Monday after I left here for St. Louis, our 
Home Guard mustered into service 800 men, 300 of whom had toler- 
ably effective arms. Yet the secesh have better arms than we. 
They are ordering good citizens throughout the Southwest to leave. 
Governor Jackson telegraphed to Hancock and others, living here, 
inquiring who it was informed Harney about Reynolds, Freeman and 
Russell going into Arkansas. They told him in answer it was all a 
lie. I have since then taken the statements of four gentlemen, over 
each of their signatures, to the correctness of the statements made. 
Richardson and others are writing to our friends in St. Louis for 
some definite action in our behalf. We feel confident of the 
treachery of Price and Jackson. Yours, S. H. Boyd. 

The following is added to the above: "Every word of the state- 
ment sent Harney on Monday is fully confirmed. Owens." 

THE UNION MEN ON GUARD. 

In a day or two the Unionists of Springfield determined to guard 
the town to prevent the Secessionists from coming in and carrying 
away powder and other stores, and consequently details were made 
and the streets patroled and the roads leading into town care- 
fully watched for some days. The patroling of the town, however, 
was done after nightfall and kept up from dark till daylight. 



284 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER VII. 

FROM THE MEETING OF THE MILITARY IN JUNE, TO THE BAT- 
TLE OF WILSON'S CREEK. 

Gov. Jackson's Powder ^ — Gathering of the Clans — The Unionists Assemble at the "Goose 
Pond" — The Secessionists Kendezvous at the Fulbright Spring — A Threatened Conflict 
Averted — The Flags of Both Parties Raised Over the Court House — Three Unionists, 
Boyd, Crenshaw and Robberson, go to Eolla for Help — The First Federal Troops Appear 
in the County — The Men Who "Fought Mit Sigel " — Occupation of Springfield — Ar- 
rest of "Secesh" Citizens — Phelps' Regiment of Home Guards — Gen. Sweeney comes 
to Springfield — His Proclamation — Sigel Departs for Carthage — Gen. Lyon enters the 
County — His Camp at Pond Springs — A Pic-Nic — Military Matters in Springfield — 
Exciting Times — Sweeney's Expedition to Forsyth — Confederate Military Operations — 
Union of the Forces of Gens. McCulloch, Pearce and Price — Advance towards Springfield — 
Gen. Lyon Marches to Meet them — The Affair at Dug Springs — Gen. Lyon Falls Back 
to Springfield — Gen. Price Surrenders the Command to Gen. McCulloch — Interesting 
Account of the Interview by an Eye-Witness — The Southern Army Advances — Price 
and McCulloch Enter the County and Encamp on Wilson's Creek. A Great Battle Im- 
minent. 

For some time during the spring of 1861 both parties in Greene 
county had been preparing for the fight which everybody felt sure was 
to come, but which everybody wished to evade and put off as long as 
possible. The secessionists were constantly in receipt of encourage- 
ment, not only from their prominent brethren in this State, but from 
the authorities of the Confederate government, whose emissaries vis- 
ited Missouri, and especially this portion, from time to tune. Gov. 
Jackson sent a quantity of powder to Linn Creek, from which point 
it was distributed throughout Southwest Missouri to the " State 
Guards," and armed secessionists. Greene county's share was 
brought to Springfield vm stage coach, and hidden in Campbell's barn, 
from whence some of it found its wav into the powder horns and cart- 
ridge boxes of the State Guards, but the most of it was captured by 
the Federal troops. 

The Union men had perfected company organizations in this and 
surrounding counties and their companies were called " Home 
Guards." They were armed with hunting rifles, shot guns, and re- 
volvers, but in this respect were as well off as their secession neigh- 
'bors. These companies were organized not only in Greene, but in 
Christian, Stone, Webster and other neighboring counties, and each 
company had its captains and lieutenants. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



285 



On the 11th of June, of this year, 18G1, according to previous an- 
nouncement, the State Guards (Campbell's company) and considera- 
ble numbers of other armed secessionists and their friends held a bar- 
becue at the Fulbright spring, just west of Springfiekl. Gov. Jack- 
son, in forming the State into military districts, had commissioned 
Geii. James S.'ltains, of Jasper county, brigadier general of the Mis- 
souri State Guard for this district, called the 8th, and it was under- 
stood to be in obedience to his orders that the Greene county company 
mustered. Gen. Eains was well known to the people of this county, 
and had been the Union Bell-Everett candidate for Congress, against 
John S. Phelps the previous year. He was also at this time a member 

of the State Senate. 

It being known that there would be a gathering of the secession 
clan on tlfe 11th of June, word was sent to all of the Unionist compa- 
nies in this quarter to rally on that day and make a showing which 
should put to shame the effort at display on the part of their secession 
neicrhbors. South of Springfield, two or three miles, on the Kickapoo 
prairie, was a pond of water fringed with trees, and this locality was 
known as " the goose pond." This was made the rallying point for 
the Unionists, and hither they came from all points of the compass by 
hundreds, bringing with them their arms, their horses, their wagons 
and their provisions. The day was oppressively hot and there was a 
scarcity of water and a lack of shade. Hon. John S. Phelps, who had 
ridden out to the meeting, invited the assemblage to remove to his 
farm near by, where there was plenty of water and shade, grass for 
the horses and enclosures to prevent their breaking away. The invi- 
tation was accepted and soon all of the companies were encamped on 
Phelps' pasture lands. Here all of the companies, some twelve or 
more in number, were formed into a regimental organization of which 
John S. Phelps was elected colonel, Marcus Boyd, lieutenant-colonel, 
and Sample Orr, and " Pony " Boyd, majors. 

As soon as the " regiment " was organized many of the members 
wanted to be led straight to the Fulbright spring to " clean out " the 
secessionists there engaged in organizing and drilling. Major Orr 
was quite willing to become the leader of a movement of this kind, — 

To cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war ; 

But Col. Phelps forbade any such demonstration and ordered that 
nothing be done to precipitate hostilities, as they would come soon 
enough of themselves, and the people would eventually have their fill 
of battle and bloodshed. 



286 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Meantime the Secessionists were preparing for a great demonstration 
in town. Ttiey wished to parade the streets with their forces, and 
above all they desired to raise over the court-house a flag '* new to 
the seas, " which had been especially prepared for the occasion. 
Couriers and news bearers passed Avithout hindrance between the 
two camps, and it was soon learned that should the attempt be made 
to raise a secession flag over the court-house a collision would ensue, 
and the blood of fellow-citizens, of neighbors, and of kinsmen would 
flow in the streets of Springfield — a consummation devoutly to be de- 
plored and to be averted if possible. 

Col. Dick Campbell himself volunteered to go to the Union camp 
and confer with Col. Phelps and the other oflScers regarding the 
raising of the flag. In the interview which followed Campbell declar- 
ed that he and his party proposed to raise a secession flag, or as he 
expressed it " a Southern fiag. " To this Phelps objected, and as- 
sured Campbell that no such banner had a right to and should not 
wave over Greene county soil if it could be prevented. Campbell 
then asked permission to hoist the State flag — the flag of Missouri. 
To this Phelps readily agreed, saying that no good citizen should ob- 
ject to the flag of his State floating in the breezes of its native element. 
At the same time Campbell was assured that the stars and stripes 
would be hoisted alongside and probably above any other banner that 
might be raised. 

And so both flags went up and floated feir and free, and both of the 
hostile parties paraded in the public square, and the sun went down 
and no blood had been shed and a deadly conflict was averted. It is 
said that certain ladies raised the State flag, which was a nondescript 
affair, and which one jolly old Southerner said ought to and might be 
worshiped with impunity, since there was nothing like it either in 
heaven or on earth ! 

The Home Guards held possession of the town that night and all 
was quiet, except that a project was discussed for capturing the se- 
cessionists the following day. The next day, however. Col. Camp- 
bell marched his men away, and so the evil day of battle and of car- 
nage among fellow-citizens of a common country was removed again 
for a season. 

Peace and quiet having been restored, the men composing Phelps' 
regiment of Home Guards, which, by the way, had been organized 
without authority from any one, and only in obedience to the natural 
rights of self-preservation and self-protection, was disbanded for the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 287 

time, each member to return to his home and consider himself a 
*' minute man," ready to be called out at the tap of the drum and at 
a moment's warning. 

THE FIRST FEDERAL TROOPS APPEAR THE MEN WHO *' FOUGHT MIT 

SIGEL." 

In a few days after the first formidable " gathering of the clans " — 
to-wit, about the middle of June, 1861 — L. A. D. Crenshaw, Dr. E. 
T. Robberson, and Hon. S. H. Boyd, of this county, all ardent 
Unionists, determined to go to St. Louis and impress upon the Federal 
military authorities there the importance of at once sending troops 
and arms, and munitions of war to the assistance of the Union men of 
Southwestern Missouri, in order to hold that section against the se- 
cessionists, who were arming and rendezvousing in this quarter of the 
State preparatory to driving out the Unionists and permanently occu- 
pying the land themselves. No letters setting forth the situation 
could be written and sent with safety, as they were liable to intercep- 
tion along the route, and it was considered safest to bear the message 
in person. 

So, one balmy evening in June, the three gentlemen named quietly 
left Springfield and departed for Rolhi. Dr. Robberson was an old 
settler and well acquainted with every by-path and road in the county, 
and could travel them as well by night as by day, and so he was 
selected as tlie pilot of the expedition. Each man rode a gray horse, a 
good one, and after the darkness had settled down good and black 
over the city of Springfield they left town by a narrow and obscure 
pathway that led to the east through the woods. Dr. Robberson, in 
his capacity as guide, taking the lead. On their way the trio passed 
men, in squads and singly, until after midnight — men with guns upon 
their shoulders, too, and moving mysteriously ; but whether they 
were Unionists or secessionists was never ascertained, for the pro- 
ceedings were conducted in silence and there were no questions 
asked ! 

After a rather swift ride, with no mishap save the loss of a horse, 
the party reached Rolla and witnessed its capture by the first Federal 
troops in this part of Missouri, the 3d and 5th regiments of Missouri 
Volunteers, commanded by Col. Franz Sigel. Some State Guards 
were in Rolla at the time, and being taken unawares by the sudden 
advent of Sigel's Germans, many of them were made prisoners. 
There were many funny scenes witnessed by the Greene county mes- 



m 



288 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

sengers. As soon us an audience could be obtained with Col. Sigel, 
the Greene county envoys had a lengthy interview with him, in which 
they laid the situation of affairs in this quarter before him, and learned 
in return that he was on his way to restore and to maintain the au- 
thority of the Federal government throughout Southwestern Missouri, 
and to give especial attention to Gen. James S. Kains and his division 
of State Guards then learned to be concentrating near Sarcoxie, in 
Jasper county. 

In a few days after the occupation of Rolla, Col. Sigel took up the 
line of march for Springfield. He had his oAvn regiment, the 3d Mo. 
Volunteers, and Col. Chas. E>. Salomon's 5th Missouri Volunteers, 
and he escorted back to their homes Messrs. Boyd, Crenshaw and 
Robberson. The march from Eolla to Springfield was necessarily 
slow, as the Federals were compelled to feel their way cautiously, 
but, considering all of the circumstances, very good time was made. 
Detachments were sent out on either side of the road from time to 
time, and the country pretty well reconnoitred. 

*' SIGEL IS COMING ! " 

At last, on Sunday morning, June 24, 1861, the citizens of Spring- 
field who lived in the eastern part of town, looked out on the St. Louis 
road and saw, coming leisurely along, a column of men led by others 
on horseback. The wind lifted and shook out a banner, which, when 
unfolded, showed the old familiar stripes in all their splendor and the 
stars in all their beauty. Just then the band struck up a spirit-stir- 
ring air, and the cry rang out and was caught up and borne through 
all the town, "They are coming! They are coming!" If it was 
asked, " Who are coming?" the reply sometimes was, "The Union 
soldiers," but often came the answer, " The Yankee Dutch ! " Peo- 
ple had different ways of looking at the thing and different ideas al- 
together about the matter ! 

But whether they were "brave Union Germans" or "d d 

Yankee Dutch," certain it was that Sigel and his troops were in full 
possession of the town. It was about 11 :30 in the forenoon when the 
soldiers reached the main part of town. A detachment under a portly 
German major marched swiftly to the Christian church, where the 
Rev. Chas. Carleton was preaching to a good-sized congregation, the ma- 
jority of whom were secessionists or secession sympathizers. Surround- 
inof the church building with a cordon of his soldiers, it is stated,^ that 



1 Col. Boyd, in Escott's History of Springfield, p. 104. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 289 

as soon as the services were over and the congregation dismissed, the 
major stepped into the doorway and called out: "In der name of 
mine adopted gountry, der Unided Sdades of Ameriky, und der Bres- 
ident, und der army, und by der orders of Franz Sigel, you are mine 
brisoners of war ! Pass out, all of you mens, und to mine headquar- 
ters in der gort-house go, right avay quick! Forwart ! March ! Der 
laties may go home ! " 

The court-house was soon pretty well tilled with prisoners accused 
of being guilty of real or premeditated treason against the govern- 
ment, and some "captures" or impressments of property made. 
The powder in Campbell's barn was found and appropriated. Doubt- 
less Mr. C. himself would have been appropriated, but he could not 
be found ! Pickets were put out on all the roads and occasionally 
reconnoitering parties made incursions into the country. 

PHELPS' REGIMENT OF HOME GUARDS.^ 

This regiment was organized in June, 1861, and in July its services 
were accepted by Gen. Lyon and it performed various duties in 
Greene, Christian, and adjoining counties. The regiment contained 
twelve companies and an aggregate of 1133 officers and men. The 
field officers were all from Greene county, as follows : Colonel, John 
S. Phelps ; Lieut. Col., Marcus Boyd ; Major, S. H. Boyd ; Adjutant, 
E. J. McElhaney ; Quartermaster, Henry Sheppard. The companies 
from Greene county were as follows : — 

Company A. — Captain, John A. Lee; 1st Lieut., Jason T. 
Fielden. Aggregate strength of company, 58. 

Company B. — Captain, Wm. Vaughn; 1st Lieut., Isaac W. 
Faught ; 2d Lieut., George M. Keltner. Aggregate strength of the 
company, 73. 

Company C. — Captain J. T. Abernathy ; 1st Lieut., Hugh Boyd; 
2d Lieut., Wm. Cliborne. Aggregate strength, 75. 

Company D. — Captain, Charles I. Dunwright ; 1st Lieut., Wm. 
H. Kershner ; 2d Lieut., Walter A. Gault. Aggregate strength, 96. 

Company G. — Captain, T. C. Piper, resigned July 30, and suc- 
ceeded by J. A. Mack, Sr. ; 1st Lieut., T. V. Massey ; 2d Lieut., T. 
B. Gibson. Aggregate strength, 56. 

Company K. — Captain, John W. Gattly, resigned July 8. 1st 
Lieut., Hosea G. MuUings ; 2d Lieut., J. S. Robberson. Aggregate 
strength, 125. 



^ Sometimes called the Greene and Christian County Home Guards. 

19 



290 • HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Company L. — Captain, Wm. H. McAdams ; 1st Lieut., David C. 
Allen; 2d Lieut., S. B. Kainey. Aggregate strength, 75. 

Company M. — Captain, Samson P. Bass ; 1st Lieut., Pleasant A. 
Hart; 2d Lieut., Stephen L. Wiles; 3d Lieut., Henry Sullivan. 
Aggregate strength, 101. 

Company N. — Captain, Daniel L. Mallicoat ; 1st Lieut., George 
W. Cooper; 2d Lieut., Francis L. Milligan. Aggregate strength, 62. 

Other companies were " E," Capt. Nelson; " F," Capt. Stevens 
(died on a scout, June 25, 1861); " H," Capt. Galloway (killed 
Sept. 29, 1861) ; and " I," Capt. Allred, from other counties. The 
regiment was disbanded August 17, 1861, one week after the battle of 
Wilson's Creek. Many of its members re-enlisted in Phelps' Regi- 
ment and the 24th Missouri. 

GEN. SWEENEY COMES TO SPRINGFIELD. 

On the 1st of July Gen. T. W. Sweeney (then really only a captain 
in the regular army), having been elected a brigadier by the St. Louis 
Home Guards, came to Springfield with a force of, say 1,500 men, 
including the 1st Iowa Infantry (dressed in gray uniforms) a portion 
of the 2d Kansas, and some artillery and a battalion of regular dragoons. 

By reason of his rank, which was recognized as that of brigadier, 
Gen. Sweeney became the commander of the Federal army, then in 
Southwest Missouri. He was a brigadier-general of Home Guards or 
U.S. Reserve Corps ; Sigel and Salomon and Brown were but col- 
onels of volunteers. Sweeney was an Irishman. He had but one arm, 
having lost the other in the Mexican war. Like many another of his 
countrymen, he had more fight in him than good judgment. Al- 
though starting in rank pretty well at the top at the beginning of the 
war, he never attained any great military distinction. After the war 
he led the Fenian raid into Canada, which ended so ignominiously. 
Soon after his arrival at Springfield Gen. Sweeny issued the following 

proclamation : — 

Headquarters Southwest Expedition > 
Springfield, Mo., July 4, 1861. 5 
To the Citizens of Soutlnvest Missouri: — Your Governor has 
striven to cause the State to withdraw from the Union. Failing to 
accomplish this purpose by legislative enactment, he has already com- 
mitted treason by levying war against the United States, He has en- 
deavored to have you commit the same crime. Hence he has called 
for troops to enter the military service of the State, not to aid, but to 
oppose the government of the United States. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 291 

The troops under my command are stationed in your midst by the 
proper authority of, our government. They are amongst you, not as 
enemies, but as friends and protectors of all loyal citizens. Should 
an insurrection of your slaves take place, it would he my duty to sup- 
press it, and I should use the force at my command for that purpose. 
It is my duty to protect all loyal citizens in the enjoyment and pos- 
session of all their property, slaves included. That duty shall be per- 
formed . 

I require all troops and armed men in this part ot the State, 
now assembled, and which are arrayed against the government 
of the United States, to immediately disperse and return to their 
homes. If this shall not be done without delay, those hordes of 
armed men will be taken prisoners or dispersed. I request every 
citizen who acknowledges that he owes allegiance to the United States 
to aid me to prevent the shedding of blood, and to restore peace and 
quiet to this portion of the State. Those who have manifested a want 
of loyalty, either by act or word, towards the government of the 
United States are requested to appear before me or any officer in 
command of any post or any detachment of troops under my com- 
mand and take an oath of allegiance to our government. Gross mis- 
representations of the oath, which has alread}'" been administered to 
many of your most respectable citizens, have been made. No loj^al 
citizen will decline to take such an oath. It is the duty of every 
good citizen to bear allegiance to the government and to support the 
constitution of the United States, not to encourage secession by word 
or act, and to obey all legal orders emanating from the constituted 
authorities of the land. No loyal citizen will bear arms against his 
government or give aid and support to the enemies of the country. 
Such, in brief, are the obligations required. 

I assure you that the government of the United States will deal 
leniently, yet firmly, with all its citizens who have been misled, and 
who desire to maintain and preserve the best government ever devised- 
by human wisdom. T. W. Sweeney, U. S. A., 

Brigadier General Commandinor. 

At that date a very vigorous warfare was being waged against the seces- 
sionists by the Federal commanders by means of proclamations. Swee- 
ney issued them, Sigel issued them, Fremont issued scores of them, even 
Lyon employed them. Perhaps they did no harm ; certainly they did 
no good. The secessionists paid no attention to them, save to violate 
them ; the Union people did not need them. The secession com- 
manders favored this method of fighting enemies, and soon scores of 
Federal regiments were annihilated and the horn of the Southern 
cause greatly exalted by a squad of stalwart fellows who went about 
the country bearing copies of Price's, McCulloch's, and Rains' procla- 
mations and nailing then\ to trees and the doors of blacksmith shops. 



292 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Sweeney's Springfield proclaniation was about as effectual as the noted 
bull of the Pope against the comet. 

SIGEL DEPARTS FOR CARTHAGE. 

After the battle of Boonville, June 17, the State forces, under Col. 
Marmaduke and Gov. Jackson, retreated toward the southwest por- 
tion of the State to co-operate with the troops under Gen. Rains, and 
to be in easy distance of the Confederate forces at Fayetteville, Ark., 
under Gen. Ben McCulloch. News of this movement having reached 
Gen. Sigel at Springfield, that officer at once set out to intercept it — 
to prevent, if possible, a junction between the forces of Col. Marma- 
duke and those of Gen. Rains, and to attack the latter and destroy 
him in his camp, supposed to be near Rupe's Point, in Jasper county. 

''Pressins:" a number of horses and wagons from the citizens of 
this county, especially from about Springfield, Sigel with the greater 
part of his own and Salomon's regiment and a company of regulars, 
set out from Springfield westward on the Mt. Vernon road, one hot 
morning about the 1st of July. His destination was Carthage, 65 
miles away. He had with him eight pieces of Backoff 's artillery, 6 
and 12 pounders. On the 5th the battle of Carthage was fought be- 
tween the eight companies of Sigel's regiment, seven companies of 
Salomon's, and the artillery under Backoff on the Union side, and the 
State Guards under Gov. Jackson in person, and Gens. Rains and 
Parsons. The Federals were defeated and fell back to Mt. Vernon, 
Sigel being foiled in his attempt to prevent the concentration of the 
secessionists. 

GEN. LYON ENTERS THE COUNTY. 

On the 3d of July Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, at the head of about 2,000 
troops, left Boonville for the Southwest to co-operate with Sigel. On 
the 25th of June five companies of cavalry, six companies of regular 
Infantry and dragoons, and ten companies of Kansas volunteers, in 
all about 1,600 men, under command of Maj. S. D. Sturgis, left Kan- 
sas City, destined also for Southwest Missouri. At Grand river, in 
Henry county, the two commands formed a junction, and then started 
for Sigel. Hearing of the hitter's defeat, and retreat to the eastward, 
Gen. Lyon changed his direction more to the eastward and came into 
this county about the 13th of July, going into camp near Pond Spring, 
on section 31, township 29, range 23, in the western part of the coun- 
ty. Lyon came into the town of Springfield July 13th, leaving, as 
he wrote to Chester Harding, his troops, "a few miles back." 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 293 

Gen. Lyon was mounted on an iron-gray horse, and had an escort 
or body-guard often men of the 1st regiment U. S. Regular Cavalry, 
all of whom were men remarkable for their large size, strong phy- 
sique, and fine horsemanship. Lyon treated the citizens with courtesy 
and kindness, although impressing their provisions and animals, to 
some extent, for the use of his men. As soon as he arrived in this 
quarter he communicated with Sigel, and with Gen. Fremont at St. 
Louis, asking the latter to send him reinforcements at once. He also 
busied himself in recruiting for the Federal service — issuing com- 
missions to officers of Home Guard companies, and mustering in 
enlisted men. He was visited by Union men from counties north and 
east 75 miles away. 

A PICNIC. 

While Lyon's troops were encamped in the western part of the 
county, near Pond Spring, a number of Union ladies and gentlemen 
of Springfield visited the camp on one occasion on a picnic excursion. 
Basket dinners were spread and partaken of by officers and visitors. 
While the entire crowd was enjoying itself immensely and the feasting 
and merrymaking were at their height, an alarm was sounded. A 
great cloud of dust was observed to the westward and a column from 
that direction was seen to be approaching. As Gen. Price's and 
McCulloch's "rebel" armies were known to be in that course 
somewhere, it was believed that the dust was made by the vanguard 
of their approaching commands. The long roll sounded, the bugles 
rang out, the infantry were in line, the artillery unlimbered and formed 
"in battery," — all in a few moments, — and everything made 
ready for a fight. The visitors were placed in secure retreats in a 
snug hollow in the rear of the picnic grounds. Happily there was no 
danger. The column was composed of Union refugees, with their 
wagons, their cattle, their household goods, — men, women, and 
children, — who had been frightened out of Newton, Barry, and 
McDonald counties by Rains' and Price's troops. 

MATTERS AT SPRINGFIELD. 

Meanwhile other Federal troops had come to and passed through 
Springfield. Among these was the 4th regiment United States. 
Reserve Corps, commanded by Col. B. Gratz Brown, of St. Louis, 
afterward U. S. Senator, and Governor of Missouri. This regiment 
reached Springfield, July 5 (onl3^ eight companies being present), and 
hearins: of Sisfel's defeat at Carthasfe it marched on the 7th to Mt. 



294 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Vernon to assist that officer, but returned to Springfield two days 
later, and about a week thereafter, its time having expired, it went 
to St. Louis and was mustered out of service. 

Two companies of Salomon's regiment under Maj. Cronenbold, 
had been left in Springfield by Sigel when he went west to Neosho 
before the battle of Carthage, The.se troops had made numerous ar- 
rests among the citizens of the county charged with "disloyalty," 
and the court-house, which was used as a prison, was full of them. 
Col, Sigel had appointed Col. John S. Phelps and Marcus Boyd a 
commission to examine into the cases of the imprisoned, with power 
to release or to retain in custody as they saw proper. The result was 
that scores were released, and but a few — only those who were 
proven guilty of flagrant acts of disloyalty, overt and covert — were 
kept as prisoners. 

When news came from the westward that Sigel's artillery was al- 
most out of cannon balls the foundry was set to work and quite a 
number were cast and forwarded to the front, together with some 
wagon loads of provisions. All this was done under directions of 
Col. Phelps, who, in a certain sense, was commander of the post- 
Some of the cannon balls were sent while yet hot from the foundry, 
and in one instance set a wagon on fire. 

A Major Dorn was an Indian agent out in the Territory, and his 
family resided at Springfield. Hearing of the troubled times in 
Greene county, the Major sent for his family to come to him. Their 
effects were loaded into wagons and the members of the family rode 
in a carriage. They had gone but a few miles west of town, when 
word came to Col. Phelps that the wagons contained ammunition and 
other articles contraband of war intended for the use of the " rebels " 
under McCulloch and Price. Accordingly messengers were sent after 
the little train and it was brought back and detained some days, but 
nothing contraband was found. Maj. Dorn bore a conspicuous part 
on the Confederate side, about this time, as a special agent. 

Not long after the Federal occupation of Springfield, a company of 
Home Guards was mustered into the Federal service for three months 
by authority of Gen. Sweeney. This company consisted of 89 men, and 
was armed with muskets taken from a company of mutineers be- 
longing to one of Sigel's regiments wdiich had become insubordinate 
on the march from Rolla to Springfield. The company was an in- 
dependent one, and not attached to any regiment or battalion. It 
was organized chiefly for duty at Springfield, and was here during 
Siofel's absence and the ])attle of Carthajxe. 



history of greene county. 295 

Sweeney's expedition to forsyth. 

Saturday, July 20, about 1,200 men were detailed under Gen. 
Sweeney to break up a secession camp reported to be at Forsyth, the 
county seat of Taney county. The command was composed of the 
two companies of regular cavalry, under Capt. D. S. Stanley ; a sec- 
tion of Capt. Totten's battery, in charge of Lt. Sokalski ; about 500 
men of the 1st Iowa Infantry, under Lt. Col. Merritt ; Capt. Wood's 
company of mounted Kansas volunteers, and the 2d Kansas Infantry, 
under Col. Mitchell. The expedition reached Forsyth in the after- 
noon of Monday, captured the town with but little difficulty, driving 
out about 200 State Guards, who had been quartered in the court- 
house, and secured some blankets, clothing, guns, provisions, horses 
and one or two prisoners. A quantity of lead was taken from a well 
into which it had been thrown. Three shells were thrown into the 
court-house after the Federals had possession of the town. 

Gen. Sweeney remained in Forsyth about 24 hours, and returned 
to Springfield on Thursday, His loss was three men wounded, and 
Capt. Stanley had a horse shot under him. It was reported that the 
secessionists had five killed and ten wounded, among the latter being 
one Capt. Jackson. A camp of 1,000 Confederates, at Yellville, Ark., 
was not molested by Gen. Sweeney, although only 50 miles from 
Forsyth. 

confederate military operations. 

Meantime preparations were making among the secessionists of 
Missouri to dispute the occupancy of the Southwest portion of the 
State with the Federals. Gen. Ben McCulloch, of Texas, had been 
ordered by the Confederate government to go to the assistance of its 
allies in Missouri. Accordingly he rendezvoused at Fayetteville, 
Ark., where he was joined by some Louisiana and Arkansas volun- 
teers and a division of Arkansas State trooj^e. The Missouri State 
Guards, Gov. .Tackson's troops, had rendezvoused, first near Sarcoxie, 
in Jasper county, afterward on the Cowskin Prairie, in McDonald 
county, where some time was spent in drilling, organizing and re- 
cruiting. 

On the 25th of July, 1861, General Sterling Price, ip command of 
Gov, Jackson's State Guard, began to move his command from its 
encampment on the Cowskin Prairie toward Cassville, Barry county, 
at which place it had been agreed between Generals McCulloch and 
N. B. Pearce, of the Confederate force, and Price that their respec- 



296 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

tive commands, together Avitli General J. H. McBride's division of 
State Guards, should concentrate, preparatory to a forward movement 
on Lyon and Sigel and the other Federal troops in the vicinity of 
Springfield. On the 29th the junction was effected. The combined 
armies were then put under marching orders. The 1st division com- 
manded by Gen. McCulloch in person ; the 2d by Gen. Pearce, of 
Arkansas, and the 3d by Gen. Steen, of Missouri, left Cassville on 
the 1st and 2d of August, taking the Springfield road. It is said that 
Gen. Price, with the greater portion of his infantry, accompanied the 
2d division. A few days afterward a regiment of Texas rangers, un- 
der Col. Greer, joined the martial host advancing to attack the hated 
Federals. Gen. James S. Rains, formerly the well known politician 
of Jasper county, with six companies of mounted Missourians belong- 
ing to his division, the 8th, commanded the advance guard. Rains 
was given the advance because many of his men were from this quar- 
ter of the State and knew the country very well. On Friday, August 
2, he encamped at Dug Springs, in Stone county, about 20 miles 
southwest of Springfield. The main army was some distance to the 
westward. 

The Southern army was really composed of three small armies, as 
follows : The Missouri State Guard, under Gen. Price ; a division of 
Arkansas State troops, under Gen. N. Bart. Pearce, and a division of 
Confederate troops under Gen. McCulloch. Pearce's division was 
composed of the 1st Arkansas cavalry, Col. De Rosey Carroll ; Capt. 
Chas. A. Carroll's independent company of cavalry ; the 3d Arkansas 
infantry. Col. John R. Gratiot; the fourth Arkansas infantry. Col. J. 
D. Walker; the 5th Arkansas infantry. Col. Tom. P. Dockery, and 
Capt. Woodruff's battery, the "Pulaski Artillery." All of the in- 
fantry regiments had enlisted only for three months, and their time 
expired about Sept. 1. They were State ivoops, or militia. Another 
Arkansas battery, Capt. J. G. Reid's, of Ft. Smith, was also with 
Gen. Pearce, but assigned to McCulloch afterwards. 

THE FIGHT AT DUG SPRINGS. 

Gen. Lyon was duly informed of the concentration of the Southern 
troops at Cassville, of the junction of Price and McCulloch, and of 
their intention of marching upon his own camp. His scouts and spies 
were numerous, sharp and faithful. They marched in the ranks with 
the secession troops at times, hung about oflScers' quarters, picked up 
all the information they could and then made their way inside of the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 297 

Federal lines in a very short time. For the most part Lyon's scouts 
were residents of this part of the State and knew all the country very 
thoroughly. Gen. Price, too, had scouts and spies, who kept him 
posted — who, by various ruses and stratagems, visited the Federal 
camps, obtained valuable information and conveyed it to " old Pap " 
in short order. And Price's scouts, too, were chiefly residents of 
Southwest Missouri. A number of Greene county men did scouting 
for both Price and Lyon. 

Learning of the movements of Price and McCuUoch, large as their 
force was compared with his own. Gen. Lyon determined to go out 
and meet them. He first sent more messengers to Gen. Fremont, at 
St. Louis, begging for reinforcements, and late in the afternoon of 
Thursday, the 1st of August, his entire armj^ which, by the addition 
of Sigel's and Sturgis' forces, had been increased to 5,868 men of 
all arms, infantry, cavalry and 18 pieces of artillery, led by himself, 
moved toward Cassville, leaving behind a force of volunteers and 
Home Guards to guard Springfield. That night the army bivouacked 
about ten miles southwest of Springfield, on a branch of the James. 
Gen. Lyon's subordinate commanders were Brig. Gen. T. W. Sweeney, 
Col. Sigel and Maj. Sturgis. The next morning, early, the command 
moved forward. It was a hot day and the men suff'ered severely from 
dust, heat and excessive thirst, most of the wells and streams being 
dry. Towards evening five dollars was ofi'ered for a canteen of warm 
ditch w\ater. 

At Dug Springs the army halted, having come up with Gen. Rains' 
advance of the Southern forces. The Missourians were first observed 
about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, at a house by the roadside with a 
wagon partially laden with cooked })rovi.sions, from which they were 
driven away by a shell from one of Capt. Totten's guns. At the Dug 
Springs (which are in an oblong valley, five miles in length and 
broken by projecting spurs of the hills, which form wooded ridges), 
at about 5 o'clock in the evening a skirmish took place between Rains' 
secessionists and a battalion of regular infantry under Capt. Fred. 
Steele, a company of U. S. dragoons under Capt. D. S. Stanley, and 
two (3-pounders of Capt. Totten's battery. The Southerners were 
driven away with a loss of one killed, perhaps half a dozen wounded, 
and ten prisoners. A Lieut. Northcut is reported as having been 
mortally wounded. The Federal loss was four killed outright, one 
mortally wounded, and about thirty slightly wounded. Three of the 
Federal killed were Corporal Klein, and Privates Givens and Devlin. 



298 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

H. D. Fiilbright, a native and former resident of Greene county, 
was sunstruck in the engagement and died. Mr. W. J. Frazier, 
of Campbell's company, and a Greene county man, was slightly 
wounded. The majority of Campbell's company participated in the 
fight, although at the time the captain himself was absent on a scout. 

The Federals pursued next morning, going as far as Curran, or 
McCullah's store, nearly on the county line between Stone and Barry 
counties, and 26 miles from Springfield, During the day a scouting 
party of secessionists, which had come across the country from Marion- 
ville, was encountered at dinner. Totten's artillery was brought up, 
a few shells fired, and the Southern troops did not wait for the 
dessert. This is a brief, but correct account of what is often re- 
ferred to in histories of the civil war as the " battle " of Dug Springs. 

GEN. LYON FALLS BACK. 

Finding that the enemy in his front was much his superior in numbers, 
Gen. Lyon determined to go no farther than Curran, but to return to 
Springfield and await the reinforcements so urgently requested of 
Gen. Fremont before risking a decisive battle, the result of which 
would certainly mean a splendid victory and possession of all South- 
Avestern Missouri to one party or the other. The Federal scouts also 
reported that a large force of State Guards was marching to the as- 
sistance of Gen. Price from toward Sarcoxie. Accordingly, after a 
conference with his officers, Sweeney, Sigel, and Majors Sturgis, Scho- 
field, Shepherd, and Conant, and the artillery captains, Totten and 
Schaeffer, Gen. Lyon countermarched his army and returned to 
Springfield, coming this time directly to the town, where he arrived 
August 5. The main body of the army camped about the town. 
Nearly 2,000 of the volunteers and regulars under Lt. Col. Andrews, 
of the 1st Missouri, and Maj. Stnrgis were stationed out about four 
miles from town. Two days later this force was withdrawn to the 
line of defense around the town. 

A vigilant guard was at once set upon all roads and avenues of ap- 
proach to Springfield. No one was allowed to go out, except physi- 
cians, although every])ody was admitted. Never, perhaps, in the 
history of war was a camp so well guarded, and all knowledge of its 
character kept so well from the enemy as was Gen. Lyon's at Spring- 
field. 

Col. Thos. L. Snead, now of New York City, and Gen. Price's 
assistant adjutant general in 1861, has kindly furnished much very 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 299 

valuable information to the writer hereof, and through this volume to 
the world at large. The colonel's means of knowledge are very 
superior, and he has manifested the utmost willingness to impart what 
he knows concerning the memorable days of July and August, 1861. 

Col. Snead says that on Sunday morning, August 4th (1861), General 
Price and he rode over to Gen. McCulloch's headquarters, at McCullah's 
farm, and in the presence of Snead and Col. James Mcintosh, who was 
McCulloch's adjutant general, Gen Pi'ice urged McCulloch to co- 
operate with him in an attack on Lyon, who was supposed to be in the 
immediate front — it not then being known to the Confederates that 
he had retreated. McCulloch had no faith in Price's skill as an of- 
ficer, and a profound contempt for the Missouri officers generally, — 
and for Gen. Rains particularly.^ 

Gen. Price was a major general of Missouri militia, McCulloch only 
a Confederate brigadier. Price had a loud voice and a positive ad- 
dress, and always spoke to McCulloch as if the latter were his inferior. 
*' Do you mean to march on and attack Lyon, General McCulloch? " 
he demanded. " I have not received orders yet to do so, sir," 
answered McCulloch ; " my instructions leave me in doubt whether I 
will be justified in doing so." "Now, sir," said Price still in his 
loud, imperious tone, " I have commanded in more battles than you 
ever saw. General McCulloch. I have three times as many troops as 
you. I am of higher rank than you are, and I am twenty years your 
senior in age and general experience. I waive all these considerations, 
General McCulloch, and if you will march upon the enemy I will 
obey your orders, and give you the whole command and all the glory 
to be won there ! '' McCulloch said he was then expecting a dispatch 
from President Davis, and would take Gen. Price at his word if it 
should be favorable, and if after consultation with Gen. Pearce the 
latter should agree also to co-operate. Gen. Pearce having an indepen- 
dent command of Arkansas State troops. 

Gen. Price immediately called his general officers together and told 
them what he had done. They were at first violently opposed to his 
action, but finally they gave their unwilling consent to what they con- 
sidered an unnecessary self-abasement. In the afternoon McCulloch 
and Mcintosh came to Price's headquarters, and McCulloch announced 
that he had received from Richmond, since morning, dispatches that 
gave him greater freedom of action ; and also that he would receive 



1 The fight at Dug Springs was called by some of the Confederate officers, derisively, 
'Rains' Scare." 



300 HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 

that night 1,000 reinforcements (Greer's Texas regiment), and that 
he would therefore accede to Gen. Price's proposition and assume 
command of the combined armies and march against Gen. Lyon. 
Accordingly Col. Snead wrote, by Gen. Price's direction, the neces- 
sary orders and had them published to the Missouri State Guard. 
It having been learned that the Federals were retreating orders were 
given to move that very night. Lyon had, however, escaped,. 
" and," says Col. Snead, " this was fortunate for us, perhaps." 

THE SOUTHERN FORCES UNDER PRICE AND m'CULLOCH ENTER THE 
COUNTY, A GREAT BATTLE IMMINENT. 

When Gen. Rains' troops were driven from the field at Dug Springs, 
they fell back on the main army under Price and McCuUoch, some 
five miles away, and reported that the force which had assailed them 
was not only vastly superior to their own, but was much larger and 
more formidable than the combined Southern army. It was evident 
that Gen. Rains, if not badly whipped, was badly frightened. The 
Confederates and Missourians were then encamped on Crane creek, 
in the northern part of Stone county. 

Thereupon there was confusion among the principal Southern of- 
ficers. General McCulloch counseled a retreat and General Price ad- 
vocated a forward movement. Price's officers and men agreed Avith 
him and were " eager for the fray." As McCulloch was unwilling 
to advance. General Price asked him to loan him some arms for the 
destitute portion of his command, that the Missourians might advance 
by themselves. McCulloch refused. The embarrassing disagreement 
continued till in the evening of Sunday, August 4, when an order 
was received by McCulloch from the Confederate authorities order- 
ing what Price much desired — an advance on Gen. Lyon. A coun- 
cil was at once held, at which McCulloch agreed to march on Spring- 
field provided he was granted the chief command of the consolidated 
army. Price, to whom in right and justice the supreme command 
belonged, anxious to encounter the Federals and defeat and drive 
them from the State before they could be reinforced by Fremont 
from St. Louis, consented to the terms of the imperious Texas ranger, 
saying, "I am not fighting for distinction, but for the liberties of my 
country, and lam willing to surrender not only my command but my 
life, if necessary, as a sacrifice to the cause." A little after mid- 
night, therefore, on Sunday, August 4, the Southern camp was broken 
up and the troops took up the line of march, which was continued 





^-^^-u 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 301 

slowly and cautiously, along the Fayetteville road to the crossing of 
Wilson's creek, near the Christian county line, in sections 25 and 26, 
tp. 28, range 23, ten miles southwest of Springfield, which locality 
was reached on the 6th. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK — THE UNION OR FEDERAL 

ACCOUNT. 

■Gen. Lyon in Springfield — His entreaties to Gen. Fremont for Reinforcements — Lyon 
Loses His Temper— "War! Horrid War!" — Preliminaries to the Final Conflict — 
Slight Skirmishes — Proposals to Retreat — Gen. Sweeney Opposed — A False Alarm — 
Thursday, August 8th— Friday, August 9th — A Messenger from Fremont — No Hope — 
Lyon's Last Letter — Confederate Military Movements — Failure to Discover or Develop 
the Federal Position — McCulloch Reconnoiters in Person —Price Loses His Patience — 
An Advance Ordered on Springfield — Gen. Lyon Marches Out to Battle — Order of 
March, List of Regiments and Battalions, etc., — The March Begun — Lyon's Route — 
" Gay and Happy," — Col. Sigel's Advance and Route — Preparations in Springfield for 
Retreat — Great Excitement Among the Citizens — The Federals in Position, Waiting 
for the Dawn — Lyon Opens the Battle — Temporary Success of the Federals — Desperate 
Fi«-hting on Both Sides — Death of Gen. Lyon —Full Particulars — Still the Battle Goes 
On — Nearing the End — The Last Grand Charge of Price's Men — The Federals Re- 
treat— Sio-el's Part in the Fight — Surprise of the Confederate Camp — Moving For- 
ward- AU Successful So Far— In Position — A Force Seen Approaching Down the 
Valley— "They are Friends " — "Ah! They Shoot Against us ; They malce a Mistake " — 
" No ' They are Enemies ! " — Charge of the Louisiana Regiment — The Federals Retreat 
with Precipitation and in Confusion -Destruction of Sigel's Force- Sigel Himself 
Escapes, "With Two Dutch Guards and Nary Gun."— Lieut. Farrand's Account- 
Surgeon Melcher's Account - Sigel's Explanation - Capt. Carr's Account. 

BATTLE OF WILSON 'S CREEK. — GEN. LYON IN SPRINGFIELD. 

When Gen. Lyon returned to Springfield after the Dug Springs ex- 
pedition, he scattered his forces upon the different roads leading into 
the city at a distance of from three to five miles. Five miles from 
town, on the Fayetteville road, was a force of 2,500 under command 
of Maj. Sturgis. The other roads were well guarded, and all precau- 
tions were taken against a surprise or a sudden attack. Gen. Lyon's 
private room and personal headquarters were in a house on North 
Jefferson street, not far from the public square. The building, a 
small one, was then owned by Mrs. Boren ; it is now the property 
of Mrs. Timmons His general headquarters were on the north 



302 HLSTORY OF GUEENE COUNTY. 

side of College street, a little west of Main, in a house owned then by 
John S. Phelps, but which had been recently occupied by Maj. Dorn. 
In this same house his body lay, after it was borne from the battle 
field of Wilson's Creek. The house was burned by Curtis' Federals 
in February, 1862, and where it once stood is now (February, 1883,) 
a vacant lot, on which are the remains of an old cellar. 

As soon as Lyon reached Springfield he again sent off a courier to 
Fremont at St. Louis asking for reinforcements. Hon. John S. 
Phelps, who had started for Washington City to attend the extra 
session of Congress convened by President Lincoln, had stopped in 
St. Louis, called upon Gen. Fremont, and urged him to help Lyon 
and the Union people of Southwest Missouri with men and sup- 
plies, both of which were at St. Louis in abundance.^ But 
Fremont stated that he did not believe Gen. Lyon was in any- 
thing like desperate straits ; that McCulloch and Price could have 
nothinir but an inconsiderable force, since the country in Southwestern 
Missouri was too poor to support a force of any formidable strength ; 
that in his opinion Lyon could take care of himself; and finally that 
he had no troops to spare him anyhow, as he had received informa- 
tion through Gov. Morton, of Indiana, that a large Confederate force 
and flotilla of gunboats, under command of Gen. Pillow, were coming 
up the Mississippi to attack Cairo, Bird's Point, and if successful in 
their destruction, would come on and destroy St. Louis, and tkat he 
had need of every available man to guard those threatened points. 

Gen. Lyon consulted with his officers and with the prominent Union 
men of Springfield very freely. He knew the situation perfectly. 
His scouts came in every day from McCulloch' s army and gave 
him all needed information. He was impatient to fight the force in 
his front, but he anxiously desired reinforcements to enable him to 
have a reasonable chance of success. Every day he visited the out- 



1 The following is a literal copy of the memorandum given to Col. Phelps by Gen. 
Lyon, when the former left Springfield. Lyon instructed Phelps to give this to Fremont: 
" Memo?-andum for Col. Phelps. — See General Fremont about troops and stores for this 
place. Our men have not been paid and are rather dispirited; thej' are badly off for 
clothing and the want of shoes unfits them for marching. Some staff officers are badly 
needed, and the interests of the government suffer for the want of them. The time of the 
three months volunteers is nearly out, and on their returning home my command will be 
reduced too low for effective operations. Troops must at once be forwarded to supply their 
place. The safety of the State is hazarded. Orders from Gen. Scott strip the entire West 
of regular forces and increase the chances of sacrificing it. The public press is full of 
reports that troops from other States are moving toward the northern border of Arkansas 
for the purpose of invading Missouri. Springfield, July, 27." 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 303 

posts and nearly every day sent oft' messages for help. Sometimes 
he wonld lose his temper and curse and swear quite violently. On 
one occasion he received a message from Fremont that no more 
troops could or would be sent for the present. Striding back and 
forth in liis room, with the paper in his hand, he suddenly threw it 
on the table, and smiting his hands together cried out : " 6r — d d — n 
General Fi^emoiit! He is a worse enemy to me and the Union cause than 
Price and McCulloch and the whole d — d tribe of rebels in this part 
of the State! "1 

" WAR ! HORRID WAR ! " 

And now the people of Greene county had come to realize what 
civil war meant. Years before they had had its horrors pictured to 
them by Benton and Phelps and Richardson and Rollins and Orr and 
Hendrick and Boyd, but now they were seeing and feeling them and 
destined full soon, to sup to gorging thereon. What a change in a.few 
brief months ! The peaceful citizens of one year ago were now sol- 
diers, with arms in their hands seeking to blow out one another's 
brains or cut one another's throats. Peaceful fields were converted 
into military camps ; dwelling houses were made hospitals ; peaceful 
plow horses were harnessed to cannon carriages, the rumble of whose 
wheels, mingled with those of the " army wagons," was to be heard 
at all hours in lieu of the cheerful rattle of the farmer's wagon a year 
ago ; bands of illy-disciplined soldiers of both armies were ravaging 
the country, killing stock, plundering gardens and smoke-houses, 
" pressing" this, that, or the other article of property, terrifying the 
inhabitants out of their wits — while a great battle, sure to be fierce 
and bloody, was imminent and to be fought on Greene county soil, 
accustomed aforetime only to the pleasures and delights of a time of 
peace. 

Verily, the conduct of those who would do nothing to prevent civil 
war, but everything to bring it on, was causing terrible results and 
bearing bitter fruits. 

PRELIMINARIES TO THE FINAL STRUGGLE. 

On Monday, August 5, the day of Lyon's arrival at Springfield, as 
before stated, he left a force of 2,500 strong at a point about five miles 
from Springfield, on the Fayetteville road. This force (comprising 
fully one-third of Lyon's army), under Major Sturgis, was ordered 



Fro m statements of two prominent Union men of Greene county who were present. 



304 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

by Gen. Lyon to be ready to moveat a moment's notice, and at about 
6 o'clock on the evening of the next day the men were in ranks, the 
artillery horses harnessed, and everything in readiness to march back 
and attack the advancing enemy. 

Shortly afterward a stream of visitors, messengers, and communi- 
cations poured in upon the general, some reporting the engagement 
of Capt. Stockton, of the 1st Kansas and two companies of Home 
Guards with a party of Price's cavalry, on the prairie west of town, 
in which two of the latter were wounded ; some gave other informa- 
tion ; some were the bearers of excellent advice ( 1) ; others came for 
orders ; still others had no business. 

Two companies were ordered to the relief of Capt. Stockton. 
Eight companies of the 1st Kansas infantry, a part of the second Kan- 
sas, and Major Osterhaus' battalion of the 2d Missouri were ordered 
to a certain point in town to await the arrival of Gen. L3'"on, who, it 
seems, was so entirely occupied with other matters that instead of 
starting at 10 o'clock it was midnight when he left his headquarters, 
and without looking at his watch he proceeded to Camp Hunter, hav- 
ing already ordered Major Sturgis to drive in the enemy's pickets, 
if within two miles of his own. A company of cavalry under Capt. 
Fred Steele i was dispatched on this errand (to find the pickets) at 
half past 12, and Gen. Lyon, with the troops above mentioned, ar- 
rived at 3 o'clock in the morning. Here he consulted his watch, and, 
finding the time more than two hours later than he supposed, he at 
once called together his principal ofiicers, communicated to them his 
embarrassing position, and taking their advice, withdrew the entire 
force to Springfield. 

It had been Lyon's intention, on retreating from Dug Springs to 
Springfield, to wheel suddenly about on reaching the latter place and 
march back upon Price and McCuUoch (who, he considered, would 
be following him up), fall upon them when they least expected an at- 
tack and defeat them if possible. On arriving at Springfield appear- 
ances indicated the approach of a Confederate force from the west, 
and this caused him to wait a fev^ hours. The night of the 6th his in- 
formation was to the efi'ect that Price and McCulloch were only seven 
miles away from Sturgis' camp, and he intended attacking them at 
daylight. On the return to town the general remarked to Major 
Schofield, of the 1st Missouri, (Frank Blair's regiment), that he had 



1 Afterward Major General in command of the Federal troops in Arkansas. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 305 

a premonition that a night attack would prove disastrous, and yet he 
had felt impelled to try it once, and perhaps should do so again, " for 
my only hope of success is in a surprise," he added. Before the Fed- 
erals reached Springfield it was daylight. An ambush was formed in 
the timber southwest of town, in case of pursuit. 

During Wednesday continual alarms were circulating in Springfield, 
and a real panic prevailed among many of the citizens, who packed up 
and left, or prepared to leave, for supposed places of safety. The 
troops were under arms in every quarter, and several times it was re- 
ported that fighting had actually commenced. Toward night the panic 
in a degree subsided ; but many of the people who had remained 
did not retire or make any attempt to sleep. Phelps' regiment of 
Home Guards, commanded by Col. Marcus Boyd, was on the qui vive 
the whole night. 

A consultation of the principal Federal officers was held at Gen. 
Lyon's headquarters, which lasted till midnight. The question of 
evacuating Springfield and abandoning Southwest Missouri to its fate 
was seriously discussed. Looking at the matter from a military point 
of view, there was no doubt of the propriety and even the necessity of 
such a step, and Gen. Lyon and the majority of his officers counseled 
such a movement. Some favored a retreat to Fort Scott, while 
others thought R,olla a point easier reached and promising better 
results. 

Gen. Sweeney, however, was strongly opposed to retreating with- 
out a fight. With his naturally florid ftice flushed to livid red, and 
waving his one arm with excitement, he exclaimed vehemently against 
such a policy — pointing out the disastrous results which must ensue 
upon a retreat without a battle — how the "rebels" would boast 
over such an easy conquest, how they would terrorize, harrass, and 
persecute the unprotected Unionists if given undisputed possession of 
the country, how the Unionists themselves would become discouraged, 
crushed, or estranged, and declared himself in favor of holding on to 
the last moment, and of o-ivinfij battle to Price and McCulloch as soon 
as they should offer it.i 

Gen. Lyon and some of the other officers became converts to Gen. 
Sweeney's views, and it was decided to remain, save the reputation of 
the little army, hope against hope for reinforcements, and not evacu- 
ate Springfield and Greene county until compelled to. The next day 



1 Gen. Sweeney said : " Let us eat the last bit of mule flesh and fire the last cartridge 
before we think of retreating." 
20 



306 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

when Sigel's brigade quartermaster, Major Alexis Mudd, asked Geu. 
Lyon when the army would leave Springfield, the latter replied: 
" Not until we are whipped out." 

A FALSE ALARM. 

Thursday morning, Price and McCulloch were reported to be actu- 
ally advancing on Springfield. Lyon's troops were quickly in line of 
battle, the baggage wagons were all sent to the center of the town, 
and in this position they remained during nearly the entire day. The 
Southern troops had advanced, but only about two miles, and had gone 
into camp in the southern part of this county, nearly on the line be- 
tween Greene and Christian counties (in sections 25 and 36, tp. 28, 
range 23, partly in Greene and partly in Christian county), their tents 
being on either side of Wilson's creek, and extending a mile or so 
east and south of the Fayetteville road. Thursday evening, the Fed- 
erals were ready for marching orders, but a portion of the Kansas 
troops had been so much engaged the night before as to be really un- 
fit for service, and an order for all of the soldiers, except those ac- 
tually on guard, to retire and rest was issued and the night attack was 
asfain deferred. The Home Guards were on dutv and in active ser- 
vice in the city at this time. 

And so the soldiers lay down to rest and to sleep — to many of them 
it was to be the last repose they should take until they should lie 
down to take their final sleep. Soon the camps were wrapped in si- 
lence and slumber and no sound was to be heard save the cry of the 
night birds and the challenges of the watchful pickets as they hailed 
the relief guard, or arrested the steps of some belated wanderer. 
There they lay, these men from Iowa and Kansas, dreaming of the 
homes and loved ones they had left behind them on the beautiful prai- 
ries of their own States, and in vision seeing faces and forms and 
scenes they were destined to never see again in reality. There they 
lay, these bearded Germans from St. Louis, dreaming, perhaps, of 
families and kinsmen in the city by the great river, or of their earl}' 
homes in the Fatherland, far across the deep, blue sea. There they 
lay, these Missouri Unionists, sleeping as peacefully as their brethren in 
arms. 

There they lay, too, only a few miles awa3s those men under the 
folds of the new flag, who had come out from their homes by the 
bayous of Louisiana, on the plains of Texas, amid the hills and dales 
and valleys of Arkansas and Missouri, to do battle for the cause they 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 307 

believed to be just and righteous, to drive out those whom they be- 
lieved to be the wrongful invaders of their country, the despoilers of 
their homes. And to blue and gray alike, with an equal peace and 
softness, came that balmy blessing which " knits up the raveled 
sleeve of care. " 

Friday, the 9th, Springfield was remarkably quiet. But the calm 
preceded the storm. Those timid creatures who had made it a busi- 
ness to repeat exciting rumors had been frightened away with much 
of the material upon which they operated. Enlistments in the Spring- 
field regiment had been rapid, and really among the uninitiated and 
uninformed a feeling of security prevailed. During the afternoon 
Capt Wood's company of Kansas cavalry and Capt. Stanley's com- 
pany of regulars had a skirmish with a scouting[party of Price's cavalry 
on the prairie about five miles west of town, defeating them, wound- 
ing two and capturing six or eight prisoners. From the prisoners, 
among other information, it was learned that the Southern troops 
were badly off for provisions and were forced to do some pretty lib- 
eral foraging on both friends and enemies. 

A MESSENGER FROM FREMONT NO HOPE ! 

About noon there arrived a messenger from St. Louis and Fremont 
bearing a dispatch from the latter to Gen. Lyon. This dispatch in- 
formed Lyon that his situation was not considered critical ; that he had 
doubtless over-estimated the force in his front ; that he ought not to 
fall back without good cause, and assured him that no reinforcements 
would be sent, but that he must report his future movements as 
promptly as possible, and do the best he could, 

No hope for you now, Gen. Lyon ! With a force three times that 
of yours in numbers and four times in efficiency, in a country es- 
pecially adapted for the movements of cavalry, with the terms of en- 
listment of half of your best men expired, and with but a few thous- 
and of inexperienced troops under your command at the best — there 
is no hope for you now ! You cannot retreat — honor forbids it ; you 
cannot fight in defense — that means annihilation; you can hardly at- 
tack — that invites defeat and destruction. 

No matter that there are and have been thousands of your fellow- 
soldiers at St. Louis, at Jefferson, at Ironton, and at other points, 
anxious to go to your relief and urging to be sent, your commander 
is frightened at a mythical " rebel flotilla," said to be somewhere on 
the Tennessee shore — or has some other reason (heaven and himself 



308 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

only know whiit it is), for not relieving you, and " you must do the 
best you can with the forces at your command." ^ 

Like the l)ruve, disciplined soldier that he was, Lyon accepted the sit- 
uation, and prepared to obey the orders of his superior officer. With 
Fremont's message before him, he sat quietly down at his little table 
in his headquarters and wrote the following reply with his own hand — 
the last letter he ever wrote : — 

Springfield, Mo., Aug. 9, 1861. 

General — I have just received your note of the 6th inst., by spe- 
cial messenger. 1 retired to this place, as I have before informed 
you, reaching here on the 5th. The enemy followed to within ten 
miles of here. He has taken a strong position, and is recruiting his 
supplies of horses, nmles, and provisions by forages into the surround- 
ing country. His large force of mounted men enables him to do this 
without much annoyance from me. 

I find my position extremely embarrassing, and am at present unable 
to determine whether I shall be able to maintain my ground or forced 
to retire. I shall hold my ground as long as possible, though I may, 
without knowing how far, endanger the safety of my entire force with 
its valuable material, being induced, by the important considerations 
involved, to take this step. The enemy yesterday made a show of 
force about five miles distant, and has doubtless a full purpose of 
making an attack on me. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

N. Lyon, 
Brig. Gen. Vols., Commanding. 
To Major Gen. J. C. Fremont, Commanding Western Department, 

St. Louis, Mo. 

No word of complaint ; no murmuring ; but with the expressed 
knowledge that he Avas to be attacked, when attack meant defeat, he 
calmly announced his determination to hold his ground as " long as pos- 
sible." 

CONFEDERATE MILITARY MOVEMENTS PRECEDING THE BATTLE, 

From their camp at Moody's Spring, where they had arrived Mon- 
day night. Generals Price and McCuUoch moved forward to the point 
on Wilson's creek, heretofore described and went again into camp 
on the Gth. Scouting parties were at once sent out, especially to dis- 
cover the Federal position, but with little success, while foraging par- 
ties scoured the country in every direction and were equally inefficient 
in obtaining information. The combined forces were at once put in 
position to advance on Springfield, and only waited the decision of 



1 Said to be Fremont's liteml words. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 309 

Gen. McCulloch to begin the move. The latter was irresohite and 
undecided for some days. From the information he possessed as to 
the strength and character of Lyon's forces and his knowledge of his 
own, he was fearful of the result of an engagement at that time. He 
had but little confidence in Price's Missiourians who were somewhat 
undisciplined and inexperienced, it is true, and at one time he charac- 
terized them as " splendid roasting-ear foragers, but poor sol- 
diers:" 

It is an undoubted fact that at one time Gen. McCulloch had de- 
cided to retreat into Arkansas. Gen. Price, however, was anxious 
for an immediate advance and attack. He knew that Lyon's force 
was inferior even to his own, and that the entire Southern army 
had but little to risk in offering battle. He knew furthermore 
that Lyon ought to be reinforced and that the chances were that he 
could and wonld be, and of course it was desirable that he should be 
attacked before this reinforcement should be effected. The most se- 
rious feature considered hy McCulloch, that the Missourians were illy 
disciplined, imperfectly organized, and poorly armed, Price thought 
would be overcome by their superiority in numbers and their pluck in 
fighting on Missouri soil against a detested enemy — " the Yankee 
Dutch." 

There remains to be shown a good reason why McCulloch did not 
follow up Lyon and attack him on the 6th ; it is true that he gained a 
victory by waiting, but that victory could have been won four days 
earlier and made more complete, more decisive and more lasting 
in its results. And yet McCulloch, on the 8th, sericmsly meditated 
a retreat — knowing his enemy's strength as well as his own, 
and understanding, or supposed to understand, the situation per- 
fectly. 

In his report to the Confederate Secretary of War (see Rebellion 
Records, Series I, Vol. IH., p. 745) Gen. McCulloch says: " * * * 
I asked of the Missourians, owing to their knowledge of the 
country, some reliable information of the strength and position of the 
enemy. This they repeatedly promised, but totally failed to furnish, 
thougTi to urge them to it I then and at subsequent periods declared 
I would order the whole army back to Cassville rather than bring on 
an engagement with an unknown enemy. It had no effect, as 2ve re- 
mained four days, loithin ten miles of Springfield, and never learned 
whether the streets were barricaded, or if any kind of loorks of defense 
had been erected by the enemy. ^^ 



310 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Col. Siiead siws that McCuUoch made every effort to discover the 
condition of Springfield ; that he (McCulloch) would frequently sling 
his rifle over his shoulder, mount his horse and reconnoiter in person ; 
but all to no purpose. Incredible as it may seem, it could not even 
be ascertained whether or not the Federals had thrown up breast- 
works, wiiich it might l)e supposed could be learned from inspection a 
mile away. 

Gen. N. B. Pearce says the first information concerning Gen. 
Lyon's condition was furnished by two ladies, who, " on a pass to go 
out of Lyon's lines, came around by Pond Springs, and came to Gen. 
Price's headquarters and gave the desired information." No corrobor- 
ation of this stor}'^ has been obtained, but it is given on the high 
authority of such a gallant officer and high-minded gentleman as Gen. 
Pearce, now of Whitesboro, Texas. 

At last. Gen. Price lost all patience, and at sunrise on the morning 
of the 9th, sent Col. Snead over to McCulloch to say to him that if he 
did not give orders for an immediate advance he (Price) would 
resume command of the Missouri State Guard and advance alone, be 
the consequences what they might. This led to a conference of the 
general officers at Price's headquarters that afternoon, which confer- 
ence resulted in orders for an advance on Springfield that very night, 
the movement to begin at 9 o'clock. 

GEN. LYON MARCHES OUT TO BATTLE. 

Upon the receipt of Gen. Fremont's last message, to the effect that 
no help would be sent, Gen. Lyon resolved upon attacking his enemy 
down on Wilson's creek and trusting to the effect of a surprise and a 
fierce fight. He was led to this course by the fact that he knew his 
situation would not improve with time, and perhaps by his knowledge 
of the fact that Price and McCulloch were about to attack him.^ To 
fight on the defensive about Springfield, with a town full of women 
and children behind him and an open country, well adapted to the 
movements of cavalry, of which he had but a handful, and of which 
his enemy's force largely consisted, could but result oneway — in de- 
feat. The Confederates were expecting to attack, not to be attacked, 
and if the Federals should fidl suddenly upon them it woukl disconcert 
them very materially, to say the least. These were the tactics adopted 



1 There are grounds for stating that Lyon knew of the intended attack upon him within 
four hours after it had been agreed upon, receiving his information through one of his spies, 
actually a commissioned officer in the Missouri State Guard! 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 311 

by Gen. Lee when Grant crossed the Rapidan, in the spring of 1864, 
and by Napoleon, in the first campaign in Italy. 

Accordingly, late in the afternoon of the 9th (Friday) word was 
sent to the subordinate commanders that after nightfall another move- 
ment against the Confederates would be made. Between Gens. Lyon 
and Sweeney, Col. Sigel, and Maj. Sturgis, the plan of attack was 
agreed upon. The army was to be divided into two columns. The 
first column, under Lyon, was to consist of three small brigades ; the 
second, under Sigel, was to consist of one small brigade composed of 
two regiments of infantry, two companies of cavaby, and six pieces of 
artiller3^ 

The first brigade of Lyon's column was composed of three com- 
panies of the Ist U. S. regular infantry, as follows: Co. B, Capt. 
Gilbert; Co. C, Capt. Plummer ; Co. D, Capt. Huston; a company 
of regular rifle recruits under Lieut. Wood, — the four companies being 
commanded by Capt. Plummer, of Co. C. Then there were two 
companies of the 2d Missouri Volunteers, under Maj. P. J. Osterhaus ; 
Capt. Wood's company (mounted) of the 2d Kansas Volunteers; 
Company B., 1st U. S. regular cavalry, under Lieut. Canfield, and a 
light battery of six pieces commanded by Capt. James Totten. The 
first brigade was commanded by Maj. Sturgis. 

The second brigade was commanded by Lieut. Col. Geo. L. Andrews, 
of the 1st Missouri volunteers (Blair's regiment), and was composed 
of the 1st Missouri infantry ; Cos. B and E, 2d U. S. regular in- 
fantry, under Capt. Fred. Steele ; one company of regular recruits 
under Lieut. Lothrop ; one company (squad) of mounted recruits under 
Sergeant Morine, and Lieut. Dubois' light battery of four pieces, one a 
12-pounder. 

The third brigade was commanded by Gen. Sweeney and was com- 
posed of the 1st Iowa volunteers, under Lieut. Col. Merritt, the colonel, 
J. F. Bates, being sick in Springfield ; the 1st Kansas, under Col. 
Geo. W. Deitzler ; the 2d Kansas, under Col. Mitchell, and about 200 
mounted Dade county home guards, under Capt. Clark Wright and 
Capt. T. A. Switzler. 

Gen. Sigel's command consisted of eight companies of the 3d Mis- 
souri volunteers (Sigel's regiment), under Lieut. Col. Albert; nine 
companies of the 5th Missouri, under Col. Salomon ; one company, 1st 
regular cavalry, under Capt. Carr ; one company, C, of the 2d U. 
S. dragoons, under Lieut. Farrand, and six pieces of light artillery 
manned by details from the infantry recruits under Lieuts. Schaeffer 
and Schuetzenbach. 



312 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

THE MARCH BEGUN ROUTE OF GEN. LYON. 

At about 6 i\ M. of Friday evening, the 9tli, the movement of troops 
bep-an. Gen. Lyon's column went to the westward, on the Mt. Ver- 
non road, Capt. Gilbert's company of regular infantry having the ad- 
vance. In a short time it was dark, but the march was continued. 
Althouo-h the march was intended to result in a surprise, and, it was 
expected, would be conducted silently, yet there was a great deal of 
noise made. The Iowa and Kansas volunteers were disposed to ex- 
ercise their vocal organs, and camp songs of all sorts were sung con 
spirito, along the march. The 1st Iowa had a favorite song, the bur- 
den of which ran : — 

So let the wide world wag as it will, 
We'll be gay and happy still. 
Gay and happy, gay and happy, 
We'll be gay and happy still. 

The strains of this song were wafted out over the prairie, loud 
enouofh, it would have seemed, to have been heard bv McCulloch's 
pickets, if any were out. The Kansas men sang "The Happy Land 
of Canaan," and raised the neighborhood with their vocal efforts. 
Toward midnight, however, the line became more quiet, by Gen. 
Lyon's orders. The latter had remarked during the march that the 
Iowa troops had too much levity in their composition to do good fight- 
ing, but added that he would give them an opportunity to show what 
they were made of. It so turned out that the general was mistaken 
in his estimate of the fighting qualities of the Hawkeyes. 

Lyon marched west from Springfield on the Mt. Vernon road, about 
five miles, or near Little York, when he turned south, and made his 
way over neighborhood roads and across the prairies as best he could 
nearly six miles, when he reached a point within striking distance of 
Price's Missourians. The center of the camp of the Southerners was 
about six miles west and about seven miles south of the public square 
of Springfield. Gen. Lyon had for guides Pleasant Hart, Parker 
Cox, and other men. Nearly twenty men have come forward to 
claim this distinction. 

It was 1 o'clock in the morning when the advance discovered the 
camp-fires of the Missourians. The command was then halted and the 
ground reconnoitered as well as possible until the dawn of day, when 
it again moved forward and formed in battle line, moving a little 
southeast so as to strike the extreme northern point of the enemy's 
camp. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 313 



COL. SIQEL S ADVANCE. 



Sigel left "Camp Fremont, "on the south side of Sprmgfield, at about 
6 :30 p. m., taking at first the " wire " road, or road to Cassville and 
Fayetteville, along which the telegraph Avire ran. About four miles 
southwest of town, the command left the main Cassville road, which 
led directly through McCulloch's camp, and bore sonth, and then 
along a road parallel with the Cassville road, and in the same general 
direction, until below the Christian county line. Col. Sigel had for 
guides, C. B. Owen, John Steele, Andrew Adams, (Sara or Jo.) Carthal 
and L. A. D. Crenshaw. Sigel's column marched perhaps twelve or 
thirteen miles, passing clear around the extreme southeastern camp of 
the enemy, and arriving at daylight within a mile of the main camp. 
Taking forward the two cavalry companies of Carr and Farrand, Col. 
Sigel contrived to cut off about forty men of McCulloch's troops, who 
had gone out early to forage, and were engaged in digging potatoes, 
picking roasting ears, gathering tomatoes and procuring other sup- 
plies for their individual commissary departments. These captures 
were made in such a manner that no news of the Federal advance 
from this quarter was brought into the Confederate camp. Moving 
cautiously up, Sigel planted four pieces of his artillery on a little hill, 
in plain view of the Confederate tents, which spread out to his front 
and right. The two regiments of infantry advanced so as to command 
the Fayetteville road at the point where it crosses Wilson's creek, 
while the two companies of cavalry guarded the flanks. In this posi- 
tion the command rested, awaiting the sound of Lyon's guns as a 
signal to open the ball. The prisoners were left in charge of Capt. 
Flagg, with his company (K) of the 5th Missouri. 

In conformity to the plan agreed upon between the Federal com- 
manders, Sigel disposed his troops so as to command the Fayetteville 
road, and prevent the Confederates from retreating by that thorough- 
fare. Too well did Sigel carry out his part of the programme . It is 
claimed by officers of both armies that, had an avenue of retreat been 
left open, it is highly probable that the result of the day's battle would 
have been different. This will more fully appear in subsequent details 
of this article. 

Lyon had left behind him the Greene and Christian County Home 
Guards to take care of Springfield, directing the officers in command 
to watch the Fayetteville road below where Sigel turned off", and send 
word to him across the country, should the Confederates be found 



3J.4 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

approaching from that quarter. This is a circumstance corroborative 
of the theory that Lyon knew that the Confederates meditated a night 
attack on him (as they did) or believed that sucli was a fact. Every- 
thing ill Springfield had been gotten ready for a retreat. Wagons 
were loaded, and the funds of the bank were secured for transfer, and 
were being guarded by the Home Guards. The citizens were in quite 
a state, to be sure. 

LYON OPENS THE BATTLE. 

In describing the battle of Wilson's Creek in this history, which, it 
is believed, contains the only fully elaborate and accurate account 
ever published of that memorable contest, it is proper to do so in 
detail. The statements herein made have been derived from the 
official reports of commanders, and from the fairest accounts of actual 
participants. Care has been taken to discard all reports which are 
highly colored, sensational, not corroborated by undisputed facts, and 
savoring of the improbable. Both Federal and Confederate accounts 
of this character have been rejected. The Federal accounts believed 
to be the most relial)le are those furnished by Maj. (General) Sturgis, 
Lieut. Col. Merritt of the 1st Iowa, Lieut. Col. Blair and Mnj. Cloud, 
of the 2d Kansas, Major J. M. Schofield, then of the 1st Missouri, 
Capt. Totten and Lieut. Dubois of the artillery, and Capt. Steele of the 
regulars, Capt. Wright of the Home Guards, all of Lyon's column; 
and Gen. Sigel, Dr. S. H. Melcher, the guides, and Capt. Carr, of 
Sigel's column. The Confederate or Southern accounts relied upon, 
are the official reports of Gens. Price, McCulloch, Pearce, Clark, 
Rains, McBride and Parsons ; reports of Col. John T. Hughes, of 
Slack's division, and Col. John R. Graves, of Rains' division ; letters 
from Col. Thos. L. Snead, Asst. Adj. Gen. of Gen. Price, and Lieut. 
W. P. Barlow, of Guibor's battery; reports of and letters from Col. 
T. J. Churchill, 1st Arkansas Mounted Ritiemen ; Col. James Mcin- 
tosh, and Lieut. Col. B. T. Embry, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Riflemen ; 
Lieut. Col. D. McRae, of McRae's battalion, Arkansas Volunteers ; Col. 
Lewis Hebert, Lieut. Col. S. M. Hyams and Maj. W. F. Tunnard, 3d 
Louisiana Volunteers ; Col. E. Greer, South Kansas-Texas Regi- 
ment Cavalry ; Capt. J. G. Reid, of Reid's Arkansas Battery ; Col. 
John R. Gratiot, 3d Arkansas ; Col. J. D. Walker, 4th Arkansas; 
Col. Tom P. Dockery, 5th Arkansas Inlantry ; Col. De Rosey Carroll, 
Ifet Arkansas Cavalry and other commissioned officers, and many pri- 
vate soldiers and a few citizens. 

Maj. Sturgis, who assumed command of Lyon's column after the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 315 

battle, states that at daylight, Lyon's battle line was formed, the. 
infantry in front, closely followed by Totten's battery, which was 
supported by a reserve. In this order the line advanced but a few 
hundred yards, when the first outpost of Price's men was encountered. 
Firino- ^vas commenced instantly, and the outpost hurriedly retreated. 
This was the advance of Rains' division. The Federal line then 
halted, and Capt. Plummer's l)attalion of regulars, with the Dade 
County Home Guards on his left, was sent to the east across Wilson's 
creek, and ordered to move toward the front, keeping pace with the 
advance on the Federal left. The main line then swept forward, and 
after crossing a considerable ravine and ascendinoj a hio;h rid^e, a full 
view of a line of Rains' skirmishers was had. Maj. Osterhaus' two 
companies of the 2nd Missouri, and two companies of the 1st Missouri 
under Capts. Yates and John S. Cavender, were deploj^ed to the left, 
all as skirmishers. Firing between the two skirmish lines now became 
very severe, and Totten's battery, then in position, opened with shell, 
and the boom of the cannon and the crashinoj of the bombs added to 
the excitement.^ 

The 1st Missouri, Col. Andrews, and the 1st Kansas, Col. Dietzler, 
were now hastily moved to the front, supported by Totten's battery ; 
the 2d Kansas, Col. Mitchell, Steele's battalion, and Dul)ois' battery, 
were held in reserve. The 1st Missouri took its position in front, 
upon the crest of a small elevated plateau. The 1st Kansas went to 
the left of the 1st Missouri, while Totten's batter}' was placed opposite 
the interval between the two regiments. Osterhaus' two companies 
occupied the extreme right, with their right resting on a ravine, \vhich 
turned abruptly to the right and rear. Dubois' battery, supported 
by Steele's battalion, was placed 75 yards to the left and rear of Tot- 
ten's guns, so as to bear upon a well-served Confederate battery (be- 
lieved to have been Capt. Woodruff's " Pulaski Artillery," of Arkan- 
sas), which had come into position to the left and front on the oppo- 
site side of Wilson Creek, and was sweeping with canister the entire 
plateau upon which the Federals were posted. 

The Missourians now rallied in considerable force under cover at the 
foot of the slope and along it in front and opposite the Federal right, 
toward the crest of the main ridge running parallel to the creek. 
Durinoj this time Plummer's battalion had advanced alons: the rid^e 



^ It must be borne in mind that the CoTifederate line extended in a general direction from 
north to south along "Wilson's creek; that Lyon attacked the northern end from the west 
and northwest, while Sigel was stationed at the southern end, over a mile away. 



316 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

about 500 yards to the left of the main Federal position, and had 
reached the terminus of this ridge, when he found his further progress 
arrested by a force of infantry (a portion of McCuUoch's division), 
which was occupying a cornfield (Mr. Ray's) in the valley. At this 
moment the " bang " of a cannon was heard more than a mile to the 
south, at about the point where Sigel was supposed to be. This fire 
was apparently answered from the opposite side of the valley, at a still 
greater distance, the line of fire of the two batteries being apparently 
east and west, and nearly perpendicular to Totten's and Dubois' 
batteries. After about ten or twelve shots this firinir ceased and 
nothing more was heard of Sigel until about 8 :30, when a brisk can- 
nonading was heard for a few minutes, about a mile to the right of 
that heard before, and still further to the rear. 

Early in the engagement the 1st Iowa had been brought up from 
the reserve to the front and immediately became hotly engaged, doing 
good fighting and winning the praise of Gen. Lyon, who thought at 
one time that men who sans: rollickinof sonijs would not fio;ht well. 

The entire Federal line was now successfully advanced with much 
energy, and apparently with every prospect of success. The firing, 
which had been spirited for half an hour, now increased to a contin- 
uous roar, heard miles away — in Springfield plainly. Capt. Totten's^ 
battery came into action by section and l)y piece, as the nature of the 
ground would admit, it being wooded, with much black-jack under- 
growth, and played vigorously upon the Confederate lines with con- 
siderable eflcct. 

More desperate fighting was not done during the civil war. The 
men of the West were fighting. Missourians met lowans, and Kansans 
met Missourlans, and again, Missourians met other Missourians. For 
fully half an hour the armies fought over the hill before described — 
'♦Bloody Hill," it was afterward called. The 1st Kansas gave way 
and went to the rear, but the 1st Iowa promptly took its place, and 
the fighting went on. Back and forth over the ground they went. 
Now the Union troops fell back a few yards, then advanced again and 
drove the secession troops a short distance, then the latter advanced, 
and so it was for half an hour. At last the Federals were left in pos- 
session of the ground for a short time, the Confederates falling back 
and reforming. 

Meantime Plummer's battalion oil the Federal left had encountered 
Mcintosh's regiment of Arkansas riflemen, and Hebert's 3d Louisiana 
regiment, in Ray's cornfield and been driven back with considerable 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 317 

loss. The Arkansas and Louisiana regiments both belonged to Mc- 
Culloch's army. They would have annihilated Plummer almost, but 
just as they were preparing to do so Dubois' battery opened with 
shells, filling the cornfield full of them, and making it untenable for 
any troops, and the two regiments retreated in some disorder. Steele's 
battalion was supporting Dubois' battery on this occasion. Plum- 
mer was severely wounded. 

Just now there was a momentary cessation of firing, the advantage 
being with the Federals, and it became apparent that some of the 
Southerners desired to retreat, but they soon learned that they were 
practically surrounded, for there was no road to the east or the west, 
and the only outlet from their position, the Fayetteville road, was 
held by Sigel. The only way therefore to get out was to fight out. 
Along the right of the Federal line, however, the 1st Missouri was 
hotly engaged with McBride's division of Missoiirians and was about 
to be overcome. Lyon hurried the 2d Kansas to its relief and saved 
it. During the temporary lull in the firing the Federal line was re- 
formed under the direction of Lyon himself. Steele's battalion, 
which had been supporting Dubois' guns, was brought forward to the 
support of Totten's, and preparations were made to withstand another 
attack, which, as could be ascertained by the shouts of the enemy's 
officers, plainly audible, was being organized. 

Scarcely had Lyon disposed his men to receive the attack when 
his enemy again appeared with a vevy large force along his entire 
front and moving toward his flanks as well. At once the firing 
again began and for a time was inconceivably fierce along the entire 
line. The Confederates were in three lines ^7^ some places, the front 
line lying down, the second kneeling, the third line standing, and all 
the lines and every man loading and firing as rapidly as possible. 
Everv available Federal battalion was now brouo;ht into action, and 
the battle raged with great fury for an hour, the scales seeming all 
the time nearly equally balanced, sometimes the Federal troops and 
then the Confederates gaining ground and then losing it, while all of 
the time some of the best blood in the land was being spilled as 
recklessly as if it were ditch-water. 

How they did fight, these men of both armies ! — fought until their 
gun-barrels became so hot they could scarcely hold them — fought 
when their leaders fell and without commands — fought when the 
blood and brains of their comrades were spattered into their faces — ' 
fought, many of them, until tl\ey died. By and by, as the Confed- 



318 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

eratc fire never slackened, but was constantly increased by the 
arrival of reinforcements, and as some of the Federals reported that 
their cartridges had given out, detachments of the latter began to give 
way, and Gen. Sweeney and Gen. Lyon were engaged from time to 
time in bringing them back into the fight. 

DEATH OF GEN. LYON. 

Early in this engagement, while Gen. Lyon was walking and lead- 
ing his horse along the line on the left of Totten's battery, his horse, 
the iron gray, was killed and he was wounded in two places, in the 
head and in the leg. Captain Herron, of the 1st Iowa,i states that 
he saw the horse fall, and that the animal sank down as if vitally 
struck, neither plunging nor rearing. Lyon then walked on, waving 
his sword and hallooing. He was limping for he had been wounded 
in the leg. He carried his hat, a drab felt, in his hand and looked 
white and dazed. Suddenly blood appeared on the side of his head 
and besfan to run down his cheek. He stood a moment and then 
walked slowly to the rear. Capt. Herron states that he was within 
twenty feet of Lyon when this happened, near enough to observe 
that he was wearing his old uniform, that of captain in the regular 
army. 

When he reached a position a little in the rear Lyon sat down and 
an officer bound a handkerchief about his wounded head. He 
remarked despondingly to Maj. Schofield, of Blair's regiment, one 
of his stafi": "It is as I expected; I am afraid the day is lost. " 
The Major replied: "O, no. General ; let us try once more. " Ma- 
jor Sturgis then dismounted one of his own orderlies and offered the 
horse to Lyon, who at first declined the animal, saying: "I do not 
need ahorse." He then stood up and ordered Sturgis to rally a 
portion of the 1st Iowa which had broken. Sturgis, in executing 
this order, went to some distance from his general. The 1st Iowa 
was being ordered forward by a statf officer, when some of the men 
called out, '• We have no leader, " " Give us a leader, then, " etc. 
Lyon immediately asked to be helped on the orderly's horse. As he 
straightened himself in the saddle the ])lood was dri[)ping off his 
heel, from his wounded leg. Gen. Sweeney rode up and Lyon spoke 
quickly to him, " Sweeney, lead those troops forward ( indicating the 
1st Iowa ) and we will make one more charge. 



' Afterward Major-General and in command of this department. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 319 

Then, swinging his hat, Lyon called out to the 2d Kansas 
regiment, " Come on, my brave boys, ( or "my bully boys, " as 
some say), I will lead yow; forward!''' He had gone but a few 
yards when he Avas shot through the body. One of his orderlies, a 
private named Ed. Lehman, of Co. B, 1st U. S. cavalry, caught him 
in his arms and lowered him to the ground. With the breath still 
feeling at his lips, and his great heart throbbing and striking his own 
death-knell, the dying chieftain gasped, " Lehman, I'm going, " and 
so passed away his spirit through the battle-clouds to the realms where 
is everlasting peace. The place where 'Lyon fell was afterward 
called " Bloody Point." A heap of stones marks the spot to this 
day. Lyon's body was borne to the rear by Lieut. Schreyer, of Capt. 
Tholen's companj'" of the 2d Kansas, assisted by Lehman and an- 
other soldier. 

STILL THE BATTLE GOES ON. 

In the meantime the disordered Federal line was rallied and re- 
formed. The 1st Iowa took its place in the front, and Major Sturgis 
says, " fought like old vetarans." The Kansans and the Missourians 
were also doing well, and the Confederates were driven back, only to 
come again. The situation of the Federals was now desperate. The 
commander. Gen. Lyon, was killed; Gen. Sweeney was wounded, 
Col. Deitzler, of the 1st Kansas, lay with two bullets in his body; 
Col. Mitchell, of the 2d Kansas, by the same fire that killed Lyon, 
was severely wounded (it was thought at first mortally) and as he 
was borne from the field called to an officer of Maj. Sturgis' staff, 
" For God's sake support my regiment ; " Col. Andrews, of the 1st 
Missouri, and Col. Merritt, of the 1st Iowa, were wounded, aud thus 
it was that all of the regimental commanders of Lyon's column were 
wounded. Still the battle went on. 

THE LAST GRAND CHARGE OF PRICE's MEN. 

The great questions in the minds of Sturgis and Sweeney and the 
other Federal officers, who had been informed of the plan of attack 
agreed upon were, " Where isSigel? Why doesn't he co-operate? " Al- 
though it seemed as if there must be a retreat should the Southerners 
make another vigorous charge, yet if Sigel should come up with his 
near 1,000 men, and make an attack on Price's right flank and rear, 
then the Federals could go forward with strong hopes of success. If 
Sigel had been whipped, however, there was nothing left but to re- 
treat. 

Maj. Schofield, Lyon's chief of stafl', rode to Sturgis and informed 



320 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

him that Lyon was killed and Sigel could not be heard from, and 
moreover, that the ammunition was about exhausted, some of the 
troops being entirely out. Sturgis thereupon assumed command — 
although only a major at the time. He at once summoned the princi- 
pal officers left and consulted with them. All agreed that unless 
Sigel made his appearance very soon there was nothing left but to 
retreat, if indeed retreat were possible. 

The consultation was brought to a close by the advance of a heavy 
column of infantry from towards the hill where Sigel's battery had 
been heard at the beginning of the struggle. These troops carried 
flags which, drooping about the staff's, much resembled the stars and 
strij^es, and Sturgis and Scholield say the troops had the appearance 
of Sigel's. A staff" officer in front of where the consultation was go- 
ing on rode back and called out delightedly ''^Yonder comes Sigel! 
Yonder cotnes Sigel! ^^ and the officers departed, each to his com- 
mand to arrange for the expected change in the programme. 

On came the moving mass in Sturgis front, the soldiers cool and 
steady as grenadiers. Down the hill across the hollow in front they 
swept and took position along the foot of the ridge on which the 
Federals were posted. And now, " they are rebels ! " was heard from 
the more advanced of the Kansans and lowans. Suddenly a battery 
(Guibor's) which had followed the line and had rea.ched the hill in 
front of " Bloody Hill, " wheeled about, unlimbered and the command 
"i^^re/" rang out and the guns belched forth shrapnel and canister 
before the trail pieces had hardly touched the ground. The infantry 
at the foot of the hill, now began firing and slowly ascending the hill, 
and at once commenced the fiercest and most bloody struggle of all 
that bloody day. 

Lieut. Dubois' battery, on the Federal left, supported by Oster- 
haus' two companies and the rallied fragments of the Missouri 1st, 
opened on the new battery (Guibor's) and soon checked it. Totten's 
battery, still in the Federal center, supported by the lowans and 
regulars, seemed to be the main point of the Confederate attack. 

The Missourians frequently came up within twenty feet of the muz- 
zles of Totten's guns and received their charges of canister full in 
their faces, and the two clouds of battle smoke mingled until they 
seemed as one. 

For the first time during the day the Federal line never wavered 
and the Confederate line never flinched. At one time Capt. Steele's 
battalion, which was some yards in front, together with the left flanks, 
was in danger of being overwhelmed and captured, the contending 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 321 

lines standing so close that the muzzles of their guns almost touched. 
Capt. Granger, of Sturgis' staff, ran to the rear and brought up the 
supports of Dubois' battery, consisting of Osterhaus' battalion, de- 
tachments of the 1st Missouri, 1st Kansas, and two companies of the 1st 
Iowa, in quick time, and took position on the left flank, and poured 
in a heavy volley upon the Confederates, which was so murderous and 
destructive that that portion of the line gave way. Capts. Patrick E. 
Burke and Madison Miller, and Adjutant Hiscock, of the 1st Missouri 
were especially mentioned for gallantry in this assault. 

The entire Confederate line now fell back a short distance and 
began again forming. Sturgis took advantage of this lull in the 
storm to make good his retreat. Perceiving that Totten's battery 
and Steele's battalion were entirely safe, for the present, and directing 
Capt. Totten to replace his disabled horses as soon as possible, Sturgis 
sent Dubois' battery to the rear with its supports to take up a posi- 
tion on the hill in the rear and cover the retreat. The 2d Kansas, on 
the extreme right, having been nearly out of ammunition for some 
time, was ordered to withdraw, which it did bringing off its wounded. 
This, however, left the Federal right flank exposed, and the Mis- 
sourians at that point to the number of 100 or more advanced at 
once ; they were driven back, however, by Steele's battalion of 
regulars and joined the main force reforming in the rear. 

RETREAT. 

Maj. Sturgis gave the order to retreat as soon as his enemy had 
fallen back and enabled him to do so. Totten's battery, as soon as 
his disabled horses could be replaced, retired with the main body of 
the infantry, while Capt. Steele met the feeble demonstrations of a 
few plucky Missouri skirmishers who had not fallen back with the 
main line and were picking away at the Federal right flank. The 
whole Federal column now moved unmolested and in tolerable order 
to the high open prairie east of Ross' spring and about two miles 
from the battle ground. The artillery and the ambulances, were 
brought off in safety. After making a short halt on the prairie the 
retreat was continued to Springfield over substantially the same route 
taken to the field. ^ 

Just after the order to retire had been given, and while Sturgis was 
undecided whether to retreat from the field entirely or take up another 

1 Plummer's battalion led the advance of the retreat, and came into Springfield with the 
drums beating, the flag flying, the men in four ranks, with all the appearance of having been 
merely out on drill. 

21 



322 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

position, one of Sigel's non-commissioned officers (Sergt. Frcelich) 
arrived on a foam-covered horse and reported that Col. Sigel's brigade 
had been totally routed, his artillery captured, and the colonel him- 
self either killed or taken prisoner. 

On reaching the Little York road Sturgis encountered Lieut. Farrand, 
with his company of dragoons, one piece of artillery and a considera- 
ble portion of the 3d and 5th Missouri, all of Sigel's command, which 
had made their way across the country in order to unite with the main 
command and be saved from entire destruction. The march was re- 
sumed, but the command did not succeed in reaching Springfield un- 
til five o'clock in the evening. 

Lyon's column began the attack at about 5 in the morning and it 
was half-past 11 when the battle ended ; the main body of the troops 
Avere engaged about six hours. 

sigel's part in the fight. 

It is proper now to consider the part taken by Col. Sigel and his 
brigade in the l)attle of Wilson's Creek. It has been stated that he 
had moved entirely around the southern end of the Confederate line 
of camp, and on a previous page we left him with his guns " in bat- 
tery " and his infantry and cavalry in line commanding the Fayette- 
ville road, and ready to open fire as soon as the sound of Lyon's guns 
could be heard up the valley, nearly two miles. 

At 5 :30, early in the morning, the rattle of musketry was heard, 
apparently nearly two miles away to the northwest. " Bang! Bang! 
Bang! Bang!^' in rapid succession, went the four guns of Lieuts. 
Schaeffer and Schuetzeubach, as they discharged their contents into 
and among the tents of McCul loch's camp. A few more rounds and 
the Confederates abandoned their tents and retired in haste toward the 
northeast and northwest. This fighting was done just across the 
line, in Christian county, on Sharp's farm, which ran up to the coun- 
ty line, on which stood Mr. Sharp's house. 

McCulloch's troops, infantry and cavalry, soon began to form and 
Sigel brought forward his entire line into and across the valley, the 
two com[)anies of cavalry to the right, the artillery in the center and 
the infantry on the left. After a period of irregular firing for about 
half an hour, the Confederates retired into the woods and up the ad- 
joining hills. The firing toward the northwest was now more dis- 
tinct, and it was evident that Gen. Lyon had engaged the enemy along 
the whole line. To give assistance to him — to be able to co-operate 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 323 

with him if necessary, and to drive the enemy in his own front, Sigel 
again advanced, this time toward the northwest, intending to attack 
the Confederates in the rear. 

Marching forward, Sigel struck the Cassville road, making his way 
through a number of cattle and horses, and arriving at an eminence, 
which had been used as a slaughter yard by McCulloch's men. This 
was on Sharp's farm and near the house. At and near Sharp's house, 
on the road, some of McCulloch's men who were straggling back 
from the light iu front came unawares on Sigel's men and were taken 
in. Sigel, after a brief conference with some of his officers, at ouce 
concluded that Lyon had been successful and was driving the Confed- 
erates before him. Knowing that this was the only avenue of retreat 
left open, and imagining that here was a grand opportunity for stopping 
it up and bagging several thousand " rebels," the colonel hurriedly 
formed his troops across the road, planting the artillery in the center 
on the plateau, and a regiment of infantry and a company of cavalry on 
either flank, and awaited the coming of what seemed to him to be the 
vanquished Confederates, large numbers of whom could be seen mov- 
ing toward the South along the ridge of a hill about 700 yards oppo- 
site the right of the Federal right. 

It was now about half past 8 o'clock, and the firing in the north- 
west, where Lyon was supposed to be, and where he really was fight- 
ing, had almost entirely ceased. At this instant. Dr. S. H. Melcher, 
the assistant surgeon of Salomon's res^iment, and some of the skir- 
mishers came back from the front where desultory firing had been go- 
ing on, and reported that Lyon's men were coming up the road, for 
they could be seen plainly, and the gray-coated Iowa regiment plainly 
distinguished. Atonce Lieut. Col. Albert, of the 3d Missouri, and Col. 
Salomon, of the 5th, notified their regiments not to fire on the troops 
coming in this direction, for they were friends, and Sigel himself gave 
the same caution to the artillery. 

Everybody was surprised at this unexpected turn of affiiirs, and the 
Germans of Sigel's and Salomon's regiments began jabbering away 
delightedly, and the color-bearers were beckoning with their flags to 
the advancing hosts to " come on " — when, all at once, two batteries 
of artillery, one on the Fayetteville road and one on the hill where it 
was supposed Lyon's men were in pursuit of the flying Confederates,, 
opened with canister, shell and shrapnel, while the gray-coated 
troops, supposed to be the lowans, advanced from the Fayetteville 
road and attacked the Federal right, and a battalion of cavalry nuide 
its appearance, apparently ready and waiting to charge ! 



324 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The j;ib])cring of the German soldiers was now something wonder- 
ful, but it had a different tone from that of a few minutes previously ! 
It is impossible to describe the consternation and frightful confusion 
that resulted. So surprised and frightened were the soldiers that they 
could not understand these were Confederates who were firing upon 
them and coming rapidly forward to sweep them from the face of the 
earth. They hurried and skurried about Crying, some in English: 
"It is Totten's battery ! " others in German : " Sie haben gegen uns 
geschossen! Sie irrten sichi (They are firing against us! They 
make a mistake !) And then, making no ettbrt to fight Avorthy of the 
name, they began to retreat. 

The artillerymen, all of whom were recruits from the infantry, who 
had seen but little service of any kind, could hardly be brought for- 
■ward to serve their pieces, although directed by Sigel himself; the 
infantry would not level their guns until it was too late ; indeed, they 
«ould not be made to stop running, let alone to turn and fight. 
Salomon cursed in German, in English, in French. Sigel threatened 
and bullied and coaxed. No use. As well try to stop a herd of 
stampeded bufiiiloes. Some of the artillerymen in charge brought 
ofi" one piece of artillery which had not been unlimbered and put in 
position, and away it went, the wheels bouncing two feet from the 
ground and the postilions lashing their horses like race-riders. 

On came McCuUoch's and Price's men, the Louisiana regiment of 
Col. Hebert (pronounced Hebare) which had been mistaken for the 
1st Iowa because of its pretty steel gray uniform, was in front, and 
foUowins: them were the Arkansas reo;iments of Dockery and Gratiot 
the 5th and 3d, Greer's regiment of Texas cavalry, Lieut. Col. Major's 
Howard and Chariton county battalion, Johnson's battalion mounted 
Missourians, and some other detachments. Up to the very muzzles of 
the cannons they came, killing the artillery horses and what artillery 
men were reckless enough to remain, firing fairly into the faces of the 
panicky Teutons and forcing them to throw themselves into the bushes, 
into by-roads, anywhere to escape and to scamper away as fast as their 
legs could carry them. The color-bearer of Sigel' s own regiment was 
badly wounded ; his substitute was killed, and the flag itself was cap- 
tured by Capt. Tom Staples, a Missourian, of Arrow Rock, Saline 
county. 

When the plateau was reached, the cannon captured and the field 
gained, the infantry stopped and cheered, Reid's and Bledsoe's bat- 
teries fired parting salutes into the flying blue-coats, and then, leaving 
the cavalry to pursue, both infantry and artillery turned about and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 325 

went up to the other end of the valley to assist their brethren in that 
quarter, and to participate in the final triumph of the day. 

Awav went the Germans, down to the south into Christian county, 
throwinf^ away guns, cartridge boxes, even canteens — everything that 
hindred rapid flight, — wandering about and hiding when they could, 
with the Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri cavalry leaping upon them 
incessantly and slaying them wherever they made the least show of 
resistance. At Nowlin's mill, on the James, three miles from the 
battle-ground, it was told that four fugitives skulked under the mill- 
dam and, refusing to*come out, were riddled with buckshot. 

The next day men lay scattered all over the country, wounded or 
dead; and yet Sigel lost but comparatively few killed. Prisoners 
were taken in great numbers — run down by the Texas rangers and 
driven in like flocks of sheep, as timid now and as harmless. Sigel 
himself got panicky after awhile and fled for Springfield, across the 
country, accompanied by only two guards, giving rise to the stanza 
of the doggerel song sung in the Confederate camps afterwards, con- 
cerning the battle of Wilson Creek, — how. 

Old Sigel fought some on that day, 
But lost his army in the fray ; 
Then off to Springfield he did run, 
With two Dutch guards, and nary gun. 

At Thos. Chambers' house, four miles south of Springfield, Col. 
Sigel and his two guards halted and procured a drink of water, and 
then rode away to Springfield, as rapidly as their jaded horses could 
carry them. Sigel himself arrived at Springfield with but one 
orderly. 

Only the cavalry under Carr and Farrand, the one piece of artillery, 
two caissons and about 150 infantry came off in anything like order, 
and these followed down tiie wire road some miles to the west and 
then turned off due north and united with Sturgis' column, near the 
Little York road. Only four pieces of artillery were captured at 
the time of the charge on the hill, for those were all that were in 
position. The two others were in the rear. In attempting to get one 
of them away awheel horse was killed, and the drivers abandoned the 
gun, after first spiking it as best they could. The gun that was saved 
was first abandoned out on the Fayetteville road, and hauled oft' at 
first by hand a short distance, Capt. Flagg employing the prisoners 
and soldiers as artillery horses. 

Concerinng the retreat of that portion of Sigel's force which went 



326 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

to the westward, Lieut, Chas. E. Farrand (then of the second regu- 
lar infantry) commanding the company of cavalry before mentioned, 
writes : — 

Upon finding myself with my company alone, I retired in a south- 
erly direction, and accidentally meeting one of the guides (Mr. 
Crenshaw), who had been employed in taking us to the enemy's camp, 
I forcilily detained him until I could collect some of the troops, whom 
I found scattered and apparently lost. I halted my company and got 
quite a number together, and directed the guide to proceed to Spring- 
field, via Little York. After proceeding a short distance we came 
upon one of the pieces which had been taken from Col. Sigel. Al- 
though the tongue of the limber was broken, one horse gone, and one 
of the remaining three badly wounded, we succeeded in moving it on. 
Some distance in advance of this we found a caisson, also bclonijino: 
to Col. Sigel' s battery. I then had with me Sergt. Bradburn, of 
company D, 1st cavalry, and Corporal Lewis and Private Smith, of 
my own company (C, 2d dragoons). My company being some dis- 
tance in advance, I caused the caisson to be opened, and on discover- 
ing that it was full of ammunition I determined to take it on. I and 
the three men with me tried to prevail uponsome of the Germans to 
assist us in clearing some of the wounded horses from the harness, 
but they would not stop. After considerable trouble, my small party 
succeeded in clearing the wounded horses from the harness, hitching 
in two more and a pair of small mules I obtained and moved on, Cor- 
poral Lewis and Private Smith driving, while Sergt. Bradburn and I 
led the horses. After reaching the retreating troops again I put two 
other men on the animals, and joined my company with my 
three men. Before reaching Springfield it became necessary to 
abandon the caisson,^ in order to hitch the animals to the piece. 
This was done after destroying the ammunition it contained. Lieut. 
Morris, adjutant of Col. Sigel's command, assisted me in procuring 
wagons, which we sent back on the road after the wounded. 

The route of retreat taken by Lieut. Farrand and Capt. Flagg and 
the fragments of Sigel's command, 400 in all, was down the wire 
road a short distance, and then north to the Mt. Vernon road. 
While marching northward this body of disordered men was only 
within two or three miles of the entire Southern army for three or 
four hours. Why Generals Price and McCuUoch did not send out a 
small force of mounted men and take prisoner every man, which 
could very easily have been done, is inexcusal)le, certainly. 

DR. S. H. MELCHER's ACCOUNT. 

Mention has been made of Dr. Samuel H. Melcher, who as assist- 



' Which was done near Mr. Robinson's. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 327 

ant surgeon of Col. Salomon's 5th Mo. (Dr. E. C. Franklin, being 
surgeon), was present at the battle of Wilson's Creek with Sigel's 
command. To the writer hereof Dr. Melcher, now of Chicago, sends 
his recollections of the events of the memorable contest. As the 
doctor was so long identified with this count3^ having been surgeon 
at Springfield for several months, and as he is still well and favora- 
bly remembered by many of our people, his account, which, though 
written more than twenty-one years afterwards, is in remarkable con- 
cord and agreement with official reports made at the time, is, in part, 
here given. After narrating the preliminary movements of Sigel, 
substantially as heretofore given. Dr. Melcher says : — 

* * * Gen. Sigel soon gave the order to fire, which was 
responded to with rapidity, but our guns being on an elevation, and 
the Confederates being in a field which sloped toward the creek, the 
shots passed over their heads, creating a stampede, but doing little, 
if any, damage to life or limb. In vain I and others urged the artil- 
ler\'men to depress the gnns. Either from inability to understand 
English, or, in the excitement, thinking it was only necessary to load 
and fire, they kept banging away till the. whole camp was deserted. 
* * * The command then moved on till it reached the Fayetteville 
road and Sharp's house. While the command was taking position, I, 
with my orderly, Frank Ackofl', 5th Missouri, went into the abandoned 
Arkansas camp, where I found a good breakfast of coffee, biscuit and 
fried green corn. * * * Most of the tents were open — a mus- 
ket with fixed bayonet being forced into the ground, butt up, and the 
flap of the tent held open by being caught in the flint lock. At that 
time, besides a few Confederate sick, there were in the camp Lieut. 
Chas. £. Farrand, in command of the dragoons, and his orderly. 
Half an hour later, some straggling parties from the 3d and 5th Mis- 
souri, set fire to some wagons and camp equipage. 

* * * The four guns were in the front, supported by the 3d 
Missouri, with the cavalry and dragoons on the left in the timber. 
The 5th Missouri was in reserve, except Co. J^, Capt. Sam'l A. 
Flagg, which was fnrther in the rear, guarding some thirty or forty 
prisoners. [Here Dr. Melcher narrates his capture of Col. McMur- 
try, of Warsaw, Benton county, an oflacer of Price's army. Dr. 
Melcher still has the " Maynard " carbine which he took from McMur- 
try, and his sword and pistols were given to two musicians of the 5th 
Missouri. Later in the engagement. Col. McMurtry escaped by rep- 
resenting that he was a Confederate surgeon. — Compiler.] At this 
time, scattering shots were heard at some distance in our front, but 
no heavy firing. Armed men, mostly mounted, were seen moving 
on our right in the edge of the timber. « * ♦ 

It was smoky, and objects at a distance could not be seen very dis- 
tinctly. Being at some distance in front of the command, I saw a 



328 HISTOllY OF GKKENE COUNTY. 

body of men moving down the Viilley toward us, from tlie direction 
we last licard Gen. Lyon's guns. I rode back, and reported to Gen. 
Sigel that troops were coming, saying to him, " Tiiey look like the 1st 
Missouri." [Iowa?] They seemed moving in a column. * * * By 
this time, Sigel coidd see them. Not seeing their colors, I suggested 
to Sigel thnt he had l)etter show his, so that if it wan our men they 
might not mistake us — Siael's brigade not being in regulation uni- 
form. Gen. Sigel turned and said : "Color-bearer, advance with 
your colors, and wave them — wave them three times." As this 
order was being obeyed, Lieut. Farrand, with his orderljs arrived from 
the Arkansas camp, each bearing a rel)el guidon, which they had 
found, and with which they rode from the right of the line, near 
Sharp's house, directly in front of the color-l)earer of Sigel's regi- 
ment. Then there was music in the air ! A battery we could not 
see opened with grape, making a great deal of noise as the shot struck 
the fence and trees, but not doing much damage, as far as observed, 
except to scare the men, who hunted for cover like a flock of young 
partridges, suddenly disturbed. The confusion was very great, many 
of the men saying, " It is Toiteri's battery ! It is Totten's battery ! " 
The impression seemed to be general that Totten was firing into us, 
after seeing the rebel guidons of Farrand, as it was the common un- 
derstanding that the Confederates had no grape, and these were grape 
shot, certainly.^ 

Gen. Sigel noio evidently thought of retreat, as the only Avords I 
heard from him were, " Where's my guides? " [Instances of indi- 
vidual cowardice among Sigel's officers are here given.] I assisted 
Lieut. Emile Thomas (now of St. Louis), the only officer of his com- 
pany that had the grit to stay, to reform the men. I do not know if 
we could have succeeded, had not a Confederate cavalry battalion sud- 
denly appeared in our front, on the line of retreat. For a moment 
the two commands gazed upon each other, and then came a terrible 
rattle of musketry, and a great hubbub and confusion in the direction 
of Sigel's command, which was just around a bend in the road to our 
rear. 

In a twinkling, men, horses, wagons, guns, all enveloped in a cloud 
of dust, rushed toward us, and in spite of Lieut. Thomas's utmost 
efforts, Company F started with all speed dmvn the Fayetteville road 
toward the Confederate cavalry. The latter, seeming to think they 
were being charged upon, wheeled and got out of the way very 
quickly ! The bulk of Gen. Sigel's command turned to the east and 
were followed by a Confederate command, that captured one gun at 
the creek, many prisoners, and left a considerable number of killed 
and wounded along the road. 

Perhaps one-third of the command went southvvest, and halted at 
the next house beyond Sharp's on the Fayetteville road, and here 



1 It was not Totten's battery, but Reid's Confederate battery, from Ft. Smith, Ark. It 
was well supplied with grape from the Little Rock arsenal. — Compiler. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 329 

Dr. Smith, who was Gen. Rains' division surgeon, came up, with a 
long train of wagons and coaches, and was captured, but at once 
released on my intervention. [After this, Dr. Melcher accompanied 
Dr. Smith to the battlefield.] * * * The one gun that was aban- 
doned on the Fajetteville road was reall}^ saved by Capt. Flagg, 
whose men drew the gun by hand till they found some horses, and 
the Confederate prisoners carried the ammunition in their arms. 
* * * They came into Springfield the same evening by way of 
Little Yo*rk. 

Siorel's reasons for his defeat must here be given. He states that 
he tried to obey his orders to attack the enemy in the rear and to cut off 
his retreat. This he did, but he also cut off his own retreat very 
nearly, a circumstance he had not counted upon. 

The time of service of one of his two regiments of infantry, the 5th 
Missouri, Salomon's, had expired some da3^s before the battle and they 
had clamored to go home. On the Istot August he had induced them 
to remain with the army eight days more. This latter term had ex- 
pired the day before the battle. The men therefore were under no obli- 
gations to fight, except that they had marched out to do so, and when 
the time came suddenly remembered that "they did not have to 
fight." The 3d regiment, Sigel's own, was not the old 3d, that 
fought at Carthage ; that regiment, its time having expired, had been 
mustered out, and the new regiment was composed of 400 new re- 
cruits and of but a few other men who had seen service. The men 
serving the artillery were new recruits who knew next to nothing of 
gunnery, and were commanded by two lieutenants whose only expe- 
rience as artillerists had been in the Prussian army in a time of peace. 
Again it is stated that only about half of the companies were ofiicered 
by men with commissions, which, Sigel says, was the fault of the 
three months' service. 

But over all it is claimed that Sigel's complete defeat was the result 
of an attack by vastly superior forces, the flower of McCulloch's army, 
that was permitted to approach fatally near under the mistake that 
they were friends instead of enemies. 

As explaining and detailing something of the retreat of that wing of 
Sigel's command which turned to the east, the following statement of 
Captain (now General) E. A. Carr, who, as previously stated, com- 
manded the advance guard of Sigel's brigade, may be found of 
interest : — 

At about 9 o'clock Capt. Carr received word that Sigel's infantry 
were in full flight and that he was to retreat with all haste. After 



330 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

galloping jiway as best he could for about a mile and a half to the 
rear, Carr came upon Sigel at the spring where the army had halted 
the first night when returning from Dng S[)ring some days before. 
After a brief consultation it was decided to move south on the Fayette- 
ville road until there was a chance to go out and circle around the 
pursuing enemy and then strike for Springfield. There were then 
present at the spring Sigel, Carr, Lieut. Col. Albert, Carr's 5G 
cavalry, 200 of Sigel's badly demoralized infantry, one piece of artil- 
lery, and two caissons. After " retiring " rather hastily for a mile 
or so a body of cavalry was observed in front, and Sigel sent Carr up 
to see the condition of affairs and report at once. Arriving at the 
front Carr discovered that the Confederate cavalry were coming in 
from the right and forming across the road, to stop the retreating 
Federals and send them back to the care of' McCulloch's division 
again. Reporting at once to Sigel, that oflScer directed Carr to turn 
ofl'at the first right-hand road, which happened to be near the point 
where he (Carr^ then stood. Retreating along this road in a brisk 
walk Sigel asked Carr to march slowly so that the footmen could 
keep up. Carr replied that unless they hurried forward they would 
be cut off at the crossing of Wilson's creek, and that the infantry 
ought to march as fast under the circumstances as a horse could walk. 
Sigel then said, " Go on, and we will keep up." On arriving at the 
creek, however, and looking back, Carr saw that the infantry had not 
kept up, but that a large body of Texas and Arkansas cavalry was 
moving down and would form an unpleasant junction with him in a 
few seconds. " To use a Westernism," says Gen. Carr, " there was 
no time for fooling then, and as I had waited long enough on the slow- 
motioned infantry to water my horses, and they were not yet in sight, 
I lit out for a place of safety which I soon reached, and, after waiting 
another while for Sigel, I went on to Springfield. I was sorry to 
leave Sigel behind, in the first place, but I supposed all the time he 
was close to me until I reached the creek, and then it would have 
done no good for my company to have remained and been cut to 
pieces also, as were Sigel and his men, who were ambuscaded and all 
broken up, and Sigel himself narrowly escaped. " 




"'t'Zi'Vii 



GEN. STF.RLiNC PRICE, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 331 

CHAPTER IX. 
THE BATTLP: of WILSON'S CREEK. —Concluded. 

The Southern Side of the Story — The part taken by McCuUoch's A.rmy — Preparations 
for a March on Springfield — A Light Rain Interferes — The Federal Attack — A Com- 
plete Surprise — McCuUoch Thinks it "Another of Rains' Scares!" — The Fight against 
Lyon — Order of Battle — McCulloch Comes to the Rescue — The Missourians in Bat- 
tle — Detailed Account of the Fighting — The Beginning of the End — Victory! — No 
Pursuit of the Eetreating Federals — McCuUoch's Destruction of Sigel — After the 
Famous Victory — Comparative Strength and Losses of the Two Armies — The Federal 
Strength — The Confederate Strength — Price's Army by Divisions — The Federal Lo 
by Regiments and Battalions — The Confederate Loss bj- Divisions — Disposing of the 
Dead — Greene County men at Wilson's Creek — Campbell's Confederates — Col. John E. 
Phelps on his Own Hook — The Home Guards at Springfield — "The Cannings is 
a-firing! " — The Reti'eatfrom Springfield — Care of the Federal Wounded — The Army 
Sets Out — Hundreds of Citizens Follow it — The Confederates Enter Springfield — 
McCuUoch's Proclamation — Price's Proclamation — Joy and Congratulations — 
Disposition of the Body of Gen. Lj'on — Full and Interesting Particulars of How it was 
Cared for from the Time when it Lay Stretched on the Battle-Field Until its Final Inter- 
ment in the Family Grave-yard, at Eastford, Connecticut. 

THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE STORY. 

As one side, the Northern, or Federal, or Union side, of the battle 
of Wilson's Creek has been told it is but proper that the other, the 
Southern or Confederate, or secession side, should be given. The 
statements herein made have been derived from the most authentic 
sources possible to.be consulted. Official reports of Gens. McCul- 
loch, Price, Clark, Pearce and Rains, and numerous letters from 
distinguished Confederate officers who were in the fight, and state- 
ments of private soldiers who are men of truth and veracity, have been 
relied upon to furnish the information herein set down. The writer 
returns his sincere thanks to those Confederate officers, scattered 
from the Iowa line to the Rio Grande, who have responded to his re- 
quest for information so promptly and so fully, and in such well 
written letters. 

THE PART TAKEN BY m'CULLOCH'S ARMY. 

It will be remembered that Gen. McCulloch had at last yielded to 
Gen. Price's persistent and positive demands, and had agreed to 
march against Lyon at Springfield on the night of August 9th and 
attack him on the morning of the 10th. The march was to be made 
in four columns and to be begun at 9 o'clock at night. 



332 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Just after dark a light rain fell, and it was very dark and a heavy- 
rain storm seemed to be coming up. McCulloch well knew that many 
of the Missouri troops were not supplied with cartridge boxes, or 
cartridges either, and that if they moved out from under shelter and 
it rained hard, as it promised to do, their ammunition would become 
wet and unserviceable, carried, as much of it would be, in powder- 
flasks, cotton sacks and shot-pouches. There was also danger 
that in the Egyptian darkness that had settled down over the land 
the marching columns would get lost or bewildered, and not 
come up to the proper place at the proper time. Accordingly, just 
as some of the troops were preparing to start, McCulloch counter- 
manded the order to march at that time, and the army lay down to 
sleep, holding itself in readiness to move, however, the men with 
their guns by their sides. Not much sleep was had, however, for 
lack of all proper accommodations, and because of the myriads of 
mosquitoes on the warpath that night up and down the valley of 
Wilson's creek. 

Had Gen. Price been left to himself the day of the 9th, he would 
have taken " my Missouri boys " that night and marched toward 
Springfield over the very route that Lyon took from Springfield to 
the Confederate camp, via the Mt. Vernon road and over the prairie, 
and the two armies. Price's and Lyon's would have met, to each, 
other's surprise, about midnight, somewhere near the present site of 
Dorchester. 

In his ofiicial report to the Confederate Secretary of War, Gen. 
McCulloch states that his efiective force at the battle of Wilson's 
Creek was 5,300 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 15 pieces of artillery. 
The majority of the cavalry were armed only with rifles, revolvers, 
shot-guns, and old flint-lock muskets. There were hundreds of other 
horsemen along with the armjs that were so imperfectly armed as to 
be of but little efficiency, and during the battle were only in the way. 

THE FEDERAL ATTACK. 

Col. T. L. Snead states that on the night of the 9th he sat up all 
night at Gen. Price's headquarters, which were on the side of the 
creek, at the foot of the sloping, rocky, black-jack hills on whose 
summit the main battle was fought. About daybreak Gen. Price got 
up in great impatience and sent for McCulloch, who soon afterward 
arrived, accompaiued by Col. James Mcintosh (of the 2d Arkansas 
Mounted Riflemen), his assistant adjutant general. " Gen. Price 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 333 

and I were just sitting down to breakfast, " says Col. Snead, " and 
they sat down with us. " 

As the officers were eating, a messenger came running up from the 
front where Gen. Rains' division was posted, a mile or more away, 
and said that the Yankees were advancing, full 20,000 strong, and 
were on Rains' line already, peppering his camp with musketry. 
" O, pshaw ! " said McCuUoch, laughingly, " that's another of Rains' 
scares," alluding to the Dug Springs affiiir. "Tell Gen. Rains I 
will come to the front myself directly," he added. The three 
officers went on eating, and in a minute or two another messenger 
came up and reported that the Federals were not more than a mile 
away, and had come suddenly upon Rains' men as they lay on their 
arms and had driven them back. McCulloch again said, " O, non- 
sense ! That's not true," but just then Rains' men could be seen 
falling back in confusion. Gen. Price rose up and said to Col. 
Snead, "Have my horse saddled and order the troops under arms at 
once. " He had hardly spoken when Totten's battery unlimbered 
and sent its first shot and about the same instant Sigel's guns opened. 
Dispositions for battle were quickly made. Price was ordered to 
move at once towards Rains with the rest of the Missourians. 
Pearce was ordered to form on Price's left. Very soon Totten's 
battery was in plain sight on the top of the hills in front and pound- 
ino- away, while Sigel's guns in the rear plainly gave notice that the 
Federals were on all sides. 

The surprise was perfect. Most of the Southern troops were 
asleep. The few pickets that were out had mostly been called in to 
prepare for the early march, and this enabled Lyon to get close to the 
line, — upon the skirmishers, in fact, — before being discovered. 
The troops hurried out as fast and as best they could. The majority 
of Price's Missourians had their horses with them. Nearly every 
secessionist upon enlisting wanted to ride and did ride. The idea of 
walking was distasteful in more ways than one — it was laborious to 
begin with, and it was considered somewhat plebeian and disgraceful. 
And the horsemen, so many of them, proved a serious disadvantage 
to the Southern cause. They stripped the country in many parts of 
this State and west of the Mississippi, not only of provisions but of 
forage and provender, cumbered the roads, and often in battle did 
more harm than good. At Wilson's Creek the horses became 
frightened and unmanageable, and at one time they and some of 
their riders came near stampeding the entire Southern army. Hun- 



334 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

dreds of them tried to escape from the field by the Fayetteville road, 
but found it held by Sigel and his Germans. 

THE FIGHT AGAINST LYON. 

The Missourians under Rains were first attacked by Lyon. Rains 
had his division under arms and in line with commendable prompt- 
ness. A orreat many of his men scattered, it is true, but the ma- 
jority were soon in ranks and fighting the enemy. Rains' division 
was a large one, including all the men from the populous secession 
counties of Saline, Lafayette, Jackson, Johnson, Jasper, and Pettis, 
and it held that part of the line in front of Totten's battery. Gen. 
Price instantly ordered the other division commanders. Slack, Mc- 
Bride, Clark and Parsons, to move their infantry and artillery rapidly 
forward to the support of Rains. Rains' second brigade was in the 
extreme advance and consisted of some 1,200 or 1,500 men, 
mounted and dismounted, temporarily under the command of Col. 
Cawthorn. 

Slack's division of Northwest Missourians was the first to come 
up, and under the personal direction of Gen. Price himself, Avho had 
come to the front, took position on Rains' left, and became instantly 
engaged. In a few minutes afterwards came John B. Clark's divis- 
ion and formed to the left of Slack. Then came M. M. Parsons' 
division, with Col. Kelly's regiment or brigade at the head, and went 
into line to the left of Clark. Then came the division of Gen. J. H. 
McBride, who took position on the left of Col. Kelly and commanded 
a flank movement on the right of the enemy, which movement was un- 
successful. (It cannot be learned in what part of the field the forces 
of Gen. A. E. Steen, of the 5th division, Missouri State Guard, did 
duty. It is not believed that he had a division). 

In this position, by Gen. Price's orders, and led by him in person 
at the first, the entire line advanced in the direction of the enemy, 
under a continuous fire from L3'oii's infantry and Totten's battery, 
until it reached a position within range of its own guns when the 
Federal fire was returned, the double-barreled shotguns getting in 
their work now very efiectively. After a few minutes steady firing 
the Missourians were driven back. 

m'cULLOCH COMES TO THE RESCUE. 

Meantime Gen. McCulloch had hurried to the lower end of the 
valley where his division was encamped, and the impetuous Texan 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 335 

chieftain speedily brought out of camp Col. Hebert's Louisiana regi- 
ment and Mcintosh's Arkansas mounted riflemen and hastened to the 
rescue of the Missourians. This force went to the east side of Wil- 
son's creek and coming up to the fence enclosing Ray's cornfield, the 
Arkansas riflemen dismounted and they and the Louisianians leaped 
over the fence and charged through the corn upon the Federals 
(Plummer's battalion) and drove them back upon the main line 
with loss. This fight in the cornfield was one of the severest of the 
day, and when it was ended many a corn blade and stalk and tassel 
had been torn with bullets and many a dead man lay in the furrows. 
For no sooner had the Federal infantry been driven back than 
Dubois' batter}^ opened on the Confederates in the field whose sur- 
face had never been disturbed by anything ruder than Farmer Ray's 
plow. But now it was soon plowed by shot and shell, and death 
gathered a full harvest where only the husbandman had reaped 
before. The two reoiments were driven back with some loss and 
considerable confusion, but soon reformed and were taken charge of 
by McCuUoch in person, who led them to another part of the field. 

McCuUoch had also ordered up Woodrufl*'s battery, which had en- 
s:aofed Totten and was doins; excellent service. During the i)eriod of 
the fight in the cornfield, Price's Missourians were endeavoring to 
sustain themselves in the center and were hotly engaged on the sides 
of the height upon which the enemy was posted. Early in the fight, 
the 1st Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Rifles, which had been driven 
out of its camp by Sigel and had formed a few hundred yards to the 
north, was brought up by Price's order to the support of Gen. Slack, 
and formed on his left. Here it fought during the battle, led in per- 
son by its commander. Col. T. J. Churchill,^ who had two horses 
killed under him. The regiment's loss was 42 killed and 155 wounded. 
One .captain ( McAlexander) and three lieutenants were among the 
killed. The 2d Arkansas Mounted Rifles, Col. B. T. Embry, also 
fought with the Missourians against Lyon, losing 11 killed and 44 
wounded. 

Then came the "forward and back " period of fighting described 
in the Federal account, which lasted for hours. Sometimes the ad- 
vantage was with one party, sometimes with the other. The firing, 
both of infantry and artillery, was incessant. Many deeds of gallantry 
and heroism were performed — enough to immortalize the memory of 
any one of the perpetrators. 



' iSince Governor of Arkansas. 



336 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

One unfortunate thing, brought about by the battle, was the fact 
that it produced, or rather made conspciuous, a hirge crowd of liars 
who are yet wont to brag and bluster about the various deeds of valor 
they performed at Wilson Creek, while the chances are that in- 
stead of displaying any remarkable quality of bravery or feat of ex- 
traordinary value, they were skulking in the bushes or sitting securely 
under cover somewhere, not firing a gun or harming an enemy. This 
is true of both sides. Pity 'tis that any man who wore either the 
blue or the gray should be a liar, but pity 'tis 'tis true. Deeds 
worthy of Rome or Sparta — aye, worthy of America, were rendered 
that day of battle on Wilson's creek, but these shameless liars one 
often meets with did none of them. 

From nearly every quarter of Missouri had come the Missourians 
who this day fought under the flag of the grizzly bears and against 
the stars and stripes. Slack had men from off the Iowa line; John 
B. Clark had men from the Northeast (properly belonging to Harris' 
division, not then south of the Missouri) whose homes were in sight 
of Hannibal and of the great Mississippi farther to the north. Men 
fouo-ht who, when at home, could stand in their door-3'ards and look 
westward over on the prairies of the then territory of Nebraska. 
Many of McBride's division were from Southeastern Missouri, from 
the swamps of Pemiscot, from the cypress forests of Dunklin. From 
the cities — from the warehouses, the counting-rooms and the law of- 
fices of St. Louis, St. Joseph and other Missouri towns, had come 
some men to fight against what they believed to be Federal tyranny 
and usurpation, and for the honor of old Missouri and the rights of 
the South. And men fought under Price that day whose feet were 
on "their native heath," whose homes were in this county, in sight 
of the battle-ground. 

And they all fought well, those in line, whether advancing or re- 
treating, firing or fiilling back. Not any better than the Federals, 
perhaps, but fully as well. There were some stragglers on both 
sides — not all of the cowards were in but one army. 

When early in the engagement Gen. Clark sent a mile and a half 
to the rear for his regiment of cavalry, Col. James P. Major, com- 
manding, that officer was attacked by Sigel at the moment of receiv- 
in<r the order and driven back into the woods with all his force. After 
reforming and starting toward the front where Lyon was, to join their 
own division. Major's men were all broken up by large bodies of other 
horsemen, who, seeking to escape from Totten's grape and Dubois' 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 337 

shells and the Kansas men's musket balls, rode through Major's ranks 
in all directions, dividing the forces and communicating their own 
terror to those about them, so that the colonel was left with only one 
company. 

Assisted by Clark's adjutant general, Col. Casper W. Bell, of 
Brunswick, Chariton county, and Capt. Joseph Finks, the colonel 
(Major) succeeded in gathering up some 300 men with whom he re- 
turned to the rear and assisted in the defeat of Sigel. The remainder 
of those who could be formed into line (and many of them could 
when they found that the only road leading out of camp was held by 
Sigel), were taken charge of by Lieut. Col. Hyde and advanced to the 
front where Lyon was, l)ut while preparing to charge the Federal left 
they were driven back by Dubois' battery and some infantry. 

At last, after Price's line had advanced half a dozen times and been 
driven back as often, and after the fight had been going on nearly six 
hours and victory was not yet certain for either side, McCuUoch came 
back from whipping Sigel and brought with him the Louisanians, 
Carroll's (Arkansas) and the greater portion of Greer's (Texas) cav- 
alry, Col. Tom P. Dockery's 5th Arkansas infantry, Mcintosh's 2d 
Arkansas rifle regiment, under Lieut. Col. Embry, Gratiot's 3d Ar- 
kansas regiment, and McRae's regiment. Reid's battery was also 
brought up. 

THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 

The terrible fire of musketry was now kept up along the whole 
side and top of the hill on which the enemy was posted. Masses of 
infantry fell back and again rushed forward. The summit of the hill 
was covered with the dead and wounded. Both sides were fighting 
with all desperation for the victor3\ Gens. Price and McCulloch were 
among their men animating them by their voice, their presence, and 
their example. Price was slightly wounded, but would not leave the 
field. 

To relieve the infantry McCulloch resolved to make a diversion in 
their favor with the cavalry. Accordingly a portion of Carroll's and 
Greer's regiments, and a mass of Missourians were formed to go up 
the valley and fall upon the Federal left, but, as before stated, Du- 
bois' battery and the Federal infantry scattered the horsemen before 
they could get fairly into line. 

VICTORY ! 

At this critical moment, when the fortunes of the day seemed at the 

22 



338 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

turnino" point, McCulloch ordered fonvard his reserves and threw 
them into the scale. Forward came the rest of Pearce's Arkansas 
division, Gratiot's and Dockery's regiments, on the run and cheering. 
Into the thickest of the fight and throwing away their " tooth-picks," 
as their huge knives were called, they relied solely on their muskets, 
and did most effective work in the center of the line. Reid's battery 
was also ordered forward, and Hebert's Louisianians were again called 
into action on the left of it. Guibor's battery, of Parsons' division, 
opened with canister on the Federals, and terrible was the din and 
the slaughter. 

Now the battle became general and violent and bloody. Hot as a 
furnace was the hollow in which the Confederates fought, made so by 
the blazing August sun overhead. Hot as Tophet it became, made so 
by gunpowder, and lead and iron, and sweat and blood. Probably 
no two opposing forces ever fought with greater desperation, as the 
Confederate line was advanced on the last charge. But Lyon was killed, 
Totten's battery moved to the rear, and soon the entire Federal force 
left the field in possession of the Southerners. 

The battle ended suddenly, " as quick as a clap of thunder ceases " 
one describes it, and for some time after the Federals had retreated it 
vras not certain to the Confederates how the battle had gone. Another 
attack by the blue-coats was expected and prepared for. Gradually 
the ground in front where Totten's battery had stood was occupied, 
and then a line of skirmishers, pushing cautiously to the front, dis- 
covered that the victory was theirs. No attempt at pursuit was 
made, although McCulloch had 6,000 cavalry, whose horses were 
fresh and rested, and had not sweat a hair that day. That the 
Federals were not pursued, and in their jaded and exhausted condi- 
tion cut off from Springfield and captured on the high prairies west 
of town, seems inexcusable, even to this day, to those posted in the 
facts. 

The Federal officers plainly assert that the reason they were not 
pursued was because the Confederates were so badly hurt themselves 
that they could not do so ; and further it is claimed that had Lyon 
lived a Federal victory would have been gained, and Price and McCul- 
loch driven from the field. It is certain (on the authority of Col. 
Snead) that Price wished McCulloch to pursue, but the latter, for 
reasons of his own, would not. Then Price resumed command of the 
Missouri State Guard, and then he would not pursue, for reasons of 
his own. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 339 

m'CULLOCH's DESTRUCTION OF SIGEL. 

When Sigel came upon the southern end of the Confederate camp 
the troops he encountered were Churchill's Arkansas regiment, 
Greer's Texas Eangers, and about 700 mounted Missourians under 
command of Col. James P. Major and Col. Benjamin Brown, of Ray 
county, the latter the President of the Missouri State Senate. These 
troops, taken unawares, were speedily pushed back up the valley 
across the Fayetteville road. It was at this part of the line, — the 
Confederate rio-ht as it faced toward the east, — where McCulloch's 
Confederates were stationed. When Lyon first opened and alarmed 
the camp, McCulloch hastened back from Price's headquarters, and 
took up tAvo of his best regiments (Hebert's and Mcintosh's), to the 
assistance of his comrade-commander. The absence of these troops 
weakened the position of McCulloch very materially, and Sigel had 
matters his own way for a time. Pearce's division of Arkansas State 
troops were put in position, somewhat in reserve. 

When McCulloch became fully aware that the Federal attack on the 
south or right was so formidable and so fraught with danger to the 
entire army, he brought back the Louisiana and Arkansas regiments, 
and forming them with some of Pearce's division, and Major's and 
Brown's cavalry, advanced to attack Sigel. The Louisianians 
and Mcintosh's regiment had got the worst of it, in the end, in the 
fight in Ray's cornfield, but they came up to the work now in brave 
style. The attack was being made on Sigel's and Salomon's regi- 
ments, and the four guns of Schaeffer and Schuetzenbach. There 
was only scattering firing on the part of the Federals, who mistook 
the character of the advancing hosts. It was no fiuilt of McCulloch's 
men, however, that Sigel was deceived. The Louisianians were not 
to blame that they were mistaken for the Iowa regiment because of 
their dress. ^ 

On they came, regardless of the short-sightedness of their foes, and 
not knowing or caring anything about their enemies' mistakes until 
they were within almost grappling distance of Sigel's cannon, when 
they sprang forward, and with one well contrived and well managed 
charge swept everything before them. Then followed the events here- 
tofore described — the vain attempts to rally — the disorderly panic- 



' At the breaking out of the civil war, the color of the infantry uniform of the U. S. army- 
was gray. Upon its adoption by the Confederates this color was changed, and blue substi- 
tuted. 



340 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

stricken flight — the captures and the pursuit. It must not be for- 
gotten that just before the charge was made, Reid's Arkansas battery 
opened on the unsuspicious Federal Germans, and they were already 
in confusion when the Confederate infantry and cavalry were precipi- 
tated upon them. Capt. Hiram Bledsoe's Missouri battery, from 
LafaA'ette county, with " Old Sacramento," a noted 12-pounder, and 
three other guns, also did ettective work against Sigel, under direc- 
tion of Col. Rosser, of Weightman's brigade. 

As soon as Sigel' s destruction had been fairly accomplished (which 
occupied but a few minutes) McCuUoch left the flying fragments to be 
looked after bv sundry detachments of the cavalry, and returned with 
his infantry and a great deal of the cavalry to the assistance of Gen. 
Price. In the last eflbrts ag'ainst Lyon's column, McCuUoch' s troops 
took a conspicuous part, as before detailed ; and of course but for the 
part taken by McCuUoch's and Pearce's men the victory could not 
have been won. 

AFTER THE FAMOUS VICTORY. 

Dies irm! O, the moaning and wailing that were all over the land 
west of the great Father of Waters when the full tidings of the Init- 
tle of Wilson Creek were learned ! From Dubuque and Baton Rouge, 
from Iowa and Texas, from Louisiana and Kansas, and from every 
county in Missouri, there went up a sobbing prayer from many a 
household for strength to bear the bereavement of a father, a husband, 
a brother, or a son slain that 10th of August, 1861, down by the 
beautiful little stream in the Ozarks. 

There they lay, strewn all about over the ground, with faces white 
and waxen, or clotted with l)lood, these men who had died to please 
the politicians. In cosy, shady nooks where fairies might delight to 
dwell; out in the glare of the blazing sun, festering and corrupting; 
in cornfield with blade and tassel wavino: above them, in dells and 
glens, and vales, and on the hillsides — dead men everywhere. With a 
tiny bullet hole a baby's finger might stop, marring no feature and 
mangling no limb ; with bowels torn out, with faces shattered, heads 
torn to pieces, handsome countenances distorted into ghastly, grin- 
ning objects — dead men everywhere. 

Wounded men ever}^ where. Crawling about, delirious with pain 
and agony ; lying prone and almost motionless, staring up into the 
blue sky, dying slowly and making no sign ; shrieking, groaning, 
cursing, praying, imploring help, begging for a bandage, for water, 
lying quietly, laughing even, — wounded men cverj'where. In hos- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 341 

pitals, under trees, in tents, in houses, in stables, with surgeons prob- 
ing and cutting and carving and sawing and clumsily bandaging ; in 
ambulances jolting off towards Springfield ; limping along to hide and 
escape another hurt — wounded men everj^where. 

Blood everywhere. On the blades and the silks of the corn ; on the 
leaves of the pretty green bushes. 

Great drops on the bunch-grass, but not of the dew; 

Staining the velvet moss on the hillsides ; purpling in puddles in 
the pathways and by the roadsides ; reddening the lucid waters of. 
bonnie Wilson's creek ; flecking the wheels of the guns and daubing 
the stocks of the muskets ; clinging in loathsome gouts to the stems of 
wild flowers — blood everywhere — human blood — and the best blood 
of the Republic, too. 

Messieurs, the politicians, are you satisfied now? 

COMPARATIVE STRENGTH AND LOSSES OF THE TWO ARMIES. 

The strength of both of the contending armies at the battle of 
Wilson's Creek is here given as nearly as it has been possible to ob- 
tain it. It is believed that the Federal strength has been very defin- 
itely learned ; that of the combined Southern forces has been approx- 
imated in regard to two or three commands in McCulloch's division. 

FEDERAL STRENGTH. 

According to the reports of the company commanders on the 
morning of the 9th of August, there were in the column that marched 
under Gen. Lyon exactly 3,721 men of all arms, infantry, cavalry, 
and artillery, not including the two companies of home guards under 
Capts. Wright and Switzler. 

Sigel's column consisted of 17 companies of infantry, (8 of the 3d 
Missouri and 9 of the 5th Missouri) numbering 912 men; six pieces 
of artillery, 85 men ; and two companies of cavalry, 121 men ; — Total 
of Sigel's column, 1,118. 

Total Federal strength, 4,839 — with Wright's and Switzler's 
home guards, 5,000. 

CONFEDERATE STRENGTH. 

Without giving exact details. Gen. McCulloch says, in his official 
reports to Gen. Cooper, Adjutant General of the Confederate States: 
*' My own effective force was 5,300 infantry. Woodruff's and Reed's 
batteries, and 6,000 horsemen." Total, about 11,550. 



342 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Gen. Price's division was composed of the following sub-divisions : — 

Divisions. 

Gen J. S. Rains' 
Gen. W. Y. Slack's . . 
Gen. J. H. McBride's . •. 
Gen. M. M. Parsons' . . 
Gen. JohnB. Clark's (sr.) 



Infantry. 


Cavalry. 


Total. 


. 1,306 


1,200 


2,506 


659 


234 


884 
605 


256 


406 


662 


376 


250 


626 



3,193 2,090 5,283 

And Bledsoe's and Guibor's batteries, probably . . 150 



Grand total of Price's Missourians ^ .... 5,433 

July 30, at Cassville, Gen. McCuUoch reported his force and that 
of Gen. Pearce, as numbering in aggregate 5,700, "nearly all well 
armed." (Rebellion Records, vol. 3, series I, p. 622.) Gen. Pearce 
loaned the Missourians 600 stand of arms. Afterwards, McCuUoch 
received Greer's South Kansas-Texas cavalry of 1,100 men, and one 
or two independent companies from Arkansas, making his and 
Pearce' s forces combined, number about 7,000 men. In round num- 
bers the Southern troops numbered about 12,000 at the battle of 
Wilson's Creek; the Federal or Union forces, 5,000. 

THE FEDERAL LOSS, 

As officially reported, and on file at this day, was as follows : 

Command. Killed. Wounded. Missing. 

First Kansas Volunteers, 77 187 20 

Second Kansas Volunteers, .... 5 59 6 

First Missouri Volunteers, .... 76 208 11 

First Iowa Volunteers, 13 138 4 

Capt. Plummer's Battalion, .... 19 52 9 

Company D, 1st Cavalry, Capt. Elliott, 13 

Capt. Steele's Battalion, 15 44 2 

Capt. Carr's Company, 4 

Capt. Wood's Company Kansas Rangers, 10 

Capt. Wright's Dade County Home Guard, 2 

Capt. Totten's Battery, 4 7 

Capt. Dubois' Battery, 2 1 

Col. Sigel's Regiment, 3d Missouri, . 13 15 27 

Col. Salomon's Regiment, 5th Missouri, 13 38 15 

Total ^ 235 754 102 

1 Gen. A. E. Steen's division seems to have been attached to McCuUoch's array. 
It was insignificant in numbers. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 348 

Of the wounded 48 are known to have died of their injuries after- 
ward, making the actual loss in Idlled 283. 

The principal Federal officers killed were Gen. Lyon ; Capt. Carey 
Gratz, 1st Missouri ; Capt. A. L. Mason, 1st Iowa. 

Wounded. — Gen. Sweeney; Col. Deitzler, 1st Kansas, (twice); 
Col. Mitchell, 2d Kansas; Lieut. Col. Merritt, 1st Iowa; Lieut. Col. 
Andrews, 1st Missouri; Adjt. Waldron, 1st Iowa; Capt. Plummer, 
of the regulars. 

CONFEDERATE LOSS PRICE 's ARMY. 

Gen. Slack's Division. — Col. John T. Hughes' brigade, killed, 
36; wounded 76 (many mortally); missing 30. Among the killed 
were C. H. Bennet, adjutant of Hughes' regiment; Capt. Chas. 
Blackwell, of Carroll county, and Lieut. Hughes. Col. Rives's bri- 
gade lost 4 killed and 8 wounded ; among the killed were Lieut. Col. 
Austin, of Livingston county, a member of the Legislature, and Capt. 
Enyart. 

Gen. Clark's Division. — Infantry loss, 17 killed and 71 wounded ; 
cavalry loss, 6 killed and 5 wounded. Among the killed were 
Capts. Farris and Halleck and Lieut. Haskins. Among the wounded 
were Gen. Clark himself and Col. Burbridge, both severely, and 
Capt. D. H. Mclntyre, now attorney general of the State. 

Gen. Parsons' Division. — Infantry loss, 9 killed and 38 wounded ; 
cavalry loss, 3 killed and 2 wounded; artillery, Guibor's battery, 3 
killed and 7 wounded. Among the killed was Capt. Coleman, of 
Grundy county. Col. Kelly, commanding the infantry, was wounded 
in the hand. 

Gen. McBride's Division. — Total loss, 22 killed, 124 wounded. 
Among the latter were Col. Foster (mortally) and Capts. Nichols, 
Dougherty, Armstrong, and Mings. 

Gen. Rains' Division. — Weightman's brigade, 35 killed. 111 
wounded. Cawthorn's brigade, 21 killed and 75 wounded. Among 
the killed were Col. Richard Hanson Weightman, commanding 1st 
brigade, and Major Chas. Rogers, of St. Louis. 

Two other prominent officers were killed — Col. Ben Brown, of Ray 
county, commanding cavalry with McCulloch's army, and Col. Geo. 
W. Allen of Saline county, of Price's staff. The latter was shot down 
while bearing an order, and was buried on the field. Col. Horace H. 
Brand, of Price's staff', was taken prisoner, but released soon afterward. 

The total of Price's loss, according to the official reports, was — 
killed, 156 ; wounded 609 ; missing, 30. 



344 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

McOuUoch's Army. — The losses of McCulloch's army in detail 
cannot now be learned ; his official report states that in the aggregate 
it was 109 killed, 300 wounded and 50 prisoners. Among the officers 
killed were Capt. Hinson, of the Louisiana regiment ; Capt. McAlex- 
ander, and Adjutant Harper, of Churchill's regiment; Capts. Bell and 
Brown, and Lieuts. AValton and Weaver, of Pearce's division. Some 
of the severely wounded were Col. Mcintosh (by a grapeshot), Lieut. 
Col. Neal, Major H. "VJ^ird, Captains King, Pearson, Gibbs, Ramsaur 
and Porter, and Lieutenants Dawson, Chambers, Johnson, King, 
Raney, Adams, Hardister, Mclvor, and Saddler. 

The aggregate Southern loss was not far from 205 killed, 900 
wounded, and 80 prisoners. A little heavier than that of the Federals, 
owing to the long ranoe muskets and rifles of the latter and their more 
efficiently served artillery. All agree that the Confederate and secess- 
ion batteries as a rule were not well handled. 

DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD. 

The dead at Wilson's Creek were not well disposed of. All were 
given hasty and rude sepulture. Of course the Confederate slain fared 
the better, being buried by their own comrades. The Union dead 
were put under ground as soon as possible, and with but little cere- 
mony. In an old well, near the battlefield, fourteen bodies were 
thrown. In a " sink-hole " thirty-four of their corpses w^ere tum- 
bled. The others were buried in groups here and there, and the 
burial heaps marked. In many instances, a few Federal soldiers were 
present when the burials were made, and identified certain graves. 
Some of the bodies whose graves were so marked, were afterwards 
disinterred and removed to their former homes. A number of the 
Federal dead were never buried ; this was particularly true regarding 
Sigel's men. Dr. Melcher says he saw portions of the bodies of the 
German Federals along the line of Sigel's retreat, several days after 
the battle, strewn along near the road, having been torn by dogs and 
hogs and buzzards. Skulls, bones, etc., indicating that at least a 
dozen corpses had been left above ground, were gathered up. The 
doctor's statement is corroborated by citizens who lived in the neigh- 
borhood. 

The weather was hot — oppressively so. Putrefaction soon set in ; 
there was a scarcity of coffins and coffin-makers, and coffin-maker's 
materials, and perhaps the Confederates did the best they could. 
Their own dead were, in many instances, given imperfect burial. 




^•^^hjMBJaUiSm^MmtmSalX 




^^x^^^^-c-^_ y^ . C/ ^^^^^z:-'^^--^^^!. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 345 

In 1867, six years afterwards, when the National Cemetery at 
Sprmgfield was established, the contractor for the removal of the 
dead bodies of the Union soldiers on the battle-ground, took up 
and removed, and received pay for, 183 bodies, as follows : Out of 
the '< sink-hole," 34; out of the old well, 14; from other portions 
of the field, 135. 

GREENE COUNTY MEN AT WILSON's CREEK. 

Fighting with McBride's division of Missouri State Guards was 
Capt. Dick Campbell's company of Greene county men. This com- 
pany was mounted, and early in the light was sent to the westward — 
to the right of Lyon's position, and to the extreme left and a little to 
the front of Gen. Price's division. Here it remained, watching the 
Federals, that they did not flank the secessionists' position. When 
the fight was about over, the company withdrew from its position and 
came on to the main field. The men were very thirsty. Running 
down to a spring and stooping to drink of the cool water, a squad of 
Campbell's men were fired upon by some lurking Federals, and the 
crystal fluid was tinged with crimson. One soldier, Martin McQuigg, 
Tvas shot through the body and mortally wounded. Another, Dr. A. 
V. Small, was wounded, but not seriously. McQuigg died in a day 
or two. C. T. Frazier was also wounded, having his arm broken. 
Louis Tatum had a horse killed under him. 

On the Federal or Union side, there were but few men who took a 
part, although back at Springfield stood at least 1000 men ready and 
eager to rush to the assistance of Lyon and Sigel at any stage of the 
fight, from the crack of the first musket to the time when Dubois ex- 
ploded his last shell. With Sigel were the Union guides, C. Baker 
Owen, L. A. D. Crenshaw, John Steele and Andy Adams, and with 
Lyon was Pleasant Hart, E. L. McElhany and others, but perhaps 
none of them fired a gun. The rumor goes that a few over-zealous 
Union men slipped out with the 1st Kansas and took a hand on their 
own hook, but if this be so, their names have not been learned. 

Early on the morning of the battle, John E. Phelps (son of Col. 
JohnS., and afterwards a brevet brigadier general), armed with a 
Maynard rifle and a Colt's dragoon revolver, set out from his father's 
house, south of town, for the fight. Accompanying him was one of his 
father's slaves, a negro man named George, another negro, 
Amos, belonging to Maj. Dorn, of the Southern army, and Pleasant 
Hall and Robert Russell, two young men, citizens of the county. 



346 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Phelps was the leader. Taking the Fayetteville road, the party 
encountered Lieut. Morton, of the 2d Kansas. 

The squad, now numbering six, hurried along, as the firing began, 
and pretty soon encountered a picket of two men. Leaving the others 
to attract their attention, Phelps contrived to make his way to the 
rear of these pickets, and coming upon them suddenly, leveled his 
" Maynard " and soon had them prisoners. The party then rode on. 
and soon encountered another picket. Employing the same tactics as 
those used at the former post, Phelps succeeded in capturing a 
mounted arsenal in the person of a State Guard lieutenant of McBride's 
division, named Kelly, who had three or four revolvers, a double- 
barreled shot gun, and a heavy dragoon saber. 

Buckling on the saber himself, Phelps rode up near the battlefield 
and encountering a party of Confederates induced a negro, belonging 
to an officer of the Louisiana regiment, to ride out to him, when forc- 
ing the negro to follow, and keeping him between the enemy and him- 
self, Phelps retired in good order ! Nearer still to the battlefield, and 
at Ray's house, a good-sized squad, was encountered in the house and 
taken in. Here the correspondent of the New York Tribune^ one 
Barnes, who had been with Lyon, came up. To his paper, Barnes 
wrote : — 

'* I now determined to cross the creek, and see if I could find Col. 
Sigel, as a report reached us that he was entirely cut to pieces. * * * 
I had not proceeded far on the eastern side of the creek, when I met 
the son of Hon. John S. Phelps, who had left town upon hearing the 
cannonading, with but a few trooj^s, and, not, discerning the exact po- 
sitions of the two armies, had busied himself taking prisoners on the 
Fayetteville road and west of it. When I met him he had captured 
near a dozen, including a negro belonging to an officer in a Louisiana 
regiment. Placing them upon the trail for our guards and in charge 
of a Kansas officer, Phelps and myself proceeded, but found it unsafe 
to attempt to cross the Fayetteville road, and, seeing the army retreat- 
ing, we joined them and returned to the oity. 

THE HOME GUARDS AT SPRINGFIELD. 

Back in Springfield there was a large force of Home Guards, num- 
bering about 1,200, under Col. Marcus Boyd, from Green and adjoin- 
ing counties, all under arms, and all ready and willing to fight. But 
Gen. Lyon held their fighting qualities in such poor esteem — having 
no confidence that any other sort of troops but regulars would fight 
well — that he had refused to allow them to go to the field, sa3'ing 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUMTY. 347 

that they would break at the first fire and demoralize the rest of 
the troops, and perhaps cause him to lose the fight. 

But in all probability — no reason appearing to contrary — if these 
1,200 men had been taken out to Wilson's Creek they would have 
fought well — as well as the volunteers, who fought as eifectively as 
the regulars — and perhaps (who knows?) would have turned the 
scale in favor of the Federals. Gen. Lyon made a mistake, certainly, 
in not employing against the enemy in his front every man who could 
be induced to fire a musket ; but his anxiety to not leave his rear and 
base wholly unprotected from a cavalry dash or sudden movement of 
some sort, led to his leaving this large force in Springfield, which 
stood in arms all of the forenoon and heard their comrades fighting 
so hard away to the southwest, and, anxious as they were to go 
to their relief, were forbidden to do so. 

It is related of a certain doughty captain of the Home Guards, then 
and now a resident of Springfield, that, on his reporting to Col. Boyd 
for orders the morning of the battle, the colonel sent him out on the 
Mount Vernon road, directing him to observe closely the country 
to the westward and to report promptly every half hour should 
anything extraordinary occur. In a few minutes after the opening of 
Totten's battery, back came the captain ambling along on a little 
brood mare, which he was industriously larruping with a lath, and 
reining up his steed in front of Col. Boyd, he made a military salute 
and announced : — 

"Colonel Boyd, Sir! The cannings is a-firing ! " As the roar of 
ever}'^ gun had been plainly audible to everybody, this was not a very 
new piece of information, but Boyd replied, *' All right, captain ; go 
back to your post." 

Flourishing his lath as before, the captain rode away, and promptly 
in half an hour — still in his hand the lath, which was doing double 
service, as a sword and a riding-whip — he returned : — 

" Colonel Boyd, Sir! The cannings is still a-firing! " And so every 
half hour, until the " cannings " had ceased to thunder, when he re- 
turned, and making the same military salute, the faithful lath still in 
his grasp, he announced : — 

Colonel Boyd, Sir/ The cannings is ceased a-firing ! " 

THE RETREAT FROM SPRINGFIELD. 

Upon reaching Springfield the Federal army rested a brief time and 
got itself ready for flight. A conference of the principal officers was 



348 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

held, and the command of all the forces given to Col. Sigel, of whom 
it is reported Maj. Sturgis said he was not altogether successful in 
attack, but was " h — 1 on retreat." The citizens were notified, and 
hundreds of them began packing up and preparing to follow the army. 
These were Union people who dreaded the approach of the Southern 
troops. The Home Guards also got ready to move as a part of the 
army. Many citizens of the county living outside of Springfield got 
their effects together and were ready to go. 

A vast amount of money belonging to the bank had been made 
ready for shipment, by Lyon's order, and was being guarded by 
a Home Guard company. Merchandise of all kinds was loaded into 
wagons and certain of the officers " pressed " teams for the occasion 
to load commissary and quartermasters' stores into. Col. Boyd says 
that one Federal colonel, high in Sigel' s confidence, had no wagons or 
other accouterments for his regiment. He pressed a pair of mules 
and a wagon, and instead of loading it with flour and bacon, piled it 
with seven barrels of whisky and one box of "hard tack" — for 
his fragmentary regiment of 500 men on a retreat of 150 miles ! But 
lo ! This far-seeing officer on that long march fed not only his 
own men but hundreds of refugees, with the proceeds of trades 
and sundry traffickings for his inspirating cargo, and — this history 
does not state this upon its own responsibility, but upon that of 
Col. Boyd — had, when the command reached Rolla, two barrels of 
whisky left, besides seventeen wagons loaded vntJi hard tacTc, sugar- 
cured hams, sugar, coffee, and molasses! ! 

Sigel' s ordnance officer destroyed a considerable quantity of powder 
because there were no means of transporting it. The 1st Iowa also 
burned a portion of its baggage for the same reason. The town was 
full of frightened men, women, and children, wagons, teams, horses, 
mules, milch cows, soldiers, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and there 
was the greatest confusion all of the evening and till long after dark, 
even up to the time when the hegira commenced. The public square 
was a perfect jam of cannon carriages, army wagons, farm Avagons, 
buggies, etc. 

CARE OF THE UNION WOUNDED. 

By 10 o'clock in the forenoon the wounded Federals had begun 
to arrive from the front, where the battle was raging, with the news 
that Lyon was driving the enemy at all points. The Union people 
cheered, and bestirred themselves to take care of the stricken. The 
new court-house (the present) and the sheriff" 's residence were taken 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 349^ 

for hospital purposes, and by midnight contained 100 men ; the Bailey 
House was filled ; the Methodist church building was similarly occu- 
pied. Ambulances, carriages, butchers' Avagons, express wagons, 
every sort of vehicle with wheels and springs, plied between the bat- 
tlefield and the town all day and until after dark, bringing ofi" the 
wounded. 

Many of the ladies of the town volunteered their services and 
became hospital nurses. Maj. Sturgis left with Dr. E. C. Franklin, 
of the 5th Missouri, at least $2,500 in gold, wnth which to purchase 
supplies for the wounded left behind, to care for Gen. Lyon's body, 
and for other necessary expenses. This statement is upon the author- 
ity of Dr. Franklin himself. The doctor was given general charge of 
the Federal wounded. 

THE ARMY SETS OUT. 

At last all was ready and the army set out for RoUa, with a train of 
wagons three miles long and a huge column of refugees, men, women, 
and children, black and white, old and young, in carriages, wagons, 
carts, on horseback, on foot, " anyway to get away," as it has been 
expressed. The march was begun at midnight, and by daybreak the 
head of the column was outside of the county. No attempt was made 
on the part of the Southern troops to pursue and capture the column 
with its $2,000,000 in money and stores, and it was not molested in 
anyway — as, it would seem, it should have been. Sigel was not 
disturbed until near the crossing of the Gasconade. 

Before crossino- this river Col. Sio:el received information that the 
ford could not be passed well, and that a strong force of the enemy 
was moving from West Plains toward Waynesville, to cut off the 
retreat. He was also aware that it would take considerable time to 
cross the Robidoux and the two Pineys on the old road. To avoid 
these difficulties, and to give the army an opportunity to rest, Sigel 
directed the troops from Lebanon to the northern road, passing Right 
Point, in the southeastern part of Camden county, and Humboldt, 
Pulaski county, and terminating opposite the mouth of Little Piney, 
where in case the ford could not be passed, the train could be sent by 
Vienna and Linn to the mouth of the Gasconade, while the troops 
could ford the river at the mouth of the Little Piney to reinforce 
Roll a. To cross over the artillery he ordered a fjsrryboat from Big 
Piney Crossing to be hauled down on the Gasconade to the mouth of 
Little Pine}^, where it arrived immediately after the army had crossed 
the ford. Before reaching the ford, however, Sigel had given up the 



350 HISTORY OF grei:ne county. 

command of the army to Major Sturgis, who marched it into Rolhi 
August 19th, where it went into temporary camp, the first encamp- 
ment being named " Camp Gary Gratz," in honor of the captain of 
the 1st Missouri killed at Wilson's Creek. In a few days the Missouri 
and Kansas troops and the 1st Iowa, whose term of service had long 
before expired, were sent to St. Louis to be mustered out. 

The Union wounded in Springfield, as has been stated, had been 
left in charge of Dr. E. C. Franklin, of the 5th Missouri, Salomon's 
regiment, and assisting him were the surgeons and assistant surgeons 
of other regiments and battalions — Melcher, Davis, Haussler, and 
Ludwig, and also one or two of the local physicians and surgeons. 
There was plenty of work for all of them. Dr. Franklin labored al- 
most incessantly for some days, and performed a prodigious amount 
of valuable service for the wounded soldiers under his charge, as is 
testified to by men whose lives he saved. Dr. Franklin, now (1883) 
professor of surgery in the Homoeopathic College of the University 
of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, writes : " Upon the entrance of the Con- 
federates, Brig. Gen. Rains confiscated the most of the medical sup- 
plies, leaving me scarcely enough to last our sick and wounded for 
one week, after which time we were often in great straits." ^ 

THE CONFEDERATES ENTER SPRINGFIELD. 

The battle of Wilson's Creek ended at about noon of August 10 ; but 
not until about 11 o'clock of the next day, or nearly 24 hours after 
the close of the battle, did the first Confederate troops (save a few 
prisoners), set foot within the town of Springfield. Sturgis, with the 
remains of Lyon's corps, was not pursued at all. Sigel's " flying Dutch- 
men " were chased but a few miles, while no attempt at formidable 
pursuit or to follow up the victory was made by either McCulloch or 
Price. Whether this was because, as the Federals claimed, that the 
Southerners themselves were so badly damaged as to be unable to 
follow the Federals, but had to wait and allow them to go out of the 
county before moving camp, or whether Gen. McCulloch himself ex- 
pected to be attacked, or had other good reasons for sitting quietly by, 
cannot here be stated. 

Lyon's body had been sent in. Certain citizens of Springfield had 
gone from town to the Southern camp, and back and forth had ridden 



1 An interesting medical and surgical history of the Union wounded at the battle of 
Wilson's Creek was kindly furnished for publication in this history by Dr. Franklin, but 
unfortunately arrived too late for insertion in full. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 351 

many a man, but no movement was made until late Sunday morning. 
At about 11- o'clock some Missouri and Texas cavalry rode into town 
and halted. No pursuit worthy of the name was attempted after the 
vast crowd of citizens and soldiers and citizen-soldiery making its 
exodus from Greene county, in some respects like unto that crowd of 
fugitives led by the Jewish Lawgiver and guided by a pillar of cloud 
by day and a pillar of fire by night. Soon the town was pretty well 
filled with troops, and Price and McCulloch came in. The stores were 
visited and the proprietors interviewed, and there was great activity 
in mercantile circles for a time ; thousands of dollars worth of goods 
changed hands in a few hours. Everything was paid for on the 
spot, — ill Confederate, or Missouri scrip. 

The 11th was Sunday, but, as Gen. McCulloch remarked, *' it was 
just as good as any other day in war time," and so the troopS were 
distributed around, encampments laid out, and preparations made to 
permanently occupy the land. On the next day, Monday, the 12th, 
Gen. McCulloch issued the following proclamation, which was dis- 
tributed not only through this county but throughout the greater 
portion of the southern part of the State : — 

PROCLAMATION OF GEN. m'cULLOCH. 

Headquarters Western Army, ) 
Camp near Springfield, Mo., August 12, 1861. \ 
To the People of Missouri : — Having been called by the Governor 
of your State to assist in driving the National forces out of the State, 
and in restoring the people to their just rights, I have come among 
you simply with the view of making war upon our Northern foes, to 
drive them back and give the oppressed of your State an opportunity 
of again standing up as free men and uttering their true sentiments. 
You have been overrun and trampled upon by the mercenary hordes 
of the North ; your beautiful State has been nearly subjugated, but 
those true sons of Missouri v/ho have continued in arms, together with 
m}^ forces, came back upf)n the enemy, and we have gained over them 
a great and signal victory. Their General-in-Chief is slain, and many 
of their other general officers wounded. Their army is in full flight ; 
and now, if the true men of Missouri will rise up and rally around our 
standard the State will be redeemed. I do not come among you to 
make war upon any of your people, whether Union or otherwise ; the 
Union people will all be protected in their rights and property. It is 
earnestly recommended to them to return to their homes. Prisoners 
of the Union army, who have been arrested by the army, will be re- 
leased and allowed to return to their 'friends. Missouri must be al- 
lowed to choose her own destiny, no oath binding your consciences. 



352 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

I have driven the enemy from among you ; the time has now arrived 
for the people of the State to act. You can no longer procrastinate. 
Missouri must now take her position, be it North or South. 

Ben McCulloch, 
Brig. Gen. Commandino". 

This proclamation was well received by the people of the county, 
especially the Union portion, who expected nothing else and nothing 
less than that they were to be treated with great severity. All looked 
forward to a season of security, if not absolute peace. It is painful 
to be compelled t'o state, however, that Gen. McCuUoch's proclama- 
tion was not long observed. Despite its declarations Union men were 
arrested and their property and that of their secession neighbors 
siezed and appropriated whenever it pleased the subordinate Confed- 
erate officers to do so. 

In connection with his proclamation and on the same day McCul- 
loch issued the following congratulatory order to the troops under his 
command over the result of the battle of Wilson's Creek : — 

GEN. m'CULLOCH'S ORDER. 

Headquarters Western Army, ) 
Near Springfield, Missouri, August 12, 1861. 5 

The General commanding takes great pleasure in announcing to the 
army under his command, the signal victory it has just gained. Sol- 
diers of Louisiana, of Arkansas, of Missouri, and of Texas, nobly 
have you sustained yourselves. Shoulder to shoulder you have met 
the enemy and driven him before you . Your first battle has been 
glorious and your general is proud of you. The opposing forces, 
composed mostly of the old regular army of the North, have thrown 
themselves upon you, confident of victory ; but, by great gallantry 
and determined courage, you have routed them with great slaughter. 
Several pieces of artillery and many prisoners are now in your hands. 
The commander-in-chief of the enemy is slain, and many of the gen- 
eral officers wounded. The flag of the Confederacy now floats near 
Springfield, the stronghold of the enemy. The friends of our cause 
Avho have been in prison there are released. While announcing to 
the army the great victory, the general hopes that the laurels you 
have gained will not be tarnished by a single outrage. The private 
property of citizens of either party must respected. Soldiers who 
fought as you did the day before yesterday cannot rob or plunder. 
By order of Ben McCulloch, 

General Commanding. 

James Mcintosh, Capt. C. S. A. and Adjutant General. 

General Price was also seized with the proclamation fever and a few 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. ' 353 

days after the occupation of Springfield, that is to say on August 
20th, published the following : — 

GEN. price's proclamation. 

To THE People of Missouri: — Fellow-citizens: The army under 
my command has been organized under the laws of the State for the 
protection of your homes and firesides, and for the maintenance of 
the rights, dignity and honor of Missouri. It is kept in the field for 
these purposes alone, and to aid in accomplishing them, our gallant 
Southern brethren have come into our State. We have just achieved 
a glorious victory over the foe, and scattered far and wide the well- 
appointed army which the usurper at Washington has been more 
than six months gathering for your subjugation and enslavement. 
This victory frees a large portion of the State from the power of the 
invaders, and restores it to the protection of its army. It conse- 
quently becomes my duty to assure you that it is my firm determina- 
tion to protect every peaceable citizen in the full enjoyment of all his 
rights, whatever may have been his sympathies in the present unhappy 
struggle, if he has not taken an active part in the cruel warfare, which 
has been waged against the good j^eople of this State, by the ruthless 
enemies whom we have just defeated. I therefore invite all good cit- 
izens to return to their homes and the practice of their ordinary avo- 
cations, Avith the full assurance that they, their families, their homes 
and their property shall be carefully protected. I, at the same time, 
warn all evil disposed j^ersons, who may support the usurpations of 
any one claiming to be provisional or temporary Governor of Mis- 
souri, or who shall in any other way give aid or comfort to the enemy, 
that they will be held as enemies, and treated accordingly. 

Sterling Price, 
Maj.-Gen. Commanding Mo. State Guard. 

August 20, 1861. 

It will be observed that the terms of Gen. Price's proclamation 
dift'ered somewhat from McCulloch's. The latter declared that pris- 
oners of the Union army would be released and allowed to return to 
their friends, while Gen. Price declared that no man who had taken 
an active part in the " cruel warfare which had been waged against 
the good people (/. e., the secession good people) of the State, "should 
be protected in his rights. And yet Gen. Price was as much a friend 
of the Union people and Union troops as Gen. McCulloch, and showed 
them as many favors. 

Capt. Dick Campbell's company of Greene county men had their 
homes in the neighborhood, and knew the Union men of the 
county almost to a man, and were able to inform Gen. Price with rea- 
sonable accuracy which of them were entitled to special favors and 
23 



354 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

which were not. This company, Jis before narrated, had fought at 
Wilson's Creek, and now was assigned to permanent duty at Spring- 
field and in Greene count}'. 

JOY AND CONGRATULATIONS. 

The news' of the battle of Wilson's Creek was received with grreat 
joy throughout the Southern Confederacy and everywhere that the 
Confederate cause had synipathizcrs, and the event did much for that 
cause in Missouri, by stimulating recruiting and causing many an 
undecided individual to come down oft' the fence and stand on the 
Southern side. Some time afterward, November 4, 1861, when the 
" Claib. Jackson Legislature " (as the Legislature that passed the 
Neosho ordinance of secession was called), was in session at Cass- 
ville, it passed the following resolution, introduced by Mr. Goodlett, 
under a suspension of the rules : — 

Resolved hij the Senate, lite House of Representatives concurring 
therein: That the thanks of the State of Missouri are hereby cor- 
dially given to Major General Price and Brigadier Generals Parsons, 
Rains, Slack, Clark, McBride and Steen, and the officers and trooi)s 
of the Missouri State Guard under their command, and to Brigadier 
General McCuUoch and officers and the troops of the Confederate 
States under their command, for their gallant and signal services and 
the victory obtained by them in the battle of Springfield. 

The following resolutions were introduced into the Confederate 
Congress, on the 2l8t of August, by Mr. Ochiltree, of Texas, ^ and 
were passed unanimously : — 

Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to vouchsafe to the arms 
of the Confederate States another glorious and important victory, in a 
portion of the country where a reverse would have been disastrous, 
by exposing the families of the good people of the State of Missouri, 
to the unbridled license of the brutal soldiery of an unscrupulous 
enemy ; therefore 

Be it Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States, That the 
thanks of Congress are cordially tendered to Brig. Gen. McCullocli 
and the officers and soldiers of his brave command for their gallant 
conduct in defeating after a battle of six and a half hours a force of 
the enemy equal in numbers and greatly superior in all their appoint- 
ments, thus proving that a right cause nerves the hearts and 
strengthens the arms of the Southern people, fighting as they are for 
their liberty, their homes and friends, against an unholy despotism. 



1 Said to be at present a member of tlie U. S. Congress from Texas, and a prominent 
member of the Republican party ! 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 355 

Resolved, That in the opinion of Congress, Gen. McCulloch and 
his troops are entitled to and will receive the greatful thanks of all our 
people. 



DISPOSITION OF THE BODY OF GEN. LYON. 

Ah, Sir Launcelot! Thou there liest that never wert matched of earthly hands. Thou 
■wert the fairest person and the goodliest of any that rode in the press of knights. Thou wert 
the truest to thy sworn brother of any that buckled on the spur; * * * and thou 
wert the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever laid spear in rest. 

For the purpose of ascertaining the truth concerning the death and 
burial of the body of Gen. Lyon, the writer hereof caused certain 
newspaper publications to be made in the St. Louis Republican and 
other journals, making inquiries pertinent to the case. Many and varied 
were the replies, some of which, perhaps, ought to be given, as illus- 
trating the different lights in which men see the same object, and the 
morbid desire for notoriety on the part of others, which leads them to 
lie like book-agents, in order that their names may be published in 
connection with some notable event. No less than ten newspaper ar- 
ticles were published and thirty-two written communications Avere re- 
ceived by the compiler relating to the death and burial of Gen. Lyon. 
The result was 42 different versions thereof. 

The work of ascertaining the truth was thereby complicated instead 
of being fjicilitated . A dozen or more claimants for the distinction of 
having first discovered the bod}' on the battlefield appeared. Haifa 
score bore the corse to Gen. Price's tent. Twenty saw the body, 
noted its appearance carefully, etc. Knowing from incontrovertible 
proof how the general was dressed when he was killed, the writer in- 
serted a test question asking that his garb be described. Two ex_ 
officers, one Union, the other Confederate, answered that he was *' in 
f\dl general's uniform." A minister of the gospel, who was also the 
*■*■ first to discover the body," promptly replied that he was " dressed 
in a complete suit of black broadcloth, white shirt, fine boots and kid 
gloves." The majority of the answers, however, were to the same 
effect, that he was dressed in his old fatigue uniform of his former 
rank, that of captain in the regular army — without epaulets or shoul- 
der straps. After much labored investigation the writer has ascer- 
tained the following facts, which he can easily substantiate : — 

Gen. Lyon was killed while placing the 2d Kansas Infantry in po- 
sition by a rifle or navy revolver ball through the region of the heart. 



^i5() HISTORY OF GIIKKNE COUNTY. 

He was borne to the rear by Lieut. Schrejer, of Capt. Tholen's com- 
pany, 2d Kansas, two other members of the same regiment, and Ed. 
Lehman, of Co. B, 1st U. S. Cavalry, the latter the soldier who caught 
the general's body as it fell from the horse. As the body was borne 
to the rear, Lieut. Wm. Wherry, one of the general's aids, had the 
face covered, and ordered Lehman, who was crying like a child, to 
" stop his noise," and tried in other ways to suppress the news that 
the general had been killed. The body was placed in the shade of a 
small black-jack, the face covered with half of a soldier's blanket, the 
limbs composed, and in a few minutes there were present Surgeon F. 
M. Cornyn, Maj. Sturgis, Maj. Schofield, Gen. Sweeney, and Gordon 
Granger, and perhaps other officers. Cornyn examined the body, and 
from the side of the face wiped the blood made by the wound in the 
head. 

Maj. Sturgis ordered the body to be carried back to a place selected 
as a sort of field hospital and there to be placed in an ambulance and 
taken to Springfield. While the body was here lying a few Federal 
officers examined it and one of them reports that the face had again 
become bloody, from the wound in the head, and that the shirt front 
was gory from the death wound. About twenty minutes after the 
body had been brought back, Lieut. David Murphy, of the 1st Mis- 
souri, who was alread}^ badly wounded in the leg, and Lehman placed 
the body in an army wagon, being used as an ambulance, and belong- 
ing to Co. B, 1st U. S. Cavalry. This wagon was about to start to 
Springfield, and contained already some wounded men. A few min- 
utes later, a sergeant of the regular arni}^ came up and ordered the 
body taken out, saying, " There will be an ambulance here in a minute 
for it." The corpse was then carried beneath the shade tree where it 
had before reposed. 

The Federal arni}^ now retreated, and the ambulance ordered never 
came up. Before the Confederates came on to the ground where the 
body lay, which location was 200 yards northeast of " Bloody Hill," 
half a dozen slightly wounded Federal soldiers had gathered about the 
dead hero, and an hour after the Federal retreat a party of Arkansas 
skirmishers came upon them and discovering the occasion of the crowd 
instantly spread the news that Gen. Lyon had been killed. Immedi- 
ately there was a great tumult and the report was borne to Price and 
McCuUoch by half a dozen. Many were incredulous and did not be- 
lieve that a body so plainly dressed, — in an old faded captain's uni- 
form, with but three U. S. buttons on the coat and a blue (or red) 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 357 

cord down the legs of the trousers to indicate that he was in the mili- 
tary service — was that of Gen. Lyon. 

The body had been placed in a small covered wagon, used as an 
ambulance, to be conveyed to Gen. McCulloch's headquarters (not 
Gen. Price's) when an order arrived that it should be taken to Price's 
and delivered to Dr. S. H. Melcher, of the 5th Missouri, who ns, be- 
fore stated, had come upon the field in company with Dr. Smith, Gen. 
Rains' division surgeon. Dr. Melcher had been informed by Col. 
Emmet McDonald that Lyon had been killed and at once asked for 
his body. When the little covered wagon containing the corpse had 
driven up and Gen. Price and Gen. Rains and other officers had 
viewed the body, it was turned over to Dr. Melcher. A number of" 
Southern soldiers standing by drew knives and made attempts to cut 
otf some buttons or pieces of the uniform as relics, and one or two 
expressed a wish to " cut his d — d heart out ; " but Gen. Rains drew 
his sword (or revolver) and swore he would kill the first man that 
touched the corpse, and Emmett McDonald denounced the ruffianly 
would-be violators in the harshest terms — and McDonald could be 
harsh when he wanted to be ! 

Beside the body of Gen. Lyon was a wounded man, who was now 
taken out, and then Gen. Rains himself and some of his cavalry es- 
corted the wagon to the house of Mr. Ray, on or near the battlefield. 
It is proper now to give the testimony of Dr. Melcher himself, as 
given to the writer and furnished the press for publication. Speaking 
of the courtesy of Gen. Rains in escorting the body to Ray's house. 
Dr. Melcher goes on to say : 

Arriving there the body was carried into the house and placed on a 
bed ; then I carefully washed his face and hands, which were much 
discolored by dust and blood, and examined for wounds. There was 
a wound on the right side of the head, another in the right leg below 
the knee, and another, which caused his death, was by a small rifle ball, 
which entered about the fourth rib on the left side, passing entirely 
through the body, making its exit from the right side, evidently pass- 
ing through l)oth lungs and heart. From the character of this 
wound it is my opinion that Gen. Lyon was holding the bridle rein in 
his left hand, and had turned in the saddle to give a command, or 
words of encouragement, thus exposing his left side to the fire of the 
enemy. 

At this time he had on a dark blue, single breasted captain's coat, 
with the buttons used by the regular army of the United States. It 
was the same uniform coat I had frequently seen him wear in the 
Arsenal at St. Louis, and was considerably worn and faded. He had 



358 HISTORY OF (JKKENE COUNTY. 

no shoulder-straps ; his pants were dark blue ; the wide-brim felt hat 
he had worn during the campaign was not with him. After arranging 
the body as well as circumstances permitted, it was carried to the 
wagon and covered with a spread or sheet furnished me by Mrs. Ray. 

When I was ready to start Gen. Rains said : " I will not order any 
to go with you, but volunteers may go ;" and Jive Confederate soldiers 
offered their service of escort. One drove the team ; the others, being 
mounted, rode with me in rear of wagon. The only name I can give 
is that of Orderly Sergt. Bracket of a company in Churchill's Arkan- 
sas regiment. Another of the escort was a German who in 1863 was 
clerking in Springfield, and during the defence of Springfield against 
the attack of Marmaduke, January 8, 1863, did service in the citizens' 
company of 42 men Avhich was attached to my " Quinine Brigade " 
from the hospitals. 

The following is a copy of a paper written at Mr. Ray's house. The 
original I now have : ^ — 

G-en. James S. Rains, commanding Missouri State Guards, having learned that Gen. 
Lyon, commanding United States forces during action near Springfield, Mo., Aug. 10, 
1861, had fallen, kindly offered military escort and transportation subject to my order. I 
have also his assurance that all of the wounded shall be well taken care of and may be re- 
moved under the hospitable flag, and that the dead shall be buried as rapidly as possible. 
[Signed] S. H. Melcher, 

Wilson Crkkk, Aug. 10, 1861. Asst. Surg. 5th Reg. Mo. Vols. 

The above fully approved arid indorsed. 

[Signed] James S. Rains, 

Brig.-Gen. 8th M. D., M. S. G. 

About half way to Springfield I saw a party under flag of truce 
going toward the battlefield. Arriving at Springfield, the first of- 
ficer I reported to was the ever faithful Col. Nelson Cole, then captain 
of company E, 1st Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who, with what re- 
mained of his gallant company, was guarding the outposts. I passed 
on to the camps of Gen. James Totten and T. W. Sweeney. Here 
Gen. Totten relieved ray escort and sent them back to their command, 
a new driver was furnished, and I delivered the body of Gen. Lyon to 
Maj. J. M. Schofieldjlst Missouri volunteer infantry — now Maj.-Gen. 
Schofield, U. S. A. — at the house that had been used previous to the 
battle by Gen. Lyon for his headquarters. 

It is proper to state that Dr. Melcher's testimony is corroborated 
in part by two survivors of the 1st Arkansas, and by Mrs. Livonia 
Green, now of Lane county, Oregon, and also by Mrs. Jerome 
Yarbrough, of this county, both of the latter being daughters of 
the Mr. and Mrs. Ray mentioned. (Mr. and Mrs. Ray are now 
dead). 



' The writer has seen and carefully examined the original of this paper. It is written in 
pencil, but is quite legible. The hand writing of Gen. Rains was identified beyond ques- 
tion. The paper was kindly furnished by Dr. Melcher for the purposes of this history. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 359 

After Sturgis' army had gotten well on the road to Springfield, it 
was discovered that Gen. Lyon's body had been left behind. Stur- 
gis immediately started back a flag of truce party under Lieut. Can- 
field, of the regular army, with orders to go to Gens. Price and 
McCulloch, and, if possible, procure the remains and bring them on 
to Springfield. Lieut. Canfield and party went to the battlefield, saw 
Gen. McCulloch, obtained his order for the body (the general remark- 
ing that he wished he had a thousand other dead Yankee bodies to 
send ofi") and there ascertained that the body had already started for 
the Federal lines. 

When the corpse was deposited in the former headquarters of the gen- 
eral, on the north side of College street, west of Main, in Springfield, 
word was sent to Sturgis. He and Schofield and other ofllcers held a 
consultation, and decided that the body should be taken with the 
army to RoUa, if possible. There not being a metallic coflln in the 
place, it was determined to embalm it, or preserve it by some artifi- 
cial process. Accordingly, the chief surgeon, Dr. E. C. Franklin, 
was sent for. Responding to the inquiries of the writer. Dr. Franklin 
says ; 

About ten o'clock p. m., on the night when it arrived at head- 
quarters, I was summoned there and then first saw the body of Gen. 
Lyon lying upon a table, covered with a white spread, in a room ad- 
joining the one where two or three of the Union officers were seated. 
Gens. Schofield, Sturgis, and others consulted me as to the possibility 
of injecting the body with such materials that would prevent decay 
during its transit to St. Louis. I prepared the fluid for injection into 
the body, but discovered that instead of being retained within the ves- 
sels it passed out into the cavity of the chest. This led me to suspect 
a laceration either of one of the large arteries near the heart, or, pos- 
sibly, a wound of the heart itself. This hypothesis, coupled with the 
fact that there was an external wound in the region of the heart, con- 
firmed my opinion of the utter uselessness of attempting the preserva- 
tion of the body during its passage to St. Louis. These facts I 
reported to the commanding officer, who then gave me verbal orders 
to attend to the disposal of the body in the best possible manner. At 
this time preparations were being made and the orders given for the 
troops to retreat and fall back upon Rolla, some fifty or more miles 
nearer St. Louis. Returning to the general hospital, of which I was 
in charge, I detailed a squad of nurses to watch by the body of Gen. 
Lyon till morning, which order was faithfully carried out. I then 
disposed of my time for the best interests of the wounded and sick 
under my charge. 

Dr. Franklin was furnished with money and directed to have the 



360 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

general's remains well cared for, and he ordered an undertaker, Mr, 
Presley Beal, to make a good, substantial coffin at once. Early the 
following morning, in some way, word was sent to Mrs. Mary Phelps, 
wife of Hon. John S. Phelps, that the body of the great Union leader 
was lying stiff and bloody and neglected in the temporary charuel 
house on Colle<re street. Soon she and the wife of Mr. Beal were bv 
his side, and watching him. Not long thereafter came the wife of 
Col. Marcus Boyd and her two daughters (one of whom, now Mrs. 
Lula Kennedy, still resides in Springfield), and kept them company. 
And so it was that women, " last at the cross and first at the tomi)," 
were those who kept vigil over the corse of the dead warrior, who, 
although he died the earliest, was one of the greatest Union generals 
the war produced. 

The body had now lain about twenty-four hours in very hot 
weather. Il was changing fast, and its condition made it necessary 
that it should be buried as soon as possible. Mrs. Phelps left Mrs. 
Kennedy and her daughters and went to see about the coffin. Dr. 
Franklin came in and sprinkled the corpse with bay rum and alcohol. 
Mr. Beal brought the coffin, and soon a wagon — a butcher's wagon — 
was on its way to Col. Phelps' farm with all that was mortal of the 
dead hero, and with no escort save the driver, Mrs. Phelps, Mr. Beal 
and one or two soldiers. 

Col. Emmett McDonald, than whom the war produced no more 
knightly a soldier, had been made a prisoner by Gen. Lyon, at the 
capture of Camp Jackson. When Lyon was killed. Col. McDonald 
not only assisted Dr. Melcher in recovering the body, but Dr. Frank- 
lin says of him : 

Here let me do justice to Col. Emmett McDonald, who called 
upon me at the general hospital and after some conversation 
in regard to the circumstances attending the death of Gen. Lyon, 
tendered to me an escort of Confederate troops as a " guard of honor " 
to accompany Gen. Lyon's remains to the place of burial, which I 
refused from a too sensitive regard for the painful occasion, and an 
ignorance of military regulations touching the subject. 

Mrs. Phelps was practically alone at the time. Her husband was 
in his seat in the Federal Congress, her son, Johia E. Plielps, had fol- 
lowed off the Federal army, and even her faithful servant, George, 
had accom[)anied his young master. But Mrs. Phelps was a lady not 
easily daunted, or one that would shrink from what she considered a 
duty, no matter how unpleasant it might be. The body was taken to 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 361 

Mrs. Phelps' residence, and not buried at once, it being the under- 
standing that it would be sent for soon. Mr. James Vaughan, who 
owned a tin-shop in Springfield, was ordered to make a zinc case for 
the coffin, to assist in the preservation of its contents. 

The coffin was temporarily deposited in an out-door cellar or cave, 
which in summer had been used as an ice-house, and in the winter as 
an " apple-hole," and was Avell covered with straw. It was here 
placed about two o'clock on the 11th. A day or two later, the slave, 
George, returned. While the body of Gen. Lyon lay in Mrs. Phelps' 
cellar, the place was visited by some citizens and many Southern sol- 
diers. It is much to be regretted that some brutes there were among 
the soldiers that treated the remains of the dead man with all dis- 
respect, cursing them and him openly and in the vilest terms. One 
young officer is reported to have said to Mrs. Phelps: "There is 
quite a contrast betwixt the resting place of old L3'^on's body and his 
soul, isn't there, Madame? The one is in an ice-house ; the other in 
hell ! " he added with a heartless chuckle. 

At last some drunken ruffians, by threatening to open the coffin 
and " cut out the d — d heart " of the body for a relic, so frightened 
Mrs. Phelps, causing her to fear that the remains would be mu- 
tilated in some horrible manner, that she asked Gen. Price to send a 
detail and bur}'^ the body. This was done by volunteers from Guibor's 
and Kelly's infantry, of Gen. Parsons' division, at that time en- 
camped on Col. Phelps' farm. It is believed the body was not buried 
until the 14th. The slave, George, dug the grave, which was in Mrs. 
Phelps' garden. Some of the soldiers stamped on the grave in great 
delight. An Irishman told Capt. Guibor, *'Be jabers, we shtomped 
him good. " 

On the 22d of August there came to Springfield a party in a four- 
mule ambulance, bearing with them a 300-pound metallic coffin. This 
party was composed of Danford Knowlton, of New York City, a 
cousin of Gen. Lyon; John B. Hasler, of Webster, Mass., the gen- 
eral's brother-in-law, and Mr. Geo. N. Lynch, the well-known under- 
taker, still of St. Louis. From Rolla in, the party was accompanied 
by the gallant Emmett McDonald, who had been up to arrange for an 
exchange of prisoners, and from whom, Mr. Hasler says, they re- 
ceived many attentions and favors. 

Arriving at Springfield, Mr. Hasler says, they visited Gen. Price 
and handed him a letter from Gen. Fremont explaining their mission, 
which was to bear away the body of Gen. Lyon. As the letter was 



362 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

directed " To whom it may concern," Gen. Price, after glancing at 
the address, threw it contemptuously aside, saying he could read no 
document thus directed. At the same time he offered to grant them 
every facility for procuring the body of their dead relative. 

Repairing to Phelps' farm the party disinterred the body and placed 
it in the metallic coffin, after removing the zinc case made by Mr. 
Vaughn. Gen. Parsons, whose division was encamped on the farm, 
came up, introduced himself, and Mr. Hasler says, " showed us nu- 
merous civilities. Among other attentions he tendered a guard for 
the body and team over night, which was accepted." 

The next day the party left Springfield and were in Rolla on the 
25th, and in St. Louis the 26th. Here a military escort joined. From 
thence the party proceeded to Eastford, Connecticut, the birthplace of 
the general, which place was reached September 4th, there being great 
receptions and honors paid the body in the cities and towns enroule. 
Sept. 5th the body was buried in the famil}'^ burying ground at Eastford. 
*' Upon the coffin as it lay in the Congregational church when the fu- 
neral ceremonies were being rendered," says Mr. Woodward, who was 
present, " were placed the hat, a light felt, which the general had 
waved aloft when rallying his ranks at Wilson's Creek, and also the 
sword, scarred and weather-beaten from sharing in the long hard ser- 
vice of its owner." The hat was brought from the battlefield by the 
wounded men in the wagon in which the general's body was first 
placed, and was given to Mr. Hasler by the driver, who had preserved 
it. Both hat and sword were o-iven to and since have been in the 
possession of the Connecticut Historical Society. 

General Lyon was born in Eastford, Connecticut, July 14th, 1818. 
He entered West Point in 1837 ; graduated in 1841, standing eleventh 
in a class of fifty. He served in Florida in 1841-2 ; was in the Mexi- 
can war under Taylor and Scott ; in California and on the frontier 
from 1850 to 1861. He was never married. The statement that he 
bequeathed his private fortune to the Federal government is erro- 
neous. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 363 

CHAPTER X. 
FROM THE BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK TO THE CLOSE OF 1861. 

The Southern Army of Occupation — The Bountiful Harvest of 1861 — The Boys in the 
Gray Jackets — Good-Bye to the Military — Gen. Price Goes to Lexington — Gens 
Pearce and McCuUoch Go Back to Arkansas — McCulloch Censures the Missourians — 
"Greene County as Loyal as Boston" — Col. Taylor's Administration — Those Who 
Cared for the Union Wounded — Life in " Secessia " — Operations in October — Gen 
Fremont Comes into the County — Zaqonyi's Charge — The March Begun — "The 
Enemy in Sight" — Refreshments — Capture of Maj. White — The State Guards in 
Camp — Nearing the Ground — Preparing to Keceive Company — " Forward ! Charge ! " 
— The Fight Begun — Foley Comes Up — Forming Again — The Second Charge — 
Victory — Rout of the State Guards — The Scouts and the Irish Dragoons — Into 
Springfield — "Welcome!" — Killing of Mr. Stephens — Raising the Stars and Stripes 
over the Court House — Mrs. Worrell's Flag — Back to Fremont — The Fremont Body 
Guard — Release of Maj. White — Tom Dryden, the Union Messenger Boy — The 
Flag of Truce Episode — A "Yankee Trick" — Casualties of Zagonyi's Charge — 
Fremont^ Army Appears — The Neosho Secession Ordinance — Incidents of Fremont's 
Occupation — His Treaty with Gen. Price — Fremont Superseded by Hunter — Fixing 
to Fight 25,000 Confederates "in Buckram" — Hunter Appears — Burning of the Old 
Court House — Flag Presentation — The Ladies of Springfield and Maj. Zagonyi — The 
Federals Fall Back — Another Exodus of Unionists — Sad Scenes — The Stay of Fre- 
mont's Army — Jim Lane and His Jay-Hawkers — Under the Stars and Bars — 
"Pressing" — Merchant Moss and the Confederate Commissary — Foraging — Arrest of 
Unionists — Price's Army Again Goes North — The County Occupied by Confederates — 
Recruiting for the Confederate Cause — Gen. Price and His Army Back for Christmas 
Dinner. 

THE SOUTHERN ARMY OF OCCUPATION. 

Soon after Gens. McCulloch and Price had taken possession of 
Springfield and Greene county, scouting parties were sent out through 
the county, and a great deal of forage seized, horses and mules 
" pressed," and, in some instances, negro slaves forced into service. 
By and by, notwithstanding McCulloch's proclamation, a number of 
Union men were made prisoners, brought to Springfield and thrown 
into jail. Some of these had belonged to Phelps' regiment of Home 
Guards ; others had not been in any sort of service, but were known 
to be uncompromising Union men. 

There was a most abundant harvest reaped in Greene county in 
1861. More bountiful crops were raised this season than had ever 
been known before. Perhaps it was well this was so. Three or four 
large armies supplied themselves from the fields, the barns, the gran- 
aries and the pastures of the county this year, and after they had 
wasted and destroyed about as much as they had consumed, there 



364 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was still something left to feed the citizens. Upon the authority of 
well-informed persons, it may be stated that the products of the farms 
of Greene county supplied the inhabitants, and, in great part, the 
armies of Lyon, Sigel, Fremont, Hunter, and Price and McCulloch 
for a part of two years, and much of the su])i)lies was carried into the 
third year. It is said that over $3,000,000 of claims for quartermas- 
ter's stores and commissary supplies furnished the Union army by 
the Union people of the county out of the county's supply, had 
beea filed up to 1870. What the Confederates seized and appropri- 
ated for the use of their forces, can only be estimated, and some 
place it at a value of $1,000,000; and what the Union troops took 
from the "disloyal" citizens has never been taken into account. 
There are no " rebel claims " on file from Greene county. 

The wheat crop had been bountiful, but much of it had not been 
threshed. Two or three threshing machines, ownied by Union men, 
were known to be in the county. Gen. Price gave orders that the 
owners of these machines or their employes were not to be arrested, 
and their horses were not to be " pressed." After the county passed 
into the undisputed possession of the Southern troops the machines 
went to work, and following them up came the wagons of the Confed- 
erate quartermasters and hauled off" the wheat about as fast as it was 
threshed to the mills to be ground into flour for the use of the troops 
who were fighting for Southern independence. The proprietors of the 
machines were wont to stealthily send word to their Union neighbors 
and brethren not to be in a hurry to have their threshing done, but 
to Avait until a " more convenient season," and it so happened that 
the farmers of the county who were secession in sentiment had more 
of their wheat taken by Price's men than had the Union men. 

THE BOYS IN GRAY. 

Very many of the people of the county gladly welcomed the South- 
ern troops as their deliverers, and nearly all classes sought to make 
friends of them. The Louisianians and Texans were great favorites. 
People came from all parts of the county to visit the camps about 
Sprmgfield, and all called on the men from Louisiana. Some of the 
principal Southern oflicers, Missourians and Confederates both, sent 
for their families to join them at Springfield, and there were many 
joyful reunions. The town was almost a vast hospital, and many a 
mother and father came to nurse a sou, many a wife to care for a 
husband, many a daughter to care for a brother or father. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 3G5 

Yet sad as were the scenes in all parts of the town, there were 
found time, opportunity, and inclination for festivities and jollities, 
for social pleasures and pastimes, for merry-making and for love- 
makino-. Grim-visa^ed War for a brief season smoothed his wrinkled 
front, and there was many a sound of revelry by night, and b}'^ day 
as well. 

Gen. Price's headquarters, in the Graves house, on Boonville 
street, well across "Jordan," and McCuUoch's headquarters, at the 
house of the widow of Gen. N. E. Smith, on Boonville street, east 
side, near the public square, were resorted to by hundreds of both 
sexes from all i)arts of the county, anxious to see the two great mili- 
tary chieftains, if for no other reasons. 

The troops were camped all about the town. Some of the encamp- 
ments were on where is now the western part of the city ; some across 
" Jordan," between " Old Town " and North Springfield ; some out 
on Gov. Phelps' farm ; some at the Fulbright spring. Here they 
were visited daily b}^ ladies and others from the city and surrounding 
country. Pretty soon a large portion of McCuUoch's army went into 
camp near the Pond Spring, west of town, where McCulloch had his 
headquarters for a time. 

GOOD-BYE TO THE MILITARY. 

After a season of about three weeks of rest, of refreshment, of 
binding up of wounds, of recruiting, Gen. Price's army prepared to 
leave Springfield and Greene county for other fields where battles 
were to be fought and laurels were to be won. Lane and Moutgom- 
erv were at Ft. Scott and other points on the border of Kansas, mak- 
ing incursions into Missouri and doing damage to the secessionists and 
the secession cause. Far up to the northward, across the Missouri 
river, in different portions of North Missouri, were considerable 
armies of State Guards eager to cross the river and to come to the 
hel[) of their secession brethren under Gem Price. Gen. Tom Harris 
and Col. Martin Greene had a rather large and efficient brigade in 
Northeast Missouri ; Cols. Boyd, Saunders, Patton, Childs and Wil- 
fley had regiments, and Capt. Kelly had a battery, all in Northwest 
Missouri, while smaller detachments were in nearly every county 
north of the river awaiting the opportunity to rally under the flag of 
the grizzly bears borne by Gen. Price and the men who had fought 
under him at Wilson's Creek. 

But between the ardent secessionists of North Missouri and the 



366 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

army of Gen. Price lay the Missouri river, and along the Missouri was 
stretched a cordon of Federal military posts keeping watch and ward 
that no troops bearing arms for the Southern cause might cross. At 
Kansas City, at Lexington, at Glasgow, at Boonville, at Jefferson 
City, and so on to the mouth of the river, Federal garrisons were keep- 
ing the fords. To make a demonstration in this direction in order to 
release these isolated recruits and strengthen his army, and to pay his 
respects to the jay hawkers along the Kansas border, Gen. Price re- 
solved to move his army to the north. 

Accordingly about the 22d of August Gen. Price's army struck its 
tents in and about Springfield and pointed its colors to the north. 
The greater portion of the Greene county men were left in Spring- 
field as a garrison. Some of them went along as volunteers and 
were in the fight at Lexington, and, as everywhere else, gave a 
good account of themselves. A portion of the troops took the Boli- 
var road and were at Bolivar, Aug, 26th, but the majority went by way 
of Mt, Vernon. The objective point was Lexington, but it was 
not designed to allow the Kansas troops to gather and follow in 
the rear. Therefore the army moved in a sort of curve toward the 
west. On the route, at Drywood creek, in Vernon county, and 
about fifteen miles from the eastern border of Kansas, Rains' 
division had a skirmish on the 7th of September with some Kan- 
sas troops under Lane and Montgomery, brushed them out of the 
way, and drove them across the line to Ft. Scott, with but small 
loss on either side. Capt. Bledsoe of the artillery was here wounded. 
Five days later Price's army invested Col. Mulligan with 2,800 
Federals at Lexington. On the 20th Mulligan surrendered. 

Within a day or two after the departure of Gen. Price the forces 
under Gen McCuUoch left the county, going to Cassville, thence (some 
of them) into the Indian Territory and from thence to Fayetteville ; 
a detachment or two remained in McDonald count3^ McCulloch's 
withdrawal was occasioned partly because of the expiration of the 
term of service of a large number of the Arkansas troops, who de- 
manded to be sent home, and partly pursuant to orders received 
from Polk and Hardee, who, it is said, received orders from Rich- 
mond that no more Confederate help was to be given to Missouri until 
she should secede. And so away went the gray-coated Louisianiaiis, 
the long-haired sombrero-crowned Texans, and the " wild and woolly" 
Arkansans, with McCulloch and Mcintosh and Greer and Pearce and 
all the rest of them. Col. Hindman,with the Arkansas men whose 
time had expired, left August 21st. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 367 

McCulloch was disgusted with the situation in Missouri. Ausrust 
24, from his headquarters at Pond Spring, he wrote to Gen. Hardee : — 

* * * I am in no condition to advance, or even to meet an enemy 
here,having little ammunition or supplies of any kind, * * * and 
will in consequence shorten ray lines by falling back to the Arkansas 
line, near the Indian Territory. * * * We have little to hope 
or expect from the people of this State. The force now in the field is 
undisciplined and led by men who are mere politicians — not a soldier 
among them to control and organize this mass of humanity. The 
Missouri forces are in no condition to meet an organized army, nor 
will they ever be while under their present leaders, I dare not join 
them in my present condition, for fear of having my men completely 
demoralized. We lost at least 300 stand of arms in the battle of the 
10th, taken by their straggling camp followers from my killed and 
wounded, and before the engagement they borrowed of Gen. Pearce 
600 more, none of which they would return after the fight was over. 
They stole the tents my men left at Cassville (to facilitate their 
march), and brought them after us the next day on the same road. In 
a word they are not making friends where they go, and from all I can 
see we had as ivell be in Boston, as far as the friendly feelings of the 
inhabitants are concerned.^ [Rebellion Record, Series I, vol. 3, p. 
672]. 

On his departure for J^exington Gen. Price left Col. T. T. Taylor 
in command at Springfield, with perhaps 500 men under him. Col. 
Taylor had a great many Union citizens brought before him on 
charges of giving aid and comfort to the enemy, in various ways, as 
having belonged to the Union Home Guard, giving information to 
Lyon and Sigel, having arms about their premises, etc. Col. Taylor 
was usually very reasonable, and unless a man's Unionism was of a 
flagrant character, he was pretty apt to get ofi" with a slight repri- 
mand, only a few, comparatively, being put in jail. Meantime scouting 
and "pressing" went on with reasonable vigor, and the secession 
transportation department and its corninissariat came to be pretty well 
supplied. 

On the 8th of September Col. Taylor sent a letter to Gen. Fre- 
mont at St. Louis asking for an interpetation of the latter's order in 
his celebrated proclamation of August 30, that "all persons who 
shall be taken with arms in their hands within these lines shall be 
tried by court martial and if found guilty will be shot." Taylor wished 
to know if Fremont really meant what he said, and if his order applied 
to wounded prisoners as well as to sound ones, adding that he had 



' Alluding to the prevailing sentiment of Unionism in this county at the time. 



368 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

several hundred wounded Union prisoners under his control in the 
hospitals at Springfield, and since Fremont's singular proclamation he 
was at a loss to know how to treat them ! Gen. Fremont replied on 
the 14th, saying to Taylor, among other things :• " You have wholly 
misapprehended the meaning of the proclamation. * * * I desire it 
to be clearly understood that the proclamation is intended distinctly 
to recognize all the usual rights of an open enemj^ in the field, and to 
be in all respects strictly conformable to the ordinary usages of war. 
* * * It was not prepared with any purpose to ignore the ordinary 
rights of humanity with respect to wounded men, or to those who 
are humanely engaged in alleviating their sufferings. " The 
Federal wounded at Springfield were not shot, as indeed they were 
never intended to be, but it is to be hoped that Fremont was enabled 
in some degree to understand the ridiculous position in which he had 
placed himself by his foolish proclamation. 

Col. Taylor will ever be gratefully remembered by the wounded 
Union soldiers left in Springfield after Wilson's Creek. Of his 
generous conduct toward the stricken prisoners Surgeon S. H. Melcher 
l)ears this testimony : " Col. T. T. Taylor, who had command of the 
post, was very kind to us. He furnished salt to the hospital, when it 
was impossible to procure it from other sources, greatly to the dis- 
gust of some of the mem})ers of his command, who thought the Fed- 
eral prisoners were not ' worth their salt.' Col. Taylor was as gal- 
lant and brave aii officer as he was chivalrous and generous." 

THOSE WHO CARED FOR THE FEDERAL WOUNDED. 

Surgeon Melcher, it will be remembered, was one of the surgeons 
in charge of the Federal wounded. Speaking of the kindness shown 
the wounded men under his care by the citizens of Springfield, he 
says: "The ladies and gentlemen of Springfield were very good to 
our wounded. I cannot remember the names of all of them,but some 
of them were Mrs. Col. Marcus Bojal and her two danghtei's, one of 
Avliom is now Mrs. Lula Kennedy ; Mrs. Mary Phelps ; Mrs. Cren- 
shaw, Mrs. Worrell, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Waddill, Mrs. Beal, Mrs. 
Jameson, Messrs. Smith, Henslee, and Wm. Massey. " 

Of a special valuable service rendered by the latter gentleman Dr. 
Melcher writes: "During the last month of our suffering, before 
Fremont's arm}' arrived, I was entireh' out of funds [the $2,500 left 
by Sturgis with Dr. Franklin having become exhausted] and had no 
way to procure food for the 200 wounded from tli(^ Wilson's Creek 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 369 

battle, the Confederates, with the single exception of Col. Taylor, 
having never furnished us anything. William Massey came to me one 
day, and said that he and others knew we were in sore need, and that 
he wanted to help us. I told him I did notknowhowhe would ever be 
repaid. Mr. Massey said that I could have any money I needed by 
simply giving him my individual note for the amount, trusting to the 
government to some time repay him. Well knowing at the time that 
I had no authority to do so, I accepted his generous offer, and the 
many hundreds]of dollars that Mr. Massey supplied me with from time 
to time kept the wounded in comparative comfort, so far as rations 
were concerned. When Fremont arrived, by the aid of Surgeon 
Joseph K. Barnes (now ex-Surgeon-General Barnes, U. S. A.^), I 
was able to prepare vouchers and repay Mr. Massey, and also Mr. 
James Vaughan and Mr. Smith, who assisted in burying our dead. 
This act of Mr. Massey's, kind, liberal, and patriotic, rendered dur- 
ing all the uncertainties of 1861, should be recorded in the History of 
Greene County." 

Of favors rendered by some of the people of Springfield of Confed- 
erate sympathies. Dr. Melcher further testifies: "The citizens of 
Springfield, generally, some of whom strongly sympathized with 
the Confederates, treated us kindly. Of Dr. Barrett I will say that 
he was always represented to me as in full sympathy with the rebel- 
lion, but never, by word or deed, did I ever know or hear of anything 
but gentlemanly, courteous conduct toward all — and I saw and heard 
a good deal of him." 

LIFE IN " SECESSIA." 

As the month of September passed and the month of October wore 
away, Greene county settled down to something like its former condi- 
tion of peace and quietude. The secession flag and the Confederate 
banner floated over the county unchallenged and undisturbed, and 
Springfield was quite a recruiting depot for a time, but matters were 
generally quiet throughout the county, and business began to be car- 
ried on as usual. 

From time to time detachments of State Guards, or secession troops,, 
appeared and camped in different portions of the county on their way 
to join Gen. Price, who abandoned Lexington Sept. 30, and retreated 
southward to the Osajre river and from thence still further into Cedar, 
Vernon, Jasper and Newton counties. Occasionally, too, Union men 



Recently deceased. 
24 



370 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

slipped out of the lines and made their way to Rolla and enlisted 
either in Phelps' re«»iment or Col. Boyd's 24th Missouri Infantry, 
making up at that place. These two regiments were composed largely 
of Greene county men. 

THE FIRST PART OF OCTOBER, 1861. 

During the period covered by the first half of the month of October, 
1861, alfairs in Greene county and this portion of the State were in a 
very disturbed condition. Some unimportant but rather exciting 
military operations were performed, and the air again began to be full 
of " rumors of wars." 

About the 10th of October occurred the '* Shanghai fight," to the 
northwest of this county, forty miles or more, between a force of 
Kansas troops, under Montgomery, and a detachment of Price's army. 
Montgomery fell back on Greenfield. From reports brought by 
citizens of Springfield to Rolla, and published in certain newspapers 
of the State shortly afterward, there was a very unhappy condition of 
affairs in this quarter at that time. It is stated that the secession 
forces at Springfield were kept in a constant state of alarm for several 
nights after the "Shanghai fight," in apprehension of an attack from 
the Kansas " Jayhawkers," known to be roving about the country to 
the north and northwest. 

On one occasion the secession camp at Springfield Avas alarmed by the 
report that the Jayhawkers were coming, sure enough, in full force. 
The baggage train was thereupon rushed to the public square, and 
placed under a strong guard, while the troops (believed to have been 
a force under Col. T. T. Taylor) went out to Owens' farm, then a 
mile and a half north of town, formed in line of battle, resting 
on their arms all night. One piece of information is to the effect that 
Col. Taylor took a detachment of his men and went northward some 
distance, to reconnoiter, but returned upon learning that there was no 
danger. The people were informed that Fremont's army, which had 
been reported to l)e on the march towards Greene county, had retreated 
to Jefferson City. 

Soon after, however, came the news that Price had crossed the 
Osage river at Papinsville, and was retreating southward. This indi- 
cated that the Federal troops were still advancing in formidable force, 
notwithstanding it was given out that Gen. Price was only falling 
back to get into a section of country well supplied with provisions. 
There was much uneasiness among the secessionists at Springfield, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 371 

and it is said some of them began packing up, preparatory to 
leaving. 

At about this time many Union men of Greene and other counties 
adjacent found it convenient to leave for Rolla, the nearest Federal 
military post promising security. Capt. Gallaway, of Taney county, 
commander of a company formerly of Plielps' regiment of Home 
Guards, had disbanded his men and they were being chased through 
tiie country hy detachments of Freeman's State Guards and other 
secession troops. The captain himself was killed on the 29th of Sep- 
tember. A number of men from Douglas county under Capt. Martin- 
dale went to Rolla and joined Col. Boyd's 24th Missouri. 

GEN. FREMONT COMES INTO THE COUNTY. 

• 

The fall of Lexington was a serious blow to the Union cause 
in Missouri, and, as in the case of Lyon at Wilson's Creek, Gen. 
Fremont was severely censured for failing to reinforce it. He was 
assailed with charges of incapacity, extravagance in expenditure, and a 
penchant for grandiloquent proclamations and much pomp and cir- 
cumstance. 

Feeling veiy keenly the losses of Lyon, the battle ot Wilson's 
Creek, and Mulligan's men at Lexington, — and feeling also the 
stinging criticisms npon his conduct made by people all over the 
country, and apprehensive that Gen, Price would now march on 
Jefferson City and heaven knew where else, Fremont determined to 
take the field in person, with the hope of defeating Price before 
McCulloch, who had retired into Arkansas and had gathered a good- 
sized army, could come to his assistance. With this in view, on the 
27th of September, Gen. Fremont put in motion for Southwest Mis- 
souri from Tipton, Jeiferson City, and other points in that quarter, 
an army of more than 20,000 men, including perhaps 5,000 cavalry 
and 86 pieces of artillery, under Gens. Hunter, Pope, Sigel, 
McKinstry, and Asboth. 

The order of march included the forces of Lane and Sturgis, who 
were to leave Kansas and join Fremont's forces on the Osage. 
Springfield was the objective point. Gen. Hunter was to march via 
Versailles, McKinstry from Syracuse, Pope from near Boonville, and 
Sigel from Sedalia. The march be<i:an in real earnest about the 15th 
of October. On the 22d the troops crossed the Osage at Warsaw, 
having been engaged for four or five days in bridge building. From 
the Osage the route to Springfield was to be by way of Bolivar. Sigel 
was in the lead ; Asboth brought up the rear. 



372 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

About the 30th of September Gen. Price's army fell back from 
Lexington, marching south toward Arkansas, by way of Warrensburg, 
Rose Hill, Clinton, Osceola, and other towns in Johnson, Henry, St. 
Clair and other counties on and near the border, keeping to the front 
and west of the Federal forces, and watching their movements very 
carefully. Gov. Jackson, in a proclamation issued at Lexington Sept. 
2(5, had. convened the Logishiture of the State to meet at the 
Masonic Hall in Neosho, October 21, ♦' to determine for the people of 
Missouri wdiether it be proper now to dissolve the constitutional bt)nd 
which binds us to the government of the United States, when all 
other bonds between us are broken," etc., and toward Neosho,^ 
probably to protect the Legislature, went Price and his army. 



ZAGONYI'S CHARGE. 

While the army of Gen. Fremont lay along the Pomme de Terre 
river, about 50 miles to the north of Springfield, Maj. Charles Za- 
gonyi, in command of Fremont's Body Guard, an organization irreg- 
ularly enlisted, .and numbering three companies of near 100 men each, 
received orders from the general in command to take a detail from 
each of the companies of his own command, and, uniting with Major 
Frank J. White's battalion of '* Prairie Scouts," proceed to Spring- 
field by a forced march, and if possible surprise and capture the place. 
Two citizens from the northern part of this county had made their 
way to Gen. Fremont's camp, and, after much difficulty in obtaining 
an audience with " His High Mightiness," who was surrounded by as 
many guards and as difficult of access as a czar, informed him that the 
force of secession troops in Springfield did not then exceed 500 men, 
the most of whom were poorly armed . 

THE MARCH BEGUN. 

Thursday evening, October 24, at about 9 o'clock, when it was 
very dark, the command started. At daybreak, Friday morning, 
Zagonyi had reached a point five miles north of Bolivar, and here he 
halted for breakfast and to rest and feed the horses. Here Maj . White, 
who with his " Scouts," numbering 154 men, had been first ordered on 
the expedition by Gen. Sigel, became too unwell to sit on his horse, 
and at Zagonyi's suggestion remained a short time at a farm house, 
and then pushed on in a carriage accompanied by a lieutenant and five 
men as an escort. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 373 



THE ENEMY IN SIGHT. 

Proceeding toward Springfield Maj. Zagonyi saw no enemy or sign 
of one until within about eight miles of town, up in Robberson town- 
ship, when a squad of some ten or fifteen armed men were discovered 
taking wheat from a barn on the prairie near by. A platoon of the 
Body Guard was sent after them, and some of them were captured ; 
the others succeeded in making good their retreat through the neigh- 
boring woods. One was badly wounded by saber cuts, and taken 
to Mr. Daniels' for treatment. It was then ascertained that the men 
were a foraging party from a considerable force of State Guards at 
Springfield. Farther on, but in t he same neighborhood, Maj. Zagonyi 
learned from Union citizens that this force was much larger than had 
been expected, but it was resolved to press on at all hazards. 

REFRESHMENTS. 

At Josiah Burney's still-house, on Sac river, in section 33-30-22, 
Robberson township, a detachment of the Federals are reported as 
having halted "twenty minutes for refreshments," and in twenty 
minutes were ready to charge and to fight Price's entire army if nec- 
essary ! The farther they progressed the braver and more reckless 
they became, and though the citizens of whom they inquired were em- 
phatic in their statements that the force in Springfield numbered 1,000 
or 1,200, yet they demanded to be led forward instantly, expressing 
their ability to " clean out " any force numbering not more than four 
to one. Zagonyi's guide, W. P. Cox, Esq., of Christian countj^ em- 
phaticall}'^ denies this statement, and says no still-house was visited 
and no whisky drank before the fight, to his knowledge. 

CAPTURE OF MAJ. WHITE. 

Meantime Maj. White, who was coming along in his carriage, 
reached the forks of a road, and chancino; not to take the one leadinfr 
to the right, which Zagonyi had followed, went on until when near 
Springfield he and his escort were suddenly surrounded by a strong 
detachment of State Guards and made prisoners. The major states 
that he broke his own sword, and that one of his escort refused to 
surrender and had to be pulled from his horse by his captors. The 
major blamed his capture upon Zagonyi, who, he says, should have 
left a picket at the forks of the road to direct him which one to take. 
The party was taken to the main camp just west of Springfield, where, 



374 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Maj. White states, they were surrounded by a crowd of excited secession 
soldiers, some of whom cocked their revolvers and proposed to *' shoot 

the d d jayhawkers." Two officers (whose names unfortunately 

can not be learned ^ ), interfered and protected them. Maj. White 
was quite sick and cursed and swore at his captors for disturb- 
ing him in his condition. 

THE STATE GUARDS IN CAMP. 

The secession forces at Springfield were encamped just west of 
town, on the Mt. Vernon road, about one mile and a quarter from the 
public square, and on both sides of the road. They numbered not far 
from 1,000 men, about 800 of whom were cavalry, the remainder 
were infantry. They were very well supi)lied wiLh baggage wagons, 
tents, etc., but for the most part were poorly armed. They were new 
troops principally and had seen but little if any service. Their arms 
were shotguns, rifles, revolvers, etc. Some of them had no arms at 
all. These forces were under the general command of Col. Julian 
Frazier, of Wright county,'' and were composed of the cavalry battal- 
ion of Col. Miscal Johnston, the infantry battalion of Col. Schnable, 
and the companies or battalions of Capt. Hawthorn, of Dallas county, 
Capt. Wickersham, of Laclede, and Col. Turner's. The men were 
chiefly from counties east and northeast of this. Col. Julian Frazier 
was the senior colonel. Col. J. A. Schnable was next in rank. 
Lieut. Col. Turner was in command of the forces at Springfield. Col. 
John H. Price, of this county, was in Springfield at this time in 
person, but without any considerable number of his command. 

The forces in camp had been warned of the Federal approach by 
those of the foragers who escaped when the attack was made upon 
them at the wheat granaries up in Robl)erson township. Preparations 
were at once made to receive the attack. A force of riflemen (in- 
fantry) were placed in ambush in the woods bordering the road that 
skirted the camp, perhaps 500 of the cavalry (Frazier's) were formed 
on the open ground of the encampment, and the remainder were am- 
bushed in a cornfield and in the thickets at the rear. 

South of Sac river Zagonyi left the Bolivar road and struck across 
the country in a southwest direction until he came on the Grand prai- 
rie. In a short time he procured the services of Jabez Townsend, a 



' The name of one is given as Capt. Wroton. 

' One report Bays they were commanded by Col. Lee Cloud, of Webster county. 



HISTORr OF GREENE COUNTY. 375 

strong Union citizen, to guide him over the Carthage road and upon 
the enemy's camp. The road was reached about four miles west of 
Springfield. 

NEARING THE GROUND. 

Zagonyi had pressed on, coming over the main Carthage road, until 
he arrived within a short distance from town. The ground not being 
favorable for oifensive operations with cavalry, after a consultation 
with his guide, Parker Cox, the major resolved to cross over the prairie 
to the westward and come into town over the Mt. Vernon road. This 
maneuver was successfully accomplished, but upon arriving within 
about three miles of town some citizens gave information that "the 
rebels, two thousand strong," were drawn up and prepared to fight! 

PREPARING TO RECEIVE COMPANY. 

The ground selected by the secession troops for their reception of 
the Federals was in the immediate vicinity of their camp, on the Mt. 
Vernon road, in and about the fair grounds — as they then were. 
The road was the same over which Lj'on had marched on his way to 
the fatal field of Wilson's Creek, and by another singular coincidence 
the same Wilson's creek, here as a mere brook, however, ran through 
the lot in which the engagement was to and did take place. As 
Zagonyi was to come in from the west, Johnston and Frazier and 
Schnable had scattered skirmishers throughout the dense woods or 
chapparal on either side of the lane along which the Federals Avere to 
pass. The woods and rough bushy ground to the south of the road 
was also pretty well filled with shot-gun men. Another detachment 
guarded the train, holding possession of the fair ground, then sur- 
rounded by a high board fence. The main body of the force, however, 
was drawn up somewhat in the form of a hollow square, in an enclos- 
ure to the north, the greater portion of the infantry lying along a high 
Virginia rail fence, running nearly to the creek and also at the head of 
the field bordering on the woods ; the cavalry — or much of it — was 
on the other side of the field, also supported by the forest. 

The only point of attack for Zagonyi was down the lane on the right, 
and the enemy were so disposed as to command this approach per- 
fectly. If the secession infantry should stand, it would go hard with 
the blue-coats. There were deadly marksmen lying behind the trees 
and lurking in the bushes ; a long line of footmen stood upon the 
summit of the slope, and had only to step backward but a few paces 
into the thicket to be inaccessible to any cavalry, and there were 



376 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

horsemen sufficient to sweep Zagonyi's bandYrom the earth if the in- 
fantry and dismounted men should do their work well. 

" FORWARD CHARGE ! " 

It was now between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The com- 
mand was given, '• Forward! " In a brisk trot the Federals passed 
the fair grounds. Now they are at the corner of the lane where the 
wood begins ; it runs close to the fence on the left for a hundred 
yards, and beyond it can be seen the white tents of the secession 
camp. They were half way past the forest when ^^ Crack! crack! 
crack!'' sharp and loud the shot-guns broke out upon the head of the 
column. A number of horses staggered, and some of the riders reeled, 
but on pressed the troop cheering and shouting. At the farther cor- 
ner of the wood, Zagonyi saw the array drawn up to receive him. 
There was but one thing to do — run the gauntlet; gain the cover of 
the hill and the shelter of the creek bank, then re-form and charge up 
the steep. Checking his horse but a moment, these thoughts flashed 
through his mind. Waving his saber over his head, the fiery Hun- 
garian call out, in his broken English, ^* Forwarts! Vollow me! 
(9^aZ-LOPE ! " and away dashed the troopers headlong down the de- 
clining stony road. 

The first company and most of the second of the Body Guard fol- 
lowed. From the left scores of rifles and shot-guns sent out a volley 
of bullets and buckshot. Half a dozen of the troopers clutched wild- 
ly at the air and fell from their saddles, while the riderless horses ran 
madly against the fences. Farther down the hill flew the rest of the 
command, the guns in the underbrush at the left clearing wide gaps 
through the ranks. At last the brook was reached and the command 
halted under the shelter of its banks. Here the men dismounted and, 
turning about, attacked the fence and soon leveled it to the ground. 
Zagonyi now saw that only a portion of his men had followed him. 
'•We are lost!" he exclaimed frantically, and then bestirred himself 
in trying to extricate his men, while he waited for those who were be- 
hind. 

FOLEY COMES UP. 

The Hungarian did not wait long. Captain Foley, with his com- 
pany, was soon with him. When Foley had reached the lower corner 
of the wood and had seen the enemy's position he thought a flank at- 
tack might be advantageously made. He ordered some men to dis- 
mount and take down the fence, and this was done. But the fire was 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 377 

severe, and Foley saw that the wood was so dense that it could not be 
penetrated. Then in a moment he resolved to join Zagonyi, and 
shouted, '■^ Forward! ^'' At the same time his lieutenant, a stalwart 
Kentuckian, called out, " Come on, boys ! Kemeraber old Kentucky ! " 
and onward galloped the company. Fire on every side of them ! From 
behind trees — from under the fences — from the bushes. It was a 
wonder so many escaped. Lieut. Kennedy was wounded, and the 
other lieutenant, J. W. GofF, got a buckshot in his hip, while blue- 
coats and bay horses lay pretty thick along the lane, but the greater 
portion of the company were soon with Zagonyi amid the briers and 
brambles along the little creek. 

FORMING AGAIN. 

And amid the briers and brambles Zagonyi formed the remainder of 
the Body Guard for a charge on the main body of the enemy, the ob- 
jective point being a small open space, reaching which it was intended 
to " spread out " and ride down the concealed enemy in the bushes. 
The State Guards fired down into the hollow, but the bullets passed 
harmlessly over the heads of the cavalrymen girding themselves for 
the final conflict. 

MAYTHENYI'S DASH. 

At last came the order to advance. Lieut. Maythenyi, another 
Hungijrian, with thirty men, was ordered to attack Frazier's cavalry. 
Drawing sabers, away they dashed upon a considerable detachment of 
Frazier's command, standing "to horse" upon the top of an emi- 
nence to the south. A line of fire upon the summit of the hill in 
front marked the position of the infantry. Right for the center of 
the cavalry drove Maythenyi and his men. The secessionists wavered, 
broke, and then scattered in flight through a cornfield in the rear, 
the riders of the bay horses following them and chasing them through 
the cornfield and out into the open country — away — away — some 
into and through Springfield — some one way and some another. 

THE SECOND CHARGE. 

Zagonyi held the main body well in hand until Maythenyi was fairly 
at work, and the State Guard cavalry had broken, when he rose in his 
stirrups, and, swinging his saber, called out: "In open order — 
charge I " With a sudden rush the horsemen rose out of the bed of 
the creek and mounted the bank, then sprang away, the line opening 
out to give the troopers room to use their sword arms. As they 



378 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

charged the line spread out, fan-like, some charging to the right, some 
to the left, some toward the center, the open space in front. The 
shot guns and the rifles and the revolvers of the State Gnards were 
plied vigorously for a few moments, but the onset was not checked. 
Into the open space some rushed, and, as fast as one can count nine, 
that number of horses were shot down in an area a rod square. 

VICTORY ! 

The great majority of the State Guards now broke and began re- 
treating. A few of the bolder spirits held their ground, and from 
behind trees kept up a desultory fusilade, resisting all efforts to dis- 
lodge them for a few minutes. The Federals charged into the brush 
more than once and as often fell back, and then opened at random 
with their revolving rifles, each gun containing six shots. In one of 
the charges a lieutenant w^as caught around the shoulders by a grape- 
vine, lifted out of his saddle, and hung dangling in the air, until releas- 
ed from his ridiculous position by a comrade's saber-stroke. 

Very soon all of the secessionists were in flight, and the Federal 
troops were after them. Some ran through the fair grounds, 
others hurried through the cornfield, but the greater part swarm- 
ed along the edge of the woods and kept under cover, striving to 
get to a road that would lead to Gen. Price and safety ^ — to a road 
that would lead to Neosho or Cassville, even if they had to go around 
Robin Hood's barn to reach it — while all the time Zagonyi's men were 
chasing them and beating up the bushes and timber for them and 
routing them whenever they could be found. One State Guard was 
killed behind Judge Farmer's barn, cut down with a saber and then 
shot. Two others were killed nearby. The Prairie Scouts had come 
up on the Carthage road, through a blind lane running north and 
south. A great many ran or galloped away for the cover of the town 
and were chased through the streets and alleys far out on the prairie 
south and east. Zagonyi went riding about wildl}'^ and cheering en- 
thusiastically, " Come on. Old Kentuck," he shouted to the Kentuck- 
ians ; " I am mit you ! " 

THE SCOUTS ^ND THE IRISH DRAGOONS. 

Meantime what part had Major White's "Prairie Scouts " taken in 
the fray? The fight is called " ZagoayVs Charge," but the charge 
was not solely his own. White's command consisted of the two com- 
panies of Capt. Charles Fairbanks and Miles Kehoe, L and C, 1st Mo. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 379 

Cavalry Volunteers, and the Irish Dragoons, an independent company, 
under Capt. Patrick Naughton. When Zagonyi made his detour to 
the right and came upon the main body of the Southrons, Capt. Fair- 
banks (in command of the detachment at the time, Maj. White being 
a prisoner), came up with his command in the rear of the Body 
Guards, the Irish Dragoons, Capt. Naughton, in front, and received 
the severe fire of Schnable's and Johnston's infantry, and a portion of 
Frazier's cavalry. Whereupon, it seems they fell back, or as the ofii- 
cial report states " counter-marched," and went towards the west. 
Some citizens who were near Mr. Newbill's, half a mile west of the 
fair grounds, and Mr. J. G. Newbill himself, saw a battalion of cavulry 
gallop back to the west just after the fighting began, then turn about 
and gallop forward, then in a few moments they came back, then went 
forward again, and a portion of them went to the northward and got 
on the Carthage road. It is reasonable to presume that this was 
White's force. Maj. White himself says that his command made 
♦' three charges on the flank of the rebel force." ^ 

In the charge (or one of the charges) made by the Irish Dra- 
goons, Capt. Naughton was shot in the right lung ; Lieut. Patrick 
Connelly was mortally wounded through the chest ; Private Charles 
Gilchrist was shot in the arm, and Private Jerrold Connor was shot in 
the hip. All these belonged to the Irish company. No record can ])e 
found of the killing or wounding of any of the companies of Fair- 
banks and Kehoe. 

Surgeon Melcher says of the Irish Dragoons : " There was a com- 
pany under Zagonyi of whose action little mention has been made, 
although it charged into the thickest of the fight. I refer to the 
Irish Dragoons, under Capt. Pat. Naughton. I found Capt. Naugh- 
ton the next day in a house, half a mile or more west of the battle 
ground, with a bullet in his right lung, from the efiects of which 
wound he never entirely recovered, and died under my charge in 
St. Louis in 1873. First Lieutenant Patrick Conle}^ [or Con- 
nelly] was struck by two balls, one passing entirely through his body 
from left to right, and through his right arm, making four holes, and 



1 Surgeon S. H. Melcher, in a letter to the writer, says: "The two companies of Prairie 
Scouts attached to the Body Guard were not in the charge proper. They did not go down 
the lane, hut fired a few volleys, then swung around by Judge Farmer's and came into the 
Boonville road at the brick yard, north of Mr. Leedy's, where Dr. Barrett, of Springfield, 
and mj^self met them. Capts. Fairbanks and Kehoe, who were in command of these com- 
panies, then came with us to the hospital at the new court-house, and remained there for 
half an hour." 



380 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

then from front to back through his right lung. Mr. Kimbrough 
and myself found him with these six bullet holes, lying on the ground 
so much exhausted and chilled as to be unable to speak. Finding 
there was a spark of life in him, we took him to the hospital, where 
he was partially restored. He lived eight days, fully conscious to 
the last." 

It has been reported and published that Lieut. Connelly was killed 
by John Wickersham, a fourteen-year old boy from Lebanon (now of 
Clinton), a member of his brother's company of State Guards ; but 
from the statements made to the writer by Mr. Wickersham, and from 
other evidences, it is plain that this is a mistake. The man killed by 
young Wickersham was Corporal Norrison [or Norton], of the Body 
Guard. Wickersham carried off his revolvers and saddle. 

INTO SPRINGFIELD WELCOME ! 

The Body Guards galloped up into Springfield, and, after riding 
wildly about the streets for some time, rode down to the square, lib- 
erated the Union prisoners in the jail, and then, as it was nearly dark, 
and it was not certain but that the secession troops would rally, re- 
form, and turn back upon them with serious eflfect — retreat was com- 
menced. How glad the Union citizens of Springfield were to see the 
brave troopers when they rode in, gay in their splendid uniforms and 
flushed with victory ! It is said that a few enthusiastic ladies ran out 
to the sidewalks, waving flags and handkerchiefs, and kissed the gal- 
lant cavaliers, whom they hailed as their deliverers. But the secession 
ladies are accused of having similarly saluted some of Price's and 
McCulloch's men when they came in after the battle of Wilson's 
Creek. 

KILLING OF MR. STEPHENS. 

The joy of the Union citizens of Springfield at the advent of the 
Federal troops, with the news that a large army of occupation was on 
its way, was greatly marred by the killing of one of their number, 
Mr. John H. Stephens, by a reckless member of the Body Guard. In 
company with Mr. Thomas Green, Mr. Stephens had started for home, 
when the fugitive secession troops, followed by the charging Federals, 
began to enter the town. Mr. Stephens was hurrying homeward by 
himself, when he was seen by a trooper, who ordered him to halt. 
Disregarding the command, though it was repeated two or three times, 
Mr. S. ran on, reached his own premises, opened his gate, stepped 
inside, and between the gate and the door was shot down and instantly 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 381 

killed. It was a horrible mistake, for which all parties were deeply 
sorry. Mr. Stephens, in company with Mr. Green and Mr. Peacher, 
had been standing on top of the court-house watching the fight, and 
only came down when they saw the troops entering town. Mr. S. was 
shot through the body and died almost instantly. 

RAISING THE STARS AND STRIPES. 

In his official report, Maj. Zagonyi claimed that he raised the United 
States flag over the court-house before he left town. This was not 
true. The fact was, according to Dr. Melcher and others, that Za- 
gonyi found the secessionists too many for him, and, learning that 
they were re-forming on the battle ground in considerable numbers, 
immediately after the fight, he stayed but a few minutes in town and 
then started hastily back for Fremont, leaving in his hurry some of 
his men behind that had been stationed as pickets on St. Louis and 
South streets. 

The flag that was raised over the court-house was borrowed for the 
occasion, from Mrs. Sophia Worrell, the next morning after the 
charge, by Dr. Melcher, and, by his direction, two Union soldiers, 
hospital stewards, — Newton G. Long, Company A, 1st Iowa In- 
fantry, and John V. Bonamie, Company G, 1st Missouri Infantry, — 
raised the flag on the flagstafi" of the old court-house, which stood in 
the center of the square. Here the banner of the stars waved until a 
day or two later, when the court-house was burned. As the fire went 
up the cupola it burned off" the halyards of the flagstaflf, and the flag 
itself was borne upward and outward by and through the smoke and 
flame, and then floated safely to the ground, only slightly injured. 

The flag was returned to Mrs. Worrell, and shortly afterwards, 
when Price's army came in, she wore, it as a skirt to conceal it and 
keep it from falling into the hands of the Confederates, who were 
making many inquiries for it of her. 

BACK TO FREMONT. 

As before stated, when Zagonyi's men entered town after thor- 
oughly clearing it of armed " rebels," and releasing the Union 
prisoners, the majority of them, under Zagonyi himself, re- 
treated to Bolivar and Fremont's army. Probably twenty-five of 
the command remained behind, however, each man on his " own 
hook." Some of them stole out to the borders of town and camped 
quietly where they would not be discovered, and at the first peep of 



382 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

day lodc around to the farmers' houses for breakfast. Others stayed 
in Springfield and were snugly quartered in feather beds and theii 
slumbers guarded by loyal Unionists. Dr. Melcher, one of the sur- 
oeons left in char<i;e of the wounded, left after the battle of Wilson's 
Creek, and Dr. Hughes, of White's command, had charge of the Fed- 
eral wounded, and worked all night, assisted 1)}' some ladies and 
Union citizens.* 

The main body of Zagonyi's command retired to within about five 
miles of Bolivar, where the main body of Fremont's army was 
•encamped, and Zagonyi sent the following dispatch to his general : — 

Near Bolivar, 10 a. m., Oct. 26th. 

General: — I respectfully report that yesterday at 4 p. m., I met at 
8[)rino'field about two thousand rebels, formed in line of battle. They 
ijave me a warm reception, but your guard, with some feeling, made 
a charire, and, in less than three minutes, the enemy was completely 
routed. We cleared the city of ever}^ rebel and retired, it being near 
nifht and not feeling able to keep the place with so small a force. 
Maj. White's command did not participate in the charges. I have 
seen charges, but such brilliant bravery I have never seen, and did 
not expect. Their war cry, " Fremont and the Union," broke forth 
like thunder. Chari-es Zagonyi, 

Major Commanding Body Guard. 

Gen. Fremont forwarded the news by special courier to the Federal 
authorities at Washington by this message, which was sent all over 

the country : — 

Headquarters in the Field, ) 
Near Humansville, Mo., Oct. 26, 1861. 5 
Copt. McKeever, Assistant Adjutant General : — Yesterday after- 
noon Major Zagonyi, at the head of my guard, made a most brilliant 
<;haro-e upon a body of the enemy, thrown up in line of battle at their 
cam]) in Springfield, two thousand or two thousand two hundred strong. 
He completel}' routed them, cleared them from the town, hoisted the 
national flag on the court-house, and retired upon a reinforcement 
which he has already joined. Our loss is not great. This successful 
charge against such very large odds is a noble example to the army. 
Our advance will occupy Springfield to-night. J. C. Fremont, 

Major-General Commanding. 

Of course, there was some exaggeration in the foregoing dispatches, 
as to the number of State Guards, the character of the fighting, etc., 



* Dr. Melcher writes : "When the Prairie Scouts withdrew, they left thirty or forty 
wounded and dismounted Body Guards at the hospital. I was 071 the field that night witli 
Mr. Kimbrough, a well-known merchant of Springfield, and brought in all the wounded on 
the battlefield. At ten o'clock that night the rebels were still in line on the battle ground." 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 383 

and it is said that Zagonyi's statement regarding the " Fremont and 
Union " war-cry is the sheerest nonsense ; that all the " war cries," 
so-called, uttered by the men were either wild shouts and hallooing, 
or else expletives, objurgations and epithets not proper to be heard by 
ears polite or fit for publication in a decorous volume like this. 

THE FREMONT BODY GUARD. 

Fremont's Body Guard was an independent organization composed of 
three companies of cavalry enlisted for the special purpose of protect- 
ing the sacred person of Gen. John C, Fremont. The men were from 
Kentucky, principally, though one company was composed chiefly of 
clerks and book-keepers of St. Louis. All the men, however, were 
of good size and well built — strong and active. They were splen- 
didly mounted on tine horses ^mostly bays) and each man was armed 
with two revolvers, dragoon size, a Colt's revolving rifle, carrying six 
shots and capable of shooting a mile, and a heavy cavalry saber. 
Their uniform was rather gorgeou.s, and every man wore a plume in 
his hat. When some of Frazier's men were afterward rallied and ban- 
tered about being " cleaned out" by a force so much their inferior in 
numbers, they replied, "Well, no wonder they whipped us. We 
were nearly all just common soldiers, and they were all captains!'' 
This was the last service ever performed by the guard as an organiza- 
tion. About a month later the War Department refused to recognize 
the enlistment of the men for the purpose of being solely body guards 
to any one, and they were mustered out of service. 

RELEASE OF MAJOR WHITE. 

When the first attack was made on the State Guard, in Farmer's 
pasture, Maj. Frank J. White, who was a prisoner, as has been stated, 
was hurried away by his guards, and, with his escort, was taken 
through Springfield, and on to the residence of Mr. D. A. Dryden, 
some eight miles south of Springfield, across the line, in Christian 
county. Here White and his escort, in charge of Capt. Wroton (some 
say it was Captain Lotspeich), took up quarters for the night. Mr. 
Dryden was a Union man, but kept quiet and made no sign. After 
an hour or two, and when it was good and black out of doors, he bade 
his son Tom, then a lad of twelve or fourteen, to slip out and make 
his way to Ananias West and other Union men living in the neighbor- 
hood, and inform them that some Union prisoners were at Dryden's 
needing liberation, while their guards were in good condition to be 
captured. 



384 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Away sped Tom, and from house to house he flew through the 
sparsely settled neighborhood, rousing up the Union men, the most 
of whom had formerly belonged to Phelps' Home Guards, and soon 
about twenty of them, Ananias West at their head, and their long- 
hidden guns in their hands, were on their way to Dryden's. The 
party reached Dryden's at about day-break. Mr. D., of course, was 
expecting them, and on their first appearance informed the secession 
captain and his men that the Philistines were upon them in such num- 
bers as would make resistance useless and altogether out of question ; 
"and besides," said Mr. Dryden, " my family are somewhat fright- 
ened already, and I don't want them any further alarmed or disturbed 
by a fight or skirmish, when there is no use of it." The secession- 
ists surrendered without firing a gun. 

In a few minutes the tables were turned. Captivity was led cap- 
tive ; White and his men were released and Wroton and his men were 
made prisoners, and soon the entire party, escorted by some of the 
Home Guards, were on their way to Springfield. Reaching town 
Maj. White and the Home Guards came directly to the Federal hos- 
pital in charge of Dr. Melcher, and reported to that officer. White, 
being still unwell, went to bed. The Home Guards remained in town 
but a short time, when, learning from Dr. Melcher that there were no 
Union troops near only those thqy could see about the hospitals, and 
knowing that there were plenty of State Guards in the neighborhood, 
they returned home. 

A FLAG OF TRUCE. 

Sometime after the Home Guards left a flag of truce came in, borne 
by two doctors or surgeons of the Missouri troops, as is remembered, 
who reported to Surgeon Melcher, and said they had come to make 
arrangements for burying their dead, and for an exchange of prison- 
oners, stating that they had Major White, Captain White, and eight 
soldiers to exchange. Dr. Melcher replied that the dead of the State 
Guard had already been buried, and the wounded cared for, and as to 
their having Maj. White a prisoner, they must be mistaken. The 
Doctor then went to the major's bunk and told him what had passed. 
"Are there no signs of our army yet?" asked the major. "None at 
all," returned Dr. Melcher. "Well, let me see them," rejoined 
White ; "I'll fix them." Rising from his cot the major dressed him- 
self, and marching boldly out in as great style as possible, succeeded 
in impressing the bearers with an idea that he represented a large 
force, which, under the command of Gen. Sigel, was encamped just 
on the outskirts of the city. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 385 

White says that it was about noon when he received the flag of 
truce, and that his total force, pickets and all, at this time consisted of 
24 men. He informed the flag-bearers that he was only officer of the 
day ; that Gen. Sigel was in command and the request would have to 
be referred to him. (Gen. Sigel was then forty miles away!) In a 
short time, the major says, a written communication was received, 
which purported to come from Gen. Sigel, and stated that under cer- 
tain restrictions the State Guards might send a party to bury their 
dead. White then detailed some of his men, and under their surveil- 
lance those of the Southern dead were buried that had not already been 
so disposed of. 

After a day and a night of terrible anxiety to White and his men as 
well as to the Union people of Springfield, the advance of Fremont's 
army arrived, and the precious charges, the city and the jjrisoners, 
were delivered up to stronger hands. 

It is proper to state in this connection that it was Capt. Wroton 
who had protected Maj. White when the latter was about to be mur- 
dered by some hot-headed secessionists of Frazier's camp, who con- 
sidered him a "d — d jayhawker," and when one of the Home Guards 
at Springfield ofiered some indignity to Capt. Wroton, the major was 
prompt to interfere, and to declare that he would shoot down like a 
dog any man who would harm, ofler to harm, or even insult the gallant 
officer who had saved him (White) when in deadly peril amongst false 
brethren. 

Some day a novelist will write and a poet will sing of the boy Tom 
Dryden, who sped through the by-paths among the hills and clifis of 
the Ozarks, that Indian summer night, twenty-one years ago, on his 
errand to release the captive Union prisoners who had come into the 
country to deliver it from the rule of Gen. Price and Gov. Jackson, 
and to raise again on its soil the old banner of the stars in the place 
of the flag then "new to the seas." And few romances and few poems 
recording a single incident of the unhapp}'^ civil war will prove of more 
interest to the people of Greene county. 

Dr. Melcher states that he thinks there was but little if any work 
loft for the State Guard burial party to do, the Southern dead having 
all or nearly all been buried by some citizens (of whom John Y. Ful- 
brightwas one) that morning. However, after the flag of truce epi- 
sode a defensive force was organized, composed of the dismounted 
Body Guard, some of the Wilson's Creek wounded, and a few citizens, 
of whom W^m. Massey was one. All the time Mrs. Worrell's flag was 
25 



386 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

flying over the court-house, and us it could be seen in every direction 
for some distance, doubtless it was observed by the secessionists and 
the circumstance strciigthened tiiem in their belief that Federal troops, 
in formidable numbers, occupied the town. 

The wounded of Zagonyi's command and some 24 who had their 
horses killed or disabled, were left on the field by Zagonyi, and the 
next day came into town and reported to Dr. Melcher. 

CASUALTIES OF ZAGONYl'S CHARGE. 

According to the official reports Zagonyi's total loss in killed was 3 
corporals and 12 privates ; wounded, 4 commissioned officers, 7 non- 
commissioned officers, and l(j privates ; missing 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, 
and 8 privates. Total killed, 15; wounded, 27 ; missing, 10. Total 
killed, wounded, and missing 52. Those killed in the Body Guard 
were Corporals Chamberlain, of Co. A; Schnieder, of Co. B; Nor- 
rison, of Co. C, and Privates Duthro and Franz, of Co. A ; Wright, 
Ross, Osburg, Frei, Slattery, Morat, Davis, and Shrack, of Co. B ; 
Wm. Vanway and Alexander Linfoot, of Co. C. 

The loss in White's command seems to have been confined to one 
company — Capt. Patrick Naughton's Irish Dragoons. First Lioiit. 
Patrick Connelly, of this company was mortally wounded, dying soon 
after. Private Chas. Gilchrist was shot in the arm and Jerrold Coii- 
uor in the hip. 

The commissioned officers of the Bod}^ Guard that were wounded 
were 1st Lieut. N. Westerburgin the shoulder, and right forefinger 
shot off; 2d Lieut. J. W. Gofl", in the hip; 1st Lieut. Joseph C. 
Frock, in the leg ; 1st Lieut. Joseph Kennedy, in the arm and head. 
R. M. Smith, a Union citizen of Miller count}', who was with the Body 
Guard, was wounded and taken prisoner. 

The loss of the State Guards is reported at from 9 to 23 killed, from 
20 to 50 wounded, and about 25 prisoners. No official record was 
ever made of the losses, and every citizen and every soldier that claims 
to know anything about the matter has a different story and almost a 
different estimate. It is hardly, probable, however, that the loss of the 
secession troops was as severe as that of the Federals. 



Fremont's army appears. 

The success of Zagonyi's expedition was followed by a forced march 
on Springfield by Fremont's army, and on the 27th of October it 



HISTORY OI^ GREENE COUNTY. 387 

entered the county and the same day reached Springfield, making a 
march of about thirty miles in twelve hours. To Sigel's division was 
assigned the honor of the advance and the distinction of the first 
entry. How well Sigel knew each street and important place and 
nearly every house in Springfield ! Doul)tless the town had for him 
memories at once pleasurable and painful. The Federal army was 
received by the Unionists as deliverers and October 27 was regarded 
as a gala day. 

Asboth's division arrived three days after Sigel's, and was soon fol- 
lowed by <Ten. Jim' Lane's Kansas brigade. McKinstry's division was 
then up on the Pomme de Terre, sixty miles away, and Pope and Hun- 
ter were still straggling along down from the north, and were thought 
to be somewhere near Warsaw. Fremont was slightly uneasy. Gen. 
Price was out at Neosho with a considerable army, and McCulloch 
was not so fiir away but that he could come up in a day or two, 
and "the Pathfinder" must have experienced something of the 
anxiety undergone by Lyon three months previously. But no sudden 
movement was made by Price — for " Old Pap" never did anything 
suddenly — and on the 1st and 3d of November Pope came up, 
reporting that he had marched sixty miles in two days, and McKins- 
try's division soon followed, and then all was safe. 

THE NEOSHO SECESSION ORDINANCE. 

On the 2Gth of October " Claib. Jackson's Legislature," as it was 
called, met in the Masonic Hall at Neosho, and on the 28th an 
ordinance of secession was passed by both houses. In the Senate the 
only vote against it was cast by Charles Hardin, then Senator from 
the Boone and Callaway district, and afterward Governor of the State, 
and in the House the onh'^ member voting " no " was Mr. Shambaugh, of 
DeKalb. According to the records and to Mr. Shambaugh, there 
were in the Jackson Legislature at the time but 39 members of 
the House and 10 members of the Senate, when by the constitution a 
quorum for the transaction f)f business was required to consist of 17 
Senators and 67 Representatives. Be that as it ma}^ the secession 
ordinance and the act of annexation to the Southern Confederac}^ were 
approved by the Confederate Congress at Richmond, recognized by that 
portion of the people of Missouri who were in favor of cutting loose 
from the old Union, and Gen. Price fired a salute in honor thereof. 
And so those Missourians then and afterwards in arms against the 
Federal flag became entitled to the name of Confederates ^ and will so 



3H8 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY . 

be donoiuiiiatcd in future pages of this history, instead of being called 
" State Guards," " secessionists," " Southern troops," etc., as they 
have liitherto been spoken of. 

Hon. F. T. Frazier, of this county, and then the Senator from this 
district, was a member of the Neosho convention, and voted for 
secession. Messrs. Boyd and Headlee, the Greene county Representa- 
tives, were in the Federal service at the time. 

INCIDENTS OF FREMONT 's OCCUPATION HIS TREATY WITH GEN. PRICE. 

On the 1st of November after his occupation of Springfield, Gcu. 
Fremont concluded with Gen. Price a sort of treaty, by the terms of 
which no arrests whatever on account of political opinions or for the 
private expression of the same were to be made by either (Confederates 
or Federals within the State, and all persons then under arrest on 
such charges were to be released. All citizens who had been driven 
from their homes because of their political opinions were advised to 
return with the assurance that they should receive protection from 
both armies in the field. All bodies of armed men acting without the 
authority or recognition of either Gen. Fremont or Gen. Price and 
not legitimatel}' connected with the armies in the field were ordered 
to disband. Violations of either of the provisions of the treaty sub- 
jected the offender to the penalties of military law, according to the 
nature of the offense. The treaty was signed by Gen. Fremont in 
person and b}^ Henry W. Williams and D. Robert Barclay, commis- 
sioners on behalf of Gen. Price. A second clause provided for the 
exchange of prisoners " grade for grade," or two officers of lower 
grade as an equivalent in rank for one of a highergrade, as should be 
thought just and equitable. 

A week later, after Fremont's supersession by Hunter, the latter 
repudiated the treaty, so far as the Federal authority was concerned, 
in the following letter to Gen. Price : 

HEADyUAltTEKS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, 

Springfield, Mo., Nov. 7, 1861. 
General Sterling Price^ Commanding Forces at Oassville — 

General : — Referring to an agreement purporting to have been 
made between Major Generals Fremont and Price, respectively, * * 
I have to state that, as general commanding the forces of the United 
States in this department, I can in no manner recognize the agree- 
ment aforesaid, or an}^ of its provisions, whether implied or direct ; 
and that I can neither issue, nor allow to be issued the "joint 
proclamation " purporting to have been signed by yourself and Major 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 389 

General John C. Fremont, on the 1st day of November, A. D. 1861. 
Very respectfully your obedient servant, D. Hunter, 

Major General Commandins:. 

Gen. Hunter's reasons for the repudiation of the treaty, as given to 
the War Department, were that the stipulation that no arrests were to 
made *' for the mere entertainment or expression of political opinions," 
if acceded to, would " render the enforcement of martial law in Mis- 
souri, or any part of it, impossible, and would give absolute liberty to 
the propagandists of treason throughout the State." The stipulation 
confining operations exclusively to " armies in the field," Gen. Hunter 
said 'would " practically annul the confiscation act passed during 
the last session of Congress, and would furnish" perfect immunity 
to those disbanded soldiers of Price's command who have now 
returned to their homes, but with the intention and under a pledge of 
rejoining the rebel forces whenever called upon, and furthermore blot 
out of existence the loyal men of the Missouri Home Guard, who have 
not, it is alleged, been recognized by act of Congress, and who, 
it would be claimed, are therefore not ' legitimately connected with the 
armies in the field.' " 

The Home Guards of Greene and surrounding counties were 
glad that Hunter rejected the Price treaty, since they believed Fre- 
mont aimed to destroy their organization, and drive them into the 
regular Federal service, although a fair construction of the treaty 
would not indicate any such purpose. 

FREMONT SUPERSEDED BY HUNTER. 

On the morning of November 2d, a messenger arrived at Spring- 
field from St. Louis, bearing an order, signed by Gen. Scott, for 
Fremont's removal from command. He was directed to pass over his 
command to General Hunter, and to report by letter to the War 
Department. There is no mistaking the fiict that there was consider- 
able dissatisfaction in the camps, especially among Sigel's and Asboth's 
divisions, on the receipt of the news that Fremont had been 
removed, and a deputation of 110 officers from these divisions 
presented him with an address of sympathy and confidence and asked 
him to lead them on to battle. 

Hunter not having come in up to the evening of November 3d, and 
a reconnoissance by Asboth's division that day resulting in finding 
that the Confederates were concentrating in force on Wilson's creek, 
and McCulIoch's army being reported at Dug Spring, Fremont con- 



390 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

eluded not to abandon his charge, though suspended from office, and, 
agreeably to the request of his officers, concluded to go out and en- 
gage the enemy and fight and win a battle before his successor could 
get up. Accordingly orders were promulgated for the army to march 
out on the morning of the 4Lh, against Price and McCulloch (who 
were believed to have consolidated by that time), and the poor people 
of Springfield were again terrified with the knowledge that another 
battle of Wilson's Creek was to be fought — deadlier, bloodier than 
the first. 

FREMONT FIXES TO FIGHT. 

Fremont's order of mai-ch and battle commanded that Asboth should 
have command of the right wing ; McKinstry the center ; Sigel the 
left wing, and Pope the reserve. McKinstry's column was to leave 
camp at 6 o'clock in the morning and proceed by the Fayette ville 
road to the upper end of the upper cornfield on the left 
of where Gen. Lyon had made his first attack. Gen. Sigel was 
to start at 6 o'clock and follow his old trail, except that he was to turn 
to the right some two miles sooner and proceed to the old stable on 
the lower end of the lower cornfield. Asboth was to start at half-past 
6, and march out on the Mt. Vernon road about five miles, then by a 
prah'ie road reach the right of a ravine opposite the lower field. Jim 
Lane was to join Sigel's division and Gen. Wyman was to join Asboth. 
Pope was to start at 7 o'clock by the Fayette ville road, following 
McKinstry's division. The different divisions were to come into their 
positions about the same time, 11 o'clock, at which hour a simulta- 
neous attack was to be made upon the Confederates supposed to be in 
camp on the old Wilson's Creek battle-ground. Each regiment was to 
carry three two-horse wagons to transport the wounded. The bag- 
gage trains were to be packed and held in readiness at Springfield, 
where one regiment and two pieces of artillery of Pope's division 
were to remain as a reserve. 

These preparations were reasonably magnificent, and as Fremont's 
army numbered al)out 30,000 men of all arms, if they had been car- 
ried out, would doubtless have secured a complete victory, since the 
Confederates, it was supposed, did not number, all told, more than 
25,000, the most of whom were poorly armed and undisciplined. But 
the fact that there were not at that time 25,000 men on the old battle- 
ground on Wilson's creek, or the half of 25,000, or the half of the 
half of 25,000, but only a force of observation of some 1,500 Con- 
federate cavalry, who might gallop away in safety in five minutes. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 391 

might have interfered somewhat with Gen. Fremont's phms and ex- 
pectations, which were ultimately to be, as he wrote himself, to *' over- 
throw the rebels at one blow, push on into Arkansas to Little Rock, 
then on to Memphis, Vicksburg, and New Orleans," and only stop, 
perhaps, when the waters of the Gulf of Mexico should wash his feet 
and say to him, " thus far shalt thou come and no farther." 

HUNTER APPEARS. 

But while Fremont and his generals were in consultation at mid- 
night of the 3d, Hunter came in, and Fremont turned over every- 
thing to him. With Hunter's instructions to assume command was 
an order from the War Department to fall back to Rolla, 
as the Confederates in Southwest Missouri were only ma- 
neuvering to draw out the Federals and keep them employed 
out here in great numbers, while Gen. Pillow's army should 
steal up the Mississippi from Columbus, Ky., capture St. LouiSj 
and work incalculable mischief! There was scarcely a shadow of 
truth in this supposition, as was afterwards learned, and it was only a 
revival of the old idea of Fremont's which caused him to hold back 
reinforcements from Lyon the previous July and August. 

Upon receipt of the order dismissing him from command. Gen. 
Fremont issued an address to the army, of which the following is a 
verbatim copy : — 

Headquarters Western Department, ) 
Springfield, Nov. 2, 186L 5 

Soldiers of the Mississippi Army — Agreeably to orders this day 
received, I take leave of you. Although our army has been of sudden 
growth, we have grown up together, and I have become familiar with 
the brave and generous spirits which you bring to the defense of your 
country, and which makes me anticipate for you a brilliant career. 
Continue as you have begun, and give to my successor the same 
cordial and enthusiastic support with which you have encouraged me. 
Emulate the splendid example which you have already before you, 
and let me remain as I am — proud of the noble army which I have 
thus far labored to bring together. Soldiers, I regret to leave you. 
Most sincerely I thank you for the regard and confidence you have 
invariably shown me. I deeply regret that I shall not have the 
honor to lead you to the victory which you are just about to win ; but 
I shall claim the right to share with you in the joy of every triumph 
and trust always to be remembered by my companions in arms. 

John C. Fremont, Major General. 

On the 4th Fremont left for St. Louis, via Jefferson City. He was 
accompanied by the Body Guard and Sharpshooters as a special escort 



392 HISTORY or greene county. 

and the most of his staflf returned with him, and soon were dismissed 
from service. Ziigonyi's guardsmen were not recognized as having 
any official existence, and soon were compelled to lay aside their 
sabers. 

BURNING OF THE OLD COURT-HOUSE. 

On the morning of October 27, Fremont's advance guard. Major 
Holman's battalion of sharpshooters, entered Springfield and occu_ 
pied the place. A few prisoners had been captured and confined in 
the old brick court-house, then standing in the center of the square. 
One of them was an insane man, who had been arrested while wander- 
ing about cheering for " Jeff Davis, Jesus Christ and the Devil.'' 
In some way the poor maniac contrived to fire the building, and when 
discovered the flames had made such headway that with the means at 
hand they could not be extinguished, and it was soon consumed. 
The irresponsible incendiary clapped his hands as the flames rolled up 
and the building went down, and praised God heartily for " l)urning 
up a million devils and destroying the souls of ten thousand body- 
1 — e ! " The court-house was burned on the evening of October 28th. 

FLAG PRESENTATION. 

Upon the entrance of Gen. Fremont's army and the reappearance 
of his Body Guard and Maj. White's command, certain Union ladies 
of Springfield, Mrs. Sophia N. Worrell, Mrs. W. H. Graves and oth- 
ers, determined to present a flag to the Body Guard, in recognition 
of its services in assisting so materially in the recapture of the town, 
and in admiration of the gallant charge and fight made a few days be- 
fore. In some way a portion of White's command learned of the 
ladies' intentions, and, with certain smooth representations, induced 
them to believe that they, the " Prairie Scouts, " were entitled to re- 
ceive the flacr. The ladies as^reed to o^ive it to them, and so straight- 
way up rode White's command to Mrs. Worrell's grocery, then, as 
now, on the south side of the public square, and received the banner^ 
a very beautiful one, from the hands of the fair donors. 

Meantime Zagonyi had been informed that he was to be presented 
with a flag and at the head of the Body Guard was just riding up on 
the square to receive it when he saw White's men bearing off the 
prize, and he wheeled about and returned to his quarters, purpling 
the air with Hungarian profanity. The poor ladies, when they heard 
of their mistake, were in a great state, to be sure ! To make all the 
amends possible they resolved to present another fine flag to the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 39.5 

Body Guard, and accordingly so nc^tified Major Zagonyi. But the 
liery Hungarian was as pouty as he was fiery, and would not receive 
the banner after what had passed, and so sent the ladies this reply : 

Headquarters Fremont Body Guard, > 
Springfield, Nov. 2, 1861. 5 
To Mrs, Worrell and other Ladies of Springileld : Ladies : — Your 
flattering offer to present a flag to the Fremont Body Guard is 
appreciated and gratefully acknowledged. Some intimation of such 
a gift reached me late yesterday afternoon, and I much regret the mis- 
take or misunderstanding which prevented a proper recognition of 
your kindness at that time. But it is with far profounder sorrow 
that I find myself compelled to decline the proffered presentation. 
It would be idle to affect ignorance of the fact that the same distinc- 
tion has been conferred upon a body of men who, though placed 
under my command upon the occasion to which your partiality obliges 
me to refer, deserted me at the very moment of conflict, and ex[)osed 
the oflBcers and men of the Body Guard to a fate which the hand of 
Providence alone could avert. The honor of the soldiers under my 
command, dear to me as my own, I must not permit to be sullied or 
tarnished in the slightest degree. The Union women of SpringHeld 
are too noble and generous to misinterpret this rejection of a testimo- 
nial which, under other circumstances, would be so thankfully 
received and so highly prized. To the forlorn band which entered 
this city a few days ago, they gave a cordial welcome ; to its patriot- 
ism their approval has added zeal ; their sympathy and tenderness 
are now softening: the tedious confinement of its wounded, and thev 
will pardon that surplus self-'-espect which forbids the Body Guard to 
share the rewards of a victory with those who refused to participate 
in its hazards. Respectfully, 

Charles Zagonyi, 
Major Commanding Body Guard. 

THE FEDERALS FALL BACK ANOTHER EXODUS. 

November the 9th the large and well-equipped Federal army of 
30,000 men, composed of infantry, cavalry and artillery, — Missourians, 
Kansans, lowans, lUinoians, Indianians, Wisconsins, Ohioans — the 
best army ever west of the Mississippi river, began falling back 
from Springfield from before a theory ! It was said that Hunter acted 
in obedience to orders from Washington sent along with the dispatch 
relieving Fremont, for, as previously stated, it had been learned 
at Washington that Price and McCulloch were only "drawing 
on" the Federal forces to prevent their concentration along the 
Mississippi, up which the decisive Confederate movement was to be 
made. 



394 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

That Gen. Price did not intend to fight was shown by his falling 
back whenever the Federals advanced upon him. Two days before 
the main body of the Federal army left Springfield for Rolla, Price 
fell back from Cassville to near the Arkansas line. At about the 
same time, or November 7, Gen. Grant, then a brigadier, went down 
from Cairo and attacked a portion of Gen. Pillow's command, in camp 
at Belmont, opposite Columbus, Ky., and a considerable fight came off. 
Gen. Grant was well posted as to the designs of the enemy in his 
front, and he says he attacked Pillow '* to prevent him from sending 
out reinforcements to Price's army in Missouri, " and it is now well 
known that Gen. Price had asked for and was expecting reinforce- 
ments from Gens. Pillow and Polk to enable him to resist the Federal 
advance in this quarter. 

November 8th the divisions of Sigel and Asboth pushed forward to 
Wilson's creek, not with design of attacking Price and McCulloch, but 
as a feint to cover the Federal retreat from Southwestern Missouri. The 
day following, the rear guard of the army marched out of Springfield, 
en route for St. Louis, via Rolla ; and thus ended the magnificent 
campaign which had been three months in preparation and had engaged 
the time and attention of so many minds. The ending was simply 
ridiculous. No wonder Gen. Price was astonished and incredulous, sus- 
picioning a " Yankee trick," when he heard of it. 

All Southwest Missouri was abandoned indefinitely to the Confed- 
erates, and not caring to trust themselves to their tender mercies once 
more, hundreds of Union families left the country and followed the 
army in great distress and disappointment. Knowledge that there 
was to be a retreat coming to many families, they set out in advance 
of the army. The road was filled for miles with the wagons and the 
flocks and herds of the refugees, and the hegira was something won- 
derful. From Greene, Christian, Stone, Lawrence, Polk, Wright, 
Webster and Dallas and other counties, there went entire communi- 
ties. When Fremont's large and magnificent army had come into the 
country, these people had imagined that Federal domination was to be 
made permanent, and they had been greatly elated ; but now, in only 
a few days, everything was changed. The army had come in with a 
great waving of banners, and amid a fanfare of bugles, the blare of 
brass bands, the beating of drums, and all the pomp and circumstance 
of glorious war ; and now it was sneaking away without firing a gun 
or having one fired at it, and the multitudes who had welcomed its 
coming with such general acclaim, were fain to follow it. And so 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 395 

they went. ' Gathering such articles as were most urgently needed 
and could be easily transported, the Union people of Greene packed 
up hastily, and abandoning their homes, set out in mournful proces- 
sions for the Northland, where they expected to find peace and 
security. And as they left home, many, like the poor Arcadians, were — 

Pausing and looking back to gaze once more on their dwellings, 
Ere they were shut from sight by the winding road and the woodland. 
Close at their sides their children ran and urged on their oxen, 
While in their little hands they clasped some fragments of playthings. 

Many of the families of Greene county who went away with Hun- 
ter's army did not return until the war was over, A few never came 
back. Some of the merchants of Springfield who packed up their 
goods and went to Rolla, engaged in business at that point with good 
success. A few of the refugees, traveling and camping by them- 
selves, were set upon by bushwhackers that infested the roadway and 
robbed. The family of Mr. Thomas Green, whose home was two 
miles south of Springfield, were plundered one night when up in 
Phelps county, but the robbers lay down to sleep after they had ob- 
tained their " loot," and two of Mr. Green's daughters stole out and 
made their way to a large camp of refugees, two miles distant, and 
help coming up, the brigands were secured. 

THE STAY OF FREMONT' S ARMY. 

While Fremont's army did not remain long in this county, it left a 
reputation behind it for containing a great number of lawless charac- 
ters, plunderers and thieves, who would steal anything from a negro 
to a spring pullet. This was to be expected in such a large army, 
composed of all sorts of men. No open pillaging, or but little, was 
done, but there was considerable petty larceny and some grand lar- 
ceny. Jim Lane's men carried oflT some negroes with them, some of 
whom belonged at the time to Union men. A few houses were 
burned. 

Considerable foraging was done, and not all of it was " off the 
enemy," as the military maxim teaches. The stay of the army was 
brief, to be sure, but during the time a good many bushels of corn 
were hauled out of the Greene county corn fields to the camps at 
Springfield to feed the cavalry and artillery horses. It is but justice to 
state, however, that wherever any sort of property was taken by au- 
thority from Union men, vouchers were given for its full value, and 
the owners ultimately recovered pay in full. 



396 HISTORY OF QREKNE COUNTY. 



UNDER THE STARS AND BARS. 



Not long {ifter the Federal army evacuated Springfield and left 
Greene county, the Confederate forces began again to j)ossess the 
land. At the time of the Federal occupation, Price's army was in 
different portions of Barr}^ and McDonald counties. A part was at 
Pineville, in McDonald, another part was at Gadfly, in Barry, while 
the whole army for a time was at Cassville, where Gov. Jackson's 
Legislature was in session for a Aveek, convening October 31 and ad- 
journing November 7. 

McCuUoch did not learn that the Federal army had fallen back 
from Springfield until the night of the 15th. At that time he was 
near the Arkansas line, 72 miles away. The next day he moved his 
army forward, and on the night of the 18th reached Springfield. On 
his arrival he reported to the Richmond authorities, among other mat- 
ters, " The Union men have nearly all fled with the Federal troops, 
leaving this place almost deserted." (Rebellion Record, p. 743.) 
At that time Price was to the northward, seemingly making for the 
Missouri river. 

By the latter part of November the greater portion of the Southern 
army was encamped in and about Springfield. The camps were in 
the town and on every side of it. Every available house was occu- 
pied for military purposes of some sort, either as headquarters, hos- 
pital, quartermaster or commissary depot, barracks or stables. In 
some instances, ofiicers and men were quartered in the front rooms of 
vacated dwellings, while their horses were stabled in the kitchen ! One 
instance of this kind was that of the house of Mr. Worrell, a Union- 
ist, who lived on the south side of the public square, where now 
resides his widow, one of the ladies concerned in the flag presentation 
to Fremont's Body Guard. Upon the retreat of Hunter, Mr. Worrell 
retreated with the army, and the family followed soon after. They 
had kept a small grocery and confectionery. Not being able to take 
all their goods with them, Mrs. Worrell sewed up long sacks, filled 
them with goods and suspended them between the weatherboarding 
and the plastering in the spaces between the studding, replacing the 
"washboards" upstairs, which had been removed to facilitate the 
work. When Price's troops came in, they occupied the front rooms 
of this building themselves, and converted the kitchen and rear rooms 
into stables and stalls for the horses. They partitioned the large 
front room into two rooms, and wanting a window in the near one. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 397 

tliey cut an opening in the side wall. Luckily for Mrs. Worrell, the 
window was cut between the studding where no bag of goods had 
been suspended, and the existence of her canned fruits, cove oysters, 
sardines, pickles, etc., in such close proximity to them, was never 
even suspected by the troopers. When Mrs. W. returned to Spring- 
field in the following February, she had an interesting time in house- 
cleaning, but found her goods all safe and sound. 

The Confederate commissary and quartermaster's departments in 
this part of the army were sadly deficient in supplies. Only by some 
very industrious foraging were they kept in anything like good condi- 
tion. Sometimes a levy for supplies was made on open Confederate 
sympathizers. 

Upon Price's occupation of Springfield, an assistant quartermas- 
ter of Rains' division, accompanied by a brother officer, rode up to 
the general store of J. S. Moss & Co. Entering the store the officers 
were warmly greeted by Mr. Moss, who assured them that he was 
glad to welcome them to Springfield ; that his sympathies were with 
the Southern cause, and that he Avould be glad to serve it and them 
to any reasonable extent. The quartermaster replied that he was 
glad to meet a good Southern man, at any time, and especially at this 
time. " And," said he, " Mr. Moss, I have it in my power to do you 
a favor, perhaps. I have been furnished with plenty of money and 
empowered to make purchases for the benefit of the army. I see you 
have quite a stock of clothing, etc., and I assure you that I will give 
you my patronage as long as you have anything I want." Mr. Moss 
made his best bow in reply, and as the officers departed turned to his 
partners and his clerks and expatiated on the power and utility of 
kind words to and courteous treatment of strangers, especially mili- 
tary officers in time of wars and armies, as illustrated by the incident 
just passed. 

The next morning there drove up in front of Mr. Moss & Co.'s es- 
tablishment two huge army wagons, belonging to Rains' division, and 
accompanying them was the generous quartermaster. Piles and piles 
of goods were soon transferred from the shelves and counters of the 
store to the capacious maws of the army wagons, the quartermaster 
and Mr. Moss carefully checking off each article as it passed out, and 
noting its price, which Mr. Moss took care should be a generous one, 
and which his new-made friend did not object to. At last the store 
was about stripped and some $5,000 worth of clothing, boots and 
shoes and other articles had changed hands within a few minutes. 



398 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY- 

Then came the payment. The amount having been ascertained, 
from forth a huge wallet the quartermaster drew handful after hand- 
ful of bills of the kind known as " Missouri scrip," issued by the 
Claib. Jackson government to carry on the war, and wholly depend- 
ent for value on the success of the Confederate cause ! Then he be- 
gan counting over to Mr. Moss in this currency the amount of his 
bill. "Is this what you call money, Major?" asked the astonished 
merchant. "Certainly," said the quartermaster, "and very good 
money it is, too." Then resuming his count — three thousand five 
hundred — four thousand — ." In alarm Moss interrupted : "And 
have you no gold at all?" " Not a red. Four thousand five hun- 
dred — five thousand — five thousand two hundred — " and so on un- 
til the amount vvas covered in good, new, shiny, crisp Missouri scrip, 
of which Price's army had plenty, " the volume of currency being 
kept equal to the demands of trade ! " 

When the trade had been consummated and Moss had signed a re- 
ceipt, he said to the quartermaster: " Major, I am a good Southern 
man and all that, and I appreciate your gentlemanly conduct and de- 
sire to do me a favor, but in the future you will greatly oblige me if 
you will distribute your ' patronage ' around among the rest of the 
merchants — sort of divide it up, you know — give the rest of the 
boys a chance, as it were. I am not hoggish ; I know when I have 
enough, and I assure you that I have no desire at present for any 
more custom from either you or any other of Gen. Price's quarter- 
masters." 

Considerable foraging was done on the country. Trains were sent 
out in all directions — into this county, into Webster, into Polk, and 
load after load of corn, hay, bacon, flour, meat, etc., brought in. 
Pay was sometimes given in " Missouri scrip," Avhen the property taken 
belonged to a "good Southern man," but quite often no pay of any 
sort was demanded or received by Unionists, who were glad, in some 
instances, to get oft" with the loss of their property simply. Numerous 
as were Gen. Price's horses already, he impressed nearly every avail- 
able one in the county. 

A good many prisoners were made among the Union men of the 
county, some of whom had returned from following the Federal army 
to take care of their families and their property. Very soon the jail 
at Springfield was pretty well filled. Among the prisoners were S. 
H. Julian and Walter A. Gault, who had been in the Union Home 
Guards and were afterwards ojQBcers in the Federal service. While 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 399 

they did not fare very sumptuously the prisoners were uniformly well 
treated, and passed their time in all sorts of ways — one favorite di- 
version being that of singing Union songs, the most of which were 
composed or improvised for the occasion and sang in retort for the 
Confederate ballads rendered with great relish by their guards. 

price's main army GOES NORTH. 

Somewhere about the 20th of November the main body of Gen. 
Price's army struck their tents in this county and moved northward 
on the Bolivar and other roads, with the double intention of reaching 
the Missouri river again, either at Boonville or Lexington, or of sfoino; 
on a grand raid into Kansas. Previously a large portion of the army 
was at Neosho, and from here Gen. Price issued his famous address 
'* to the people of Central and North Missouri," which was published 
in the Missouri Army Argus, a paper which appeared in Price's army 
" semi-occasionally," and which is said to have been printed on type 
taken from the Mirror office, in Springfield. This address called for 
50,000 more men, and contained the remarkable declaration : " We 
have $200,000,000 worth of Northern means in Missouri which cannot 
be removed. When we are once free, this amount will indemnify 
every citizen who may have lost a dollar b}^ adhesion to the cause of 
his country. We shall have our property or its value with interest." 

This proclamation was freely circulated in not only Central and 
North Missouri, but all over the State, and two or three copies are yet 
extant in this county. The circulation of the proclamation in Greene, 
it is claimed, made more recruits for the Federal army than for Gen. 
Price, and after the war was over the terms of the proclamation, 
itself were remembered and brought up against the ex-Confed- 
erates b}' certain over-zealous members of the Radical party. 

The movement of Price's army northward was ordered from Neosho 
and Springfield in three divisions. On the 25th of November the 
right wing, under Gen. McBride, 6,000 (?) strong, rested on Stock- 
ton, Cedar county; the left wing, 5,000 strong, under Gen. Rains, 
was at Nevada, Vernon county ; and the center, 5,000 strong, was 
near Montevallo, in the southeastern part of Vernon county, com- 
manded by Gen. Price in person. McCulloch, with his army, had 
previously retired to the Arkansas valley, from whence he was soon 
afterward summoned to Richmond to explain his conduct in thus aban- 
doning Gen. Price. Ea-rly in December there was a concentration of 
Price's troops at Osceola, where a large number of recruits and many 



400 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

thousands of dollars' worth of supplies were hrought in from the rich 
" rebel " counties to the north. 

Meantime this county was occupied by small detachments of Con- 
federate troops and Springfield was held by a considerable force. 

GEN. PRICE AND HIS ARMY BACK AGAIN. 

Five days after Gen. Hunter was appointed to the command of the 
Federal army of the West, he was himself relieved and succeeded by 
Gen. H. W. Halleck, The latter did but little else than prepare to 
do — threatening this, that and the other, but performing nothing — 
" letting ' 1 dare not' wait upon ' I would,' like the poor cat in the 
adage," that wanted to catch fish but disliked to wet her feet. The 
division of Pope, was immediately in front of Price and kept many 
recruits from going to the latter — capturing at one time, on the 
Blackwater, in Johnson county, about 1,000 who were mostly from 
Saline and Carroll counties and were commanded by Col. Frank Rob- 
ertson. 

At last Halleck's disposition of his forces was such and his menaces 
were of such a character that Gen. Price was again compelled to fall 
back from the Osage and come into Greene county and Springfield. 
General Price preceded his men. Gen. Rains covered the withdrawal. 
Bridges were burned and roads obstructed to detain an apprehended 
pursuit on the part of Pope and Lane. The long bridge over the 
Osage at Warsaw, built by Fremont two months before, was among the 
bridges destroyed. But for some reason no pursuit was made, and 
Price's army came on unmolested, though suffering severely with cold 
along the march and in camp at night. 

On Christmas day, 18G1, Gen. Price and his array entered Spring- 
field, and the general himself took up his quarters in the old house on 
Boonville street. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 401 

CHAPTER XI. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY DURING 1862. 

The Confederates Hold Undisputed Possession of the County — There is But One Cause and 
" Pap" Price is its Exponent — "Missouri Scrip," the Only Circuhiting Medium, and the 
"Volume of Currency Kept Equal to the Demands of Trade" — Re-Organization of 
Price's Army — Capt. Campbell's Company — The Soldiers in Camp — Gen. Price Re- 
treats — End of Confederate Rule in Greene County — A Skirmish — Exit the Stars and 
Bars — Enter the Stars and Stripes — Curtis' Army Appears in Full Force, with Sigel at 
the Head — Effects of the Confederate Occupation — The "Rebels" Not very Tidy House- 
keepers — Order Restored in Springfield — Business Resumed, Religious Services Con- 
ducted, a Newspaper Established, The Streets "Policed," Etc — Organization of the 
Missouri State Militia — The 14th M. S. M.— Greene County's Part in the Battle of 
Pea Ridge — Casualties in and the Part Borne by Phelps' Regiment and the 24th Mis- 
souri Infantry — The Spring Time Comes — The Sword and the Plow — Miscellane- 
ous — Re-Opening of the Circuit and County Courts — Proceedings of Both — Matters 
in April and May — Shocking Tragedy in Springfield — Two Oflicers and One Woman 
Killed — The General Hospital at Springfield — Runaway Negroes — Apprehension of 
Fugitive Slaves — Deaths During 1862 — The November Elections — OflBcial Canvass, 
Including the Soldier Vote — The "Gamble Oath" — A Joke on a Carpet-Bagger by 
"Pony" Boyd — Operations of the 14th M. S. M. in December — The Fortifications 
at Springfield — Organization of the Enrolled Missouri Militia — Roster of the 72d and 
74th Regiments, E. M. M. 

18(52 MILITARY OPERATIONS IN .JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. 

The first day of January, 1862, saw Greene county under complete 
Confederate domination. Almost the entire county comprised a grand 
military camp and its outposts. The operations of the civil law were 
entirely suspended. The people were compelled to admit that they 
were living in the Southern Confederacy, and no magistrates or other 
civil officers had been elected or appointed to serve them under the 
new order of things, and the old officers were either fugitives within 
the Federal lines, or powerless to act. Everything was done under 
marshal law. The provost marshal was the supreme arbiter of con- 
troversies between civilians, but " Old Pap " Price was resorted to 
on many occasions. 

Property was seized for the use of the army wherever it could be 
found, but the citizens soon became adepts at hiding, and it is snid 
that chickens and mules and horses, as well as men, learned to hide 
themselves when they discovered a foraging party approaching. 
Though it was the dead of winter many a horse was stabled out in the 
brush, many a wagon run into and hid in a hollow or ravine. Fre- 
26 



402 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



inont, during his live days' reign, had made it particularly warm for 
the Confederate sympathizers iu the matter of liberal foraging, and 
now the Confederates were retaliating upon the Unionists or " Yankee 
sympathizers," some of whom were arrested and made to give ])()nds 
for their good behavior toward the Confederacy, or else were sent to 
Jail. 

" MISSOURI SCRIP." 

Upon the capture of Lexington Gov. Jackson and Gen. Price seized 
about $40,000 in gold belonging to the branch bank of the State at 
that place, but this and other "forced loans" were soon exhausted 
and the Neosho Legislature authorized the issue of ten millions of 
dollars of "defence bonds " in sums of not less than $1 or greater 
than $500, all bonds of $5 and upwards to bear interest at 10 per 
cent. This species of money, called " Missouri scrip," was the cur- 
rent coin of the realm during the occupancy of Greene county by 
the army of Gen. Price. It was engraved and printed in New Or- 
leans, by A. Malus, and the most of it was printed on the back of old 
uncut blank bills of Exchange and other imitations of bank note 
paper. The engraving was on wood, and both the engraving and 
printing were of inferior quality. Each " bond " or l)ill was signed by 
either Wm. Shields, Thos. H. Murray, or Henry W. Lyday, the com- 
missioners appointed to issue the bonds. The following is a descri})- 
tion of a $3 " Missouri scrip : " 



3 



Three. Three. Thre e. 



Portrait of y^ 

Gov. C. F. Jackson, E? 

surrounded by "■ 

Confederate Flags, ^ 

Cannon, etc. I a 



Three. Three. Three. 



3 



state Seal of 

V^irgiuia 
Without Motto. 



THEEE. 

A. Malus, Eng., N. O. 



The STATE OF MISSOURI , "^^^ter with 

Raccoon Skin Cap 



Will pay THRP:E DOLLAKS to Bearer. 

Jefferson City, January 1st, 1862. 
No. 96,035. W. SHIELDS, Com'r. 



and Hunting 
Shirt, Gun, Dog, 
etc. and an Animal 

of unknown 
species, suppoticd 

to be a Lj'ux. 



Receivable in Payment of all Dues to the State. 



RE-ORGAN IZATION OF PRICE S ARiMY. 



Relieved by the inactivity of the Federal forces elsewhere, and en- 
couraged by the promise of re-inforcements from Arkansas under Mc- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 403 

Culloch and Mcintosh, Gen. Price had concentrated at Springfield 
with the intention of remaining here all winter. His army had be- 
come reduced considerably since the time of the capture of Lexing- 
ton, when it numbered nearly 20,000, and now consisted of only about 
15,000. The reduction was occasioned by desertions, furloughs, 
death, and transfers. At Springfield began the re-organization of the 
army. As fast as the term of enlistment of the Missouri State Guards 
expired they were induced to enter the regular Confederate States 
service. The original term of service of the State Guards Avas for six 
months, and the most of them had enlisted in June and July ; in 
December and January, therefore, their times had expired and the 
most of them were enlisted in the regular Confederate army for three 
years, or during the war. 

In the camps at Springfield, during the month of January, a great 
deal of re-organizing was done. Day after day was spent in drum- 
ming for recruits and in completing or attempting to complete the 
organization of companies and regiments. Campbell's Greene county 
company dated its service from the 11th of June, 1861, and its time 
expired in December.^ It was prompt to enlist in the Confedarate 
service. 

CAPT. Campbell's company. 

The company alluded to in these pages as Capt. Dick Campbell's 
deserves fuller mention than can be made of it here. It was one of 
the best that served under the flag of the stars and bars. The com- 
pany was first organized in May, 1861, under Gov. Jackson's military 
bill for service in the Missouri State Guard. The first organization 
was effected at the head of Clear Creek, near Springfield, as before 
mentioned. 

Leonidas St. Clair Campbell (called "Dick " ) was chosen captain ; 
eJames McSpadden, 1st lieutenant; Thomas Weaver, 2d lieutenant; 
Ben Hardin, 3d lieutenant; John A. Blanchard, orderly sergeant.. 
The company numbered about 126 men. It was armed chiefly with 
double-barreled shot-guns and revolvers, although some of the men 
had carbines and rifles. 

Dr. A. S. H. Boyd, now of Carrsville, Ky., was a member of 
Campbell's company and served through the war, coming to Missouri 
from California to fiiiht for his native South. Since the foreffoina: 



' Its orderly sergeant, John A. Blanchard, says its date of service began June 21st, and 
ended in September, being enlisted for only three months, but the preponderance of state- 
ments is against him. 



404 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was put in type the doctor writes that the original company was com- 
posed of a squad recruited by L. S. Campbell, in the neighborhood 
of Ash Grove, and a squad recruited by Col. L. A. Campbell. Some 
of the members of the old original company were Thompson Brown, 
Sam. J. Campbell, liev. P. S. Wilkes (afterwards a member of the 
Confederate Congress), Geo. W. Jones, James Jones, T. C. Frazier, 
Fayette Frazier, Wm. Butler, Marion Fulbright, James Blakey, 
Christoi)her Bodenhammer, John Weatherford, John Thaxton (killed 
at Corinth), Henr}^ Parbury, Penn Wilson, Ned White, Louis Bra- 
shears and A. S. H. Boyd. 

Soon after its organization Capt. Campbell's command left Greene 
county, there being too many Union Home Guards here, and it was 
not desirable to tight against old neighbors and friends. It went in 
June into the southern part of Taney county, or just into Arkansas, 
where it camped two weeks or more. Then it marched to Gen. Price 
on the Cowskin prairie, McDonald county. Here it joined the Mis- 
souri army and accompanied it to Cassville, from thence to Crane 
creek, and on to Dug Springs and Wilson's creek. From Cassville 
to Wilson's creek the company was in the advance guard of Gen. 
Rains' division. At the Dug Springs fight the company was engaged 
and in the retreat one of the members, Fulbright, a young man, 
fleshy and plethoric, had his horse shot. Running on foot to escape, 
he became overheated or was sunstruck and died.^ W. J. Frazier, 
another member of the company, was slightly wounded. At Wilson's 
Creek the company was engaged as hitherto described. Lotspeich's 
company, another Greene county organization, but with many mem- 
bers from Stone and Tany counties, was with Campl)eirs at Wilson's 
Creek. 

The next day after the battle of Wilson's Creek, Campbell's com- 
pany came into Springiield as Gen. Price's escort. Here it remained 
during the first Confederate occupation, only a few of the members 
going to Lexington. During the winter of 1861 the compan}^ was re- 
organized. James McSpadden was elected captain ; Jack Luck, 1st 
lieutenant; Louis Brashcars, 2d lieutenant; William Merritt, 3d 
lieutenant ; William Perkins, orderly. 

The company received some new recruits in January and February, 
1862, and accompanied Price's army when it left the county on the 
approach of Curtis and Sigel. It fought at Pea Ridge, and afterwards 



It is said that Fulbright did not belong to Canopbell's company. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 405 

was sent east of the Mississippi and joined Beauregard's army at 
Corinth. It remained in Mississippi during 1862 and participated in 
the battles of luka and Corinth. At the desperate assault on Corinth, 
Oct. 4, 1862, the Greene county company lost just half its members 
killed and wounded. Among the latter wore Capt. McSpadden and 
Lieut. Brashears. The company was in the Vicksburg Campaign, 
and surrendered with Pemberton's army to Gen. Grant. 

After the fall of Vicksburg the company never again was united. 
Some of the members stayed east of the Mississippi ; others recrossed 
the river and joined Marmaduke and Shelby, and participated in 
Price's last raid into Missouri. A few fought under Sid. Jackman, 
and other irregular organizations. 

During their term of service the members of the original organiza- 
tion of Campbell's company, either as that company, or belonging to 
another, participated in the engagements at Wilson's Creek, Dug 
Springs, Crane Creek, Dry Wood, Lexington, Missouri; Cane Hill 
and Elk Horn, Ark. ; luka, Corinth, Saltillo, Baker's Creek or Cham- 
pion Hill, Big Black, Grand Gulf, and Vicksburg, Miss. ; Spring Hill, 
Duck River, and Franklin Tennessee ; in all the battles fought by 
Joe Johnston in the Georgia campaign in 1864, and the survivors sur- 
rendered at Mobile, Ala., in the last battle of the war east of the 
Mississippi. 

The old company was often complimented for good conduct on the 
battle-field by Gens. McBride, Rains, Bowen, Price and Joe John- 
ston. It fought well and lost largely in killed and wounded, and 
those who were left to return home made as good citizens as they did 
soldiers. 

The remainder of the time the Confederate army spent in Greene 
county was employed in drilling the men and scouting. Expeditions 
were sent out from time to time in order to keep the men employed 
and to procure forage and such things as the army stood in need of. 
.Tlie white tents of the soldiers covered all the unoccupied ground in 
and about Springfield, and posts were established at Ebenezer, Bois 
d'Arc, and other points in the county. 

Every house or other building in Springfield was occupied either 
by the families or by the officers for headquarters, offices, or hospitals. 
There were many sick in the place, and a great many died. The 
court-house, the churches, and other buildings were filled with the sick, 
and a few wounded, aud^ owing to the lack of medicines and surgical 
appliances, tiiey were not properly treated. The surgeons did as well 
as they could, however, and in their efibrts they received considerable 



406 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

valuable assistance from the ladies of the town and surroundins: 
country, who not only contributed provisions, clothing, and dainty 
bits of cookery for the benefit of the afflicted soldiers, but visited them 
and ministered to them in [)er8on. 

GEN. PRICE RETREATS END OF CONFEDERATE RULE IN GREENE 

COUNTY. 

About the 10th of February it began to be whispered al)out through 
Greene county that another Federal army was on its way from Rolla 
to Springfield, fully prepared to drive out Gen. Price, and ^s many 
more men as he already had in his army. The next day the Confed- 
erates began to get ready to leave. It was known that the Federal 
army was at Marshfield, and it was reported to be on this side in great 
strength, and, notwithstanding the inclement weather then prevailing, 
marching rapidly on for Springfield. Some time previously the Fed- 
erals had pushed out from Rolla and occupied Lebanon, and now the 
forces at both Rolla and Lebanon, save a small garrison at each place, 
were moving swiftly forward for Southwest Missouri. 

Gen. Price could do nothing but get out of the way, and that at 
once, as his force was largely inferior every way to that of his enemy. 
And so the tents were struck, the baggage loaded, and the retreat be- 
gan. Many families and civilians of Confederate sympathies and pro- 
clivities packed up and prepared to leave also. As many as twenty- 
five households and that number of heads of families went away with 
the Confederate army. Others followed not long afterward. Among 
those who followed the army were J. S. Moss and Maj. D. D. Berry, 
merchants of Springfield. 

A SKIRMISH. 

In the afternoon of the 12th of February a skirmish took place in 
Jackson township, near where is now the town of Strafford, between 
the advance guard of the Federal army, believed to have been a portion 
of the 1st Missouri cavalry, and some Confederates who were stationed 
as a sort of picket or corps of observation. Two Confederates, belong- 
ing to a Morgan county company, are said to have been killed and 
three or four were wounded. No Federals were killed, but there 
was an ambulance full of slightly wounded. The Confederates 
retreated to Springfield. 

EXIT THE STARS AND BARS. 

On the night of the 12th Price's army began to leave Springfield, 
taking the Cassville road. The movement was continued until on the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 407 

13th being delayed somewhat. As the troops marched away there 
were some tears shed by the fair female Confederates, many of whom 
had a husband, a brother, or a sweetheart in the ranks bound for Dixie, 
with a chance of never returning. The weather was foul and not at 
all comfortable for travel, but the Federal army was in sight, and who 
should be reported in the lead but Sigel — the same Sigel, of familiar 
memory, whom some of Price's men had met at Carthage, whom oth- 
ers had met at Wilson's Creek, and who for the third time was coming 
to Greene county. The march of the rear guard was accelerated 
somewhat by the knowledge that not only was there a force of blue- 
coated cavalry bearing down the wire road directly from Marshfield, 
but on either flank detachments were hovering, to come together, like 
the jaws of a trap, when the opportunity presented itself, anden close 
whatever was between them. And so passed away the army under 
the Confederate flag, a banner destined to never again wave in triumph 
over the soil of Greene county. 

As stated, many citizens of Confederate proclivities followed off 
Price's army. Among these was the fjimily of Mr. Blanchard, of the 
western part of the county. The Federal advance overtook the wagon 
in which were Mr. B. and his son, John A. Blanchard, who had been 
orderly sergeant of Campbell's company. The Federals took Mr. 
Blanchard, senior, out of his wagon, in which were a gun and a re- 
volver, carried him a few yards from the road and shot him. It was 
stated that Mr. Blanchard was killed for refusing to give up his revolver, 
which, the soldiers said, he pointed at them, threatening to shoot. 
It is altogether probal)le, however, that Mr. B. was murdered without 
sufficient excuse. 

A number of other families went due south from Springfield into 
Arkansas, via Ozark and Forsyth. One caravan was conducted by 
John H. Miller, Esq. 

ENTER THE STARS AND STRIPES. 

Close upon the heels of the retreating Confederates came the Federal 
army, commanded by Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, of Iowa, who had 
gone out eight months before as the colonel of the 2d Iowa infantry, 
resigning his seat in Congress to accept t|ie position. Gen. Curtis' 
army was mainly composed of the divisions of Gens. Asboth, Sigel, 
Jeff. C, Davis, and E. A. Carr. The latter had been here in August, 
at Wilson's Creek, as a captain in command of 56 cavalrymen under 
Sigel. Now he was back again, a brigadier-general, at the head of 



408 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

several thousand raeii.^ As the Federal troops came into the county 
the Union people that had remained through Confederate rule turned 
out and <5ave them a cordial welcome. 

Some of the soldiers were the recipients of extra fervent receptions 
and greetings, for their feet were on their native heath, and those who 
welcomed them were their own families, their old neighbors, and their 
own kinsfolk. These were the men of Phelps' i-egiment and Boyd's 
24th Missouri who had enlisted from Greene county, and there were 
present some men who ])elonged to other regiments and whose homes 
were here. 

Accompanying Curtis' army were very many Union people who 
had followed after Fremont's army, three months before, and were re- 
turning to their own homes upon positive assurance having been given 
them that the army was coming into Southwest Missouri to stay. 
Among these were some merchants of Springfield and a few families 
living in other parts of the county, 

Springfield was found rather the worse off for the Confederate occu- 
pancy. The store-houses and residences of Union citizens who had 
been compelled to leave on the retreat of Fremont and Hunter had 
been greatly abused, and even the houses of Confederate sympathizers 
had suffered. Parlors had been converted into barracks and were 
littered np with straw and hay ; kitchens had been transformed into 
stables, and the amount of filth that had accumulated everywhere 
would have made the town untenable in warm weather. Huge quan- 
tities of rubbish and trash were piled upon the public square, and in 
nearly every hollow was a cess-pool and in every alle}'^ a muck-heap. 
A few buildings had been burned, none intentionally, however, as is 
believed. 

In two weeks, however, there was a great change. The stores with 
their broken fronts were repaired, and filled with sutlers' and other 
goods much needed by the people ; the dwellings, some of which were 
miniature Augean stables, were cleaned out; Lieut. Col. Mills, of the 
♦' Lyon Legion, " as Col, Boyd's 24th Missouri was called, was provost 
marshal, and set the prisoners and some details at work to clean oft" 
the public square and "police" up the town generally, and soon 
Springfield began to wear somewhat her former appearance. Mc- 
Elhany & Jaggard and McAdams & Co. refilled their old stores, Mrs. 
Worrell found her goods all safe and opened out at her old stand, L. 



1 As a member of Gen. Carr's staff rode Lieut. John E. Phelps, son of Col. Phelps, 
and afterwards a colonel and brevet brigadier. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 409 

A. D. Crenshaw filled up the store tbrnierly occupied by Vinton & 
Horubeak, and, as the Federal officers had distributed greenbacks 
pretty liberally through this section, in payment for forage and other 
supplies taken, money was plenty and the people were soon able to 
procure many articles which they had so long been compelled to do 
without. 

Sunday morning, March 2, services were held at the Presbyterian 
church in Springfield by Rev. A. H. Powell. These are said to have 
been the. first religious services in Springfield in the year 1862. There 
began to be talk of re-opening the schools, and matters were generally 
in a very satisfactory condition. 

About the first week in March the telegraph line was completed 
from St. Louis to Springfield, via Lebanon and Marshfield. The line 
was built by the government, primarily for the use of the army, and 
extended along what afterwards came to be known as the '* wire road." 
Soon after its completion to Springfield, the line was extended to Cass- 
ville, and on down to Curtis' army. 

On the 1st of March the first number of a small newspaper, called 
the Springfield Missowian, was issued by A. F. Ingram. The 31is- 
sourian was a four-page paper, each page measuring 10 by 7 inches, 
and containing three columns. The first number was especially de- 
voted to " war news," giving, among other intelligence, an account 
of the capture of Ft. Donelson. The Missourian was issued from 
time to time thereafter for some years, being enlarged when its patron- 
age justified it. At first its price was 10 cents a copy. 

The post-office at Springfield was re-opened and mails began to be 
regularly received. Allen Mitchell & Co. re-opened their steam mill 
and bought large quantities of wheat which had escaped the foragers of 
Fremont and Price. The ]3rice paid was $2 a bushel. Corn sold at 
$2 per barrel, or 40 cents a bushel. James Vaughn opened a new 
stock of stoves and tiuw^are at his old stand on the east side of the 
square, and Sergt. J. B. Winger returned and again began selling 
cigars and tobacco, at his former place of business, one door south of 
the post-office. Allen & McQuirter leased the old Chambers house, 
on the north side of the square, and opened a new hostelry called the 
Union Hotel. 

Some of Curtis' army, in a spirit either of recklessness, careless- 
ness, or wickedness, burned some unoccupied houses in Springfield 
which had been occupied by the military. One house so destroyed 
was that on College street, owned by Col. Phelps, where the body of 
Gen. L^'onwas brought from the fatal field of Wilson's Creek. 



410 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE MISSOURI STATE MILITIA. 

About the 1st of December, 1861, Gov. Gamble received authority 
from the War Department at Washin<^ton for the organization of tiie 
Missouri State Militia, the members of which, when engaged in active 
service, were to be armed, clothed, subsisted, transported and [)aid by 
the United States, and to co-operate with the United States forces in 
the repression of invasion into Missouri and the suppression of rebel- 
lion therein. The militia was not to be ordered out of the State of 
Missouri, ''except for the immediate defense of said State." 

On Monday, March 3, a mass meeting of Union citizens was held in 
Springfield to consider the question of organizing a regiment of the 
State Militia in this portion of the State. This meeting was addressed 
by Col. Marcus Boyd and others, and many recruits were obtained. 
In January Hon. John M. Richardson, formerly Secretary of State of 
Missouri and the leader of, first the Benton party, and then the Re- 
publicans in Southwest Missouri, had been commissioned a captain in 
the State Militia (or "M. S. M.," as it came to be known) and was 
actively recruiting. Later he was commissioned Colonel of the 14th 
Cavalry M. S. M., and his company was then commanded by Abra- 
ham Worley. To the same regiment were attached two other com- 
panies composed largely of Greene county men — Company D. 
Capt. Sam A. Flagg, and Company E, Capt. Stephen H. Julian. 
Flagg and Julian received their commissions about the 1st of April. 

GREENE county's PART IN THE BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE. 

The battle of Pea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern, fought March 6th and 
7th, 1862, was of peculiar interest to this county. Upon its results 
the destiny of the county, throughout perhaps the entire civil war, de- 
pended, for had the battle gone against the Federals, and Curtis been 
forced to retreat, the country would have again fallen under the rule 
of the Confederacy, and the Union peo[)le would have abandoned 
Southwest Missouri indefinitely. Forsomedays the progress of Curtis' 
army into Arkansas had been watched, as it were, by the people with 
the deepest interest. Companies A, B, F, H, I, and K, of the " Lyon 
Legion, " Boyd's regitnent, under Maj. Eli Weston, and Phelps' regi- 
ment, under Colonel Phelps himself, were known to be with the army 
on the Federal side and many of the oflScers and men thereto belong- 
injj were from Greene. Ranged under the "stars and bars" were 
also Campbell's old company and many other men in different organi- 
zations. The county was well represented on both sides. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 411 

The following were the casualties among the Greene county men in 
Phelps' Regiment : — 

Company D, Capt. John W. Lisenby, wounded by rifle ball in left 
shoulder, buckshot in left hip, and ininie ball through each leg ; 1st 
Lieut. Robt. P. Matthews, wounded through upper part of right 
breast, the ball lodging against the right shoulder blade ; 2d Lieut. 
Chas. C. Moss, right hip badly bruised by a piece of shell ; 1st Sergt. 
Jacob Winger, buckshot in right eye, destroying the sight ; 2d Sergt. 
W. W. Langston, wounded in the hand ; Corporal James H. Cochran, 
musket ball through the right foot ; Private Blanton Cargile, by minie 
ball in the left hand ; James M. Logan, musket ball in the left leg; 
Wesley R. Logan, grapeshot through left arm, rendering amputation 
necessary; Wra. M. Patterson, musket ball in abdomen; Theophilus 
C Piper, musket ball in right thigh ; John S. Steele, musket ball in 
right leg; Young White, rifle ball in left arm. 

Company H. Phelps' Regiment. — Captain George B. McElhannon, 
gunshot wound in shoulder, died at Springfield, March 29, 1862 ; 1st 
Lieut. John A. Lee, in the hip ; 1st Sergt. Albert Demuth, in the 
right knee. 

Company A, 24th Mo. — Hosea G. Mullings, wounded; Danl. C. 
Putnam and Wm. D. Popejoy captured. The latter is said to have 
been from Dal his county. The other companies from Greene county 
were not in the battle. Company D, Vaughan's (afterward Baker 
Owen's) company, was at Springfield. Concerning the part taken by 
the battalion of the 24th at Pea Ridge, and concerning the character 
of the battalion for general good conduct, a newspaper correspondent, 
a few days after the battle, wrote : — 

On the morning of the 7th inst, there were present at Sugar Creek, 
companies A, B, F, H, I, and K, under the command of Major E. W. 
Weston. They were stationed some two miles north of the main 
command, at the Elk Horn tavern, acting as provost guards, when it 
was discovered that Price had thrown his force, estimated at 20,000 
men, between our army and Missouri. This discovery was not made 
until they (the enemy) were within a very short distance of us. But 
so wise and judicious were the dispositions made of his command by 
Major Weston, that for an hour or more, Price's whole force were 
kept at bay until reinforcements came up. All day Friday, from day- 
light until dark were these brave men on the field and in the thickest 
of the tight. They occupied a position on the left of Col. Carr's 
division, and although the point on which they were stationed was one 
of the most importance for strategic movements, and every effV)rt was 
made by the enemy to dislodge them, yet for nine hours did they 



412 HISTORY OF GllEENE COUNTY. 

stand their ground under the murderous fires of the multitudes op- 
posed to them, and it was only when the order to fall back was re- 
peated time and again, that they would heed it. When they did re- 
tire, they did so contesting every foot of the ground, and was the first 
regiment in line to meet the oncoming enemy. Too miich praise can- 
not be bestowed on Maj. Weston, the other officers and the men for 
the truly brave and soldierly manner in which they acquitted them- 
selves on that memorable day. 

Another remark with regard to the regiment. It is their proud 
boast, that, notwithstanding many of them have been robbed by the 
rebels of their all, yet not a man in the regiment has ever taken a 
single article without paying for it. To this, friend and foe will testi- 
fy. You cannot find, I venture to say, a single pack of cards in the 
regiment. They all know and fully appreciate what they are fighting 
for, and all remember that when this war is done, that they are again 
to be members of society. They intend coming out of this conflict and 
return to their homes and families as free from vice as when they 
pledged themselves to their country. Viator. 

Mrs. Mary Phelps was present after the battle of Pea Ridge and did 
much valuable service in caring for the wounded. Many a life was 
saved by her devotion and care. 

The Greene county Confederates were in the battle, and some of 
them were killed and wounded, but their names have not been ob- 
tained. 

THE SWORD AND THE PLOW. 

These two implements, wholly unlike in their nature, were each the 
firm friend of the other during the spring of 1862. By the 1st of 
April the farmers of this county had made arrangements to put in 
large crops during the season. No fears were entei'tained that Price 
would ever return to " spoil the vines of the husbandman " while it was 
certain that Springfield was to become the base of operations and sup- 
plies for the Federal "Army of the Southwest," for an indefinite pe- 
riod. Curtis had been largely reinforced and Gens, Price and Van 
Dorn had fallen back far into Arkansas. About 2,000 troops, one- 
half being cavalry, were already at Springfield and large reinforce- 
ments were known to be on the way from Rolla and other points, and 
as huge piles of military stores were being laid up, it was known that 
a very respectable force would be employed to guard them, and this 
force would need forage and other supplies, for which the Federal 
quartermasters were always willing to pay good prices to " loyal " own- 
ers — and by this time every farmer in Greene county co/i«2(ZerecZ him- 
self loyal, whether he was so in reality or not! So, with the assur- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 413. 

ance of protection, and a guarantee of good markets, the farmers were 
stimulated to go again to work. The soldier agreed to guard the 
farmer, and the farmer agreed to feed the soldier, and the honors were 
easy. 

MISCELLANEOUS . 

Up in Cedar county in the early spring of this year the Confederates 
under John T. Coffee and others, were harassing the Union people 
very considerably and numbers of them were compelled to come to 
Springfield for protection. — On the 25th of March the 3d Missouri In- 
fantry Volunteers, 600 strong, came to Springfield from Rolhi. This 
was Sigel's old regiment, and had inscribed on its flag *' Springfield, 
August 10th." A majority of the men, however, were new recruits. — 
A large number of the Federal wounded at Pea Ridge were daily 
arriving at the hospitals in the latter part of March and the first 
part of April. 

RESUMPTION OF THE CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURTS. 

Upon the breaking up of the Missouri State government, in the 
spring and summer of 1861, public matters were in a pretty mess, 
to be sure. The Governor (Jackson), the Lieutenant Governor 
(Reynolds), the Secretary of State (Massey) and other officers were 
fugitives from the State capital, having taken up arms against the 
Federal government. Upon the reassembling of the State conven- 
tion, July 22, that body vacated the places of the State officers named 
and appointed in their stead H. R. Gamble, St. Louis, Governor ; 
Willard P. Hall, of Buchanan, Lieutenant Governor, and Mordecai 
Oliver, of this county, Secretary of State. Mr. Oliver, up to that 
time, had not lived long in Greene, but yet a sufficient length of 
time to be well and favorably known. 

Judge Patrick H. Edwards, in the summer of 1861, had "gone 
South" as the process of taking service under the government of 
Claib. Jackson was sometimes called, and there was no circuit judge 
any more for this district or these people. The prosecuting attorney 
was also non est, and in those days there was no king in Israel ; every 
man did that which was right in his own eyes — provided the soldiers 
would allow him. The Gamble government appointed Littleberry 
Hendrick to the vacancy on the circuit court bench and H. J. 
Lindenbower prosecuting attorney, for this, then the 14th, judicial 
circuit. Both judge and prosecuting attorney were from Greene 
county. And now, though ^^ inter arma silent legis''' was a maxim 



414 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

pretty generally recognized throughout Missouri, it was proposed to 
reopen the civil courts though it should be done under the protection 
of bayonets and cannon. 

On the 27th of March Judge Hendrick issued a circular to the 
people announcing the resumption of the judicial functions of civil 
government in the 14th circuit. From this circular, happily pre- 
served by an attorney of that day, the following extracts have been 
taken : — 

On the first Monday in April the regular term of circuit court will 
be held at Lebanon, Laclede county. On the third Monday in April 
at Hartville, Wright county, and on the fourth Monday in April, an 
adjourned term will be held at Marshfield, in Webster county. The 
times of holding the regular terms in the other counties having passed, 
there can be no other regular courts except as above, until the time 
of the summer and fall circuit. 

Special terms for trying criminal cases can, and probably will, be 
held as occasion may require, in all the counties in the circuit, during 
the spring and summer months. 

The civil war into which our State has unfortunately been precipi- 
tated, has had the effect to suspend the operations of civil govern- 
ment for more than twelve months and has taught us a lesson we 
shall never forget. It is now hoped that civil government will take 
the place of civil war, and restore us to that happy state and condition 
which we enjoyed all our lives until recently, when not only peace 
and tranquillity, but also religion and religious enjoyments character- 
ized our social state. 

I have been appointed judge of this circuit, and humble as my 
abilities are, I hope to be able to do something toward? restoring our 
present unhappy country to what it once was. This was the main 
purpose I had in consenting to accept an office of great respon- 
sibilities and onerous duties, far above my abilities to meet 
them as they should be met. With the assistance of all good 
citizens I am determined to do the best I can to administer jus- 
tice "without sale, denial, or delay" to all persons, and without 
distinction of party. 

LiTTLEBERRY HeNDRICK. 

April 7, 1862, cases again began to be docketed. Martin J. Hub- 
ble had been appointed clerk and E. M. Hendrick was his deputy. 
Monday, May 19, the court regularly convened at Springfield. 
Judge Hendrick was on the bench ; H. J. Lindenbower was circuit 
attorney ; E. M. Hendrick was deputy clerk ; Anthony Church, coro- 
ner, was serving as sherifi". The following licensed attorneys came 
forward, took the "Gamble oath," and were admitted to practice 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 415 

before the court: H. J. Liiidenbower, Alfred Julian, James W. 
Mack, M. Cavanaugh and D. C. Dade. 

The grand jury was composed of Woodson Howard, foreman; J. 
W. Lawrence, John. L. Rainey, John Breedlove, Chesley Cannefax, 
Joel Phillips, David Potter, John Robertson, John Gibson, A. P. 
Matthews, Thos. Rountree, Wm. Ward, J. P. Moore, G. W. Cooper, 
Alexander Evans, Rufus Robberson and C. B. Henslee. Several in- 
dictments were found against " jDarties unknown," but supposed to 
have belonged to Price's army, for horses stolen during the Confed- 
erate occupation. 

The grand jury was impaneled and convened and returned some in- 
dictments, the first of which was against John Daniels and Wm. 
Baker, two young men, who were charged with horse stealing, a very 
common offense in the county for some months past. On the trials 
of the accused the jury disagreed in Baker's case, but Daniels was 
found guilty and the jury fixed his punishment at ten years 
in the penitentiary. Owing to the extreme youth of the prisoner 
and for other reasons, Judge Hendrick thought this punishment 
too severe, and he commuted it to two years, but even from this 
sentence the prisoner, by his counsel, appealed. These were the 
first cases brought to trial at this term of court. Sundry civil 
cases were disposed of and everything was done according to law 
until the adjournment of the court, which was until the Auo-ust 
term. 

In August the court reassembled. J. A. Mack was circuit attorney, 
H. J. Lindenbower having been appointed judge of the probate and 
common pleas court. (Judge L. appointed F. H. Warren the com- 
mon pleas clerk.) A. large amount of business was done at this terra, 
which occupied several days. The court did not convene ao^ain until 
in January, 1863. 

RE-ASSEMBLING OF THE COUNTY COURT. 

April 7, the county court of Greene county convened, for the reg- 
ular April term. There were present two of the old county justices, 
Joseph Rountree and James W. Gray, who had remained " loyal." 
Judge John Murray resigned. The old county clerk, T. J. Abernathy, 
having "seceded," A. C. Graves was appointed to the vacancy. 
Henry Matlock was appointed sherifi" pro tern. Then the court ad- 
journed to Monday, the 10th. Reassembling, the court met at the 
clerk's office, and the principal business done was the appointment of 



416 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

justices of the peace for the different townships of the county, as fol- 
lows : — 

Campbell Toivnship. — John S. Bigbeo, Chesley Canncfax. 

Rohberson. — James K. Alsiip, Joseph Headlee 

Boone. — John McElhanon, D. M. Sewell. 

Cass. — John W. Wadlow, Wm. Sewell. 

Center. — James Squibb, Lindsey Nichols. 

Pond Creek. — Wm. Cliborne, J. P. Allen. 

Wilson. — Woodson Howard, Wm. Garrett. 

Clay. — M. J. Rountree, Samuel Kelley. 

Taylor. — David Logan, A. Cunningham. . 

Jackson. — George Murrell, Philip Snyder. 

Several accounts were presented and allowed, when, there being no 
other business on hand the court adjourned till " court in course." 
July 7, the court reassembled, with Hosea Mullings in the seat of 
John Murray resigned. Coroner A. F. Church acted as sheriff, with 
H. C. McGown and J. F. Brown as deputies. 

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS IN APRIL AND MAY, 1862. 

April 10 and 12 the greater portion of Phelps' regiment, which had 
enlisted for six months, was mustered out at Springfield, b}' reason 
of expiration of term of service. During its terra of service the regi- 
ment had one officer, Capt. G. T. Potter, and 7 men killed in action 
outright and 9 mortally wounded ; three officers and 82 men died of 
disease ; one man was discharged for disability ; eight men deserted, 
and 30 officers and 645 men were bonorabl}' discharged. 

On the night of the 6th of April a thief ( believed to have been :\ 
*' secesh " ), stole a horse from one of the cavalry companies stationed 
at Springfield, and " lit out" for Dixie. He was pursued and over- 
taken at or near the bridge across the James. Refusing to halt, he 
was shot and instantly killed and the horse recovered. 

Nearly every day during these two months Confederate prisoners, sol- 
diers or " sympathizers," were brought to Springfield from surrounding 
counties. In Dade, Jasper, Newton and Cedar there was great disor- 
der. Marauding l)ands, belonging to the regular Confederate service 
or fighting as guerillas, infested many localities and were plundering, 
and sometimes murdering, the Union citizens whenever opportunity 
offered. Some members of these bands and persons accused of aiding 
them were the subjecits of arrest at different periods. Col. Clark 
Wright, of the ()th Missouri cavalry, set out from Cassville, where 
2,000 Federal troops were stationed at the time, in the first week of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 417 

April, and made au extensive scout through Newton, Jasper, Lawrence 
and Dade, capturing some prisoners, who were sent to Springfield. 

Sometime during the month of April two or three companies of 
Richardson's regiment, the 14th M. S. M., had completed their or- 
ganization, and went to Jefferson City and Linn Creek for their arms, 
after being mustered in. May 22 one of the members of Capt. Rich- 
ardson's company (A) was killed by Confederate bushwhackers, two 
miles below Sarcoxie. It was reported that the body contained six- 
teen bullet wounds. 

About the middle of May the U. S. mail service was pretty well re 
stored to this section of the State. Springfield was especially well 
supplied, although the mails were frequently delayed and not on time. 
The mail from Rolla was due daily, as was that from Sedalia. David 
Potter, of this county, vvas contractor for carr3ang the mail from 
Springfield to Greenfield, due twice a week. Also from Springfield to 
Layton's mill, in the southwest part of Taney county, via Forsyth — 
twice a week to Forsyth and once a week to the mill. I. Edmonson, 
also of this county, was the contractor on the route from Springfield 
to Stockton, and from Bolivar to Lebanon, both mails weekly. 

Wednesday, May 21, the first number of the Spr'mgfield Journal, a 
four-page, five-column paper, made its appearance, edited and published 
by J. W. Boren and A. C. Graves. Unfortunately there is no copy of 
this paper noM'^ known to be in existence, the tiles having been burned 
about the close of the Avar. Prior to the establishment of the Journal, 
Mr. Ingram's little Missoui'ian was the only paper published in this 
congressional district. 

SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN SPRINGFIELD. 

On the evening of May 21 a terrible tragedy Avas enacted in Spring- 
field. Colonel Powell Clayton's 5th Kansas cavalry was stationed 
at the place, and Capt. John R. Clark, of Co. B, of that regiment, 
was oflScer of the day on the occasion to be mentioned. 

About dark Capt. Clark, in company Avith one A. J. Rice, both in 
a state of intoxication, called at the house of a Mrs. Willis, a Avidow 
lady Avho had recently come int3 the place from Arkansas, and de- 
manded supper, Avhich Mrs. Willis declined preparing for them. This 
refusal enraged the captain and his companion, and they drew their 
pistols on the guards that had been stationed to protect the family, 
and attempted to force their Avay into the house. One of the guards 
shot the captain through the body, Avhen he retired a feAv steps and 
27 



418 IIISTOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

fell dead. Rice then fired his pistol at the guard who had shot Clark, 
but missed his aim and the ball struck Miss Mary Willis, a daughter 
of the lady of the house, hitting her in the head and killing her in- 
stantly. The other guard then fired at Rice, the ball striking bin) in 
the breast and ranging up through the shoulder, which was badly 
shattered. The wound eventually proved fatal. 

Mrs. Willis was a Union refugee, who had come to Springfield in 
the latter part of the previous winter. Her daughter was the third 
raeml)er of her family killed within less than nine months — two of 
her sons. Unionists, having been "bushwhacked " and killed by the 
Confederates in Northern Arkansas. 

Capt. Clark was a Missourian, and, while his fate was doubtless de- 
served, it was particularly unfortunate. He was about 42 years of 
age, and, though a native of Ohio, had been a resident of Grundy and 
Mercer counties, this State, since 183G. When but 17 years of age 
he had served under Gen. Price in the Mexican war, and was at the 
battles of Bracito and Sacramento. Afterwards he was orderly ser- 
geant of Co. B, Major Gilpin's Indian battalion, and was in the fight 
at Walnut Creek. After the Mexican war he married a niece of Kit 
Carson-, and settled in Mercer county, of which county he was twice 
sheriff and once a representative in the Legislature. He was also a 
delejrateto the Democratic State convention of 185(), which nominated 
Trusten Polk for Governor. In the civil war he had been in the Dry- 
wood fight, and two or three other minor engagements. He left a 
wife and four children. He was buried the next evening after his^ 
death with military and Masonic honors.^ 

GENERAL HOSPITAL AT SPRINGFIELD. 

Shortly after the Federal occupation, a general military hosj^ital 
was established at Springfield. Many of the wounded at Pea Ridge 
were brought here for treatment, and the sick and wounded fVom 
other points were conveyed hither from time to time. In the latter 
part of November 1,300 sick had accumulated, and deaths were 
occurring at the rate of four per day. A great majority of the Prai- 
rie Grove wounded ultimately reached the Springfield hospital, and 
many a man now living in the North was here nursed back to health, 
after being weakened l)y disease and well nigh jolted to pieces over the 
rough roads across the Boston mountains, rm Cassville, to this point. 



• Space has been given for a mention of Capt. Clark's public services at request of a few 
of his relatives, now living in Greene county. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 419 



RUNAWAY NEGROES. 



As late, certainly, as in July, 1862, slaves were recognized as such 
by both the civil and Federal military authorities of Greene county, 
although there were many emancipationists in the county at the time. 
The law on the statute books at the time against runaway negroes was 
rigidly enforced. June 6, 1862, the following advertisement appeared 
in the Springfield Missourian, to run four weeks : — 

RUNAWAY SLAVES. 

THE undersigned Coroner, and Acting Sheriff of Greene county, Mo., hereby gives 
notice that the following runaway slaves have been arrested and lodged in the jail 
of Greene county, Missouri, viz. : A negro man named DUDLY, dark color, about 25 years 
old, supposed to belong to John Wilson, of Clay county, Mo. GEORGE, a negro man, 
mulatto color, about 25 years old, supposed to belong to Hiram Bledsoe, of Lafayette county 
Mo. A negro man named FRANK, 25 years old, dark color, supposed to belong to David 
Fulbright, of Greene county, Mo., A negro man named LOUIS, 30 years old, dark color, 
supposed to belong to Wm. B. Farmer, of Greene countj', Mo. A negro woman named 
ANN, 21 years old, dark color, and has a child 6 or 8 years old, mulatto, supposed to be- 
long to Benjamin Elliott, of Clay county, Mo. Unless the owners of said slaves make 
application to the undersigned Coroner or his Deputy, or the Sheriff of Greene (should one 
in the meantime be elected or appointed), on or before the 30th day of SEPTEMBER, 1862, 
and prove, according to law, their right to or ownership of said slaves, and pay all charges 
incurred on account of said slaves, the same shall then be offered at public auction, to the 
highest bidder, at the Court House door in the city of Springfield, Greene county. Mo., be- 
tween the hours of nine o'clock, A. M., and five o'clock, p. m., of that day, for cash in hand, 
the proceeds thereof to be reserved and appropriated as prescribed by statute. 

A. F. CHURCH, Coroner. 

The negroes mentioned as belonging outside of this county had 
probably been brought here by the soldiers that had come in, and 
abandoned by them on going into Arkansas. The following is a copy 
of a certificate given in a runaway slave case by Esq. Jt)hn J. S. Big- 
bee, of Campbell township : — 

State of Missouri, ) 
County of Greene. ^ 

I, John S. Bigl)oe, a justice of the peace, in and for the county 
aforesaid, do hereb}^ certify that James F. Brown, deputy coroner of 
Greene county, Mo., hath this day brought before me /Sarah, a negro 
woman, and a negro boy, Harry, or calling themselves such, as runa- 
way slaves ; and that it appears to my satisfaction that said Sarah and 
Harry are runawa}"" shives, the property of Mrs Elizabeth Herriott, of 
Marion county, Mo., and that they, the said Sarah and Harry, fled or 
was taken away from near Hanible [Hannibal], in the county of Ma- 
rion, and was apprehended by the said J. P. Brown at Springfield, in 
the county of Greene ; and that, in my opinion, the distance between 
the place where the said runaways was apprehended and the place 



420 HISTORY OF GREENE COIFNTV. 

whence they fled is over 250 miles. Given under my hand this 30th 
day of June, 18(>2. John. S. Bigbee, J. P. 

DEATHS DURING 1862. 

January 22, Judge James Dollison,the well-known old pioneer and 
county judge, aged 62 years and four days, February 7, Rev. Joel 
H. Haden, so long connected with the Springfield Land Office, at his 
home in Howard county, Mo. October 9, Maj. Daniel D. Berry, 
formerly a prominent merchant of Springfield (and one of the first), 
and ex-county treasurer. 

THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1862, 

Notwithstanding the presence of hundreds of soldiers in the 
county, and the thousand and one shocks to law and order incident to 
"war's alarms," affairs in Greene county during 1862 were reasonably 
quiet. As has been stated, courts were held and other proceedings 
gone through with according to the forms of law ; and the vote at the 
election of this year, while not very large and full, was fair and free, 
and the election itself was conducted without intimidation or any over- 
awing on the part of the soldiery. So far as this county was con- 
cerned, the bayonet protected, and did not attempt to control, the 
ballot-box. 

About the only political issue involved in the election of 1862 was 
the question of emancipation in Missouri. The emancipationists in 
this county — that is, those in favor of the gradual emancipation of 
slaves in the State, compensation to be given to loyal owners — were 
slightly in the majority, as it turned out. Everybody was for the 
Union — that is, everybody allowed to vote, for no one was permitted 
to cast a ballot without first taking an oath to su[)p()rt the United 
States government and the Gaml)le or provisional government against 
all enemies, domestic and foreign. But the Union men differed 
iis to emancipation, some favoring, some opposing. 

At this election, the soldiers of the county, who would have been 
qualified voters here, were allowed to vote, no matter where stationed. 
Those stationed at Springfield and at other points in the county, were 
not alb) wed to vote at the ordinary polling places, but each military 
troop had a ballot-box of its own, presided over by three sworn 
judges and two clerks, and this polling place was required to be sepa- 
rate from where the civilians voted, in order that the presence of the 
soldiers might not intimidate the citizens. 



HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 



421 



The principal candidates voted for in Greene county, at the Novem- 
ber election (Nov. 4th), 1862, were: — 

For Congres.^ — Qo\. John S. Phelps, conservative Union or anti- 
Emancipationist, and Col. S. H. Boyd, Emancipationist. 

Formate Senator-^. W. D. L. F. Mack, Emancipationist, and 
e-ol. Marcus Boyd, anti-Emancipationist. 

For Re2)resentatives — S-Mn'\ W. Headlee and Jared E Smith 
Emancipationists ; C. B. Holland and John Dade, conservative Union 
and anti-Emancipationists. 

For Sheri f~Thos. A. Reed and John R. Ernest. 

For Coitnti/ Justice— Woodson Howard and W. B. Farmer. 

Wm. McAdams, for county treasurer, and John McElhannon, for 
assessor, had no opposition. 

The following is an abstract of the official canvass of the vote in 
this county, and of the Federal soldiers belonging thereto that voted 
(many of the Greene county soldiers did not vote, being stationed far 
away in the South, where no polls were opened), at the November 
election, 1862: — 



OFFICIAL CANVASS 


NOVEMBER ELECTION, 


1862. 








CONGRESS. 


STATE 
SENATOR. 


REPRESENTATIVES. 


SHERIFF. 


CO. JUDGE. 


TOWNSHIPS AND MLI- 
TABY COMPANIES. 


1 
1 


o 
CO 


# 
o 
1 

s 




13 

i 

1 


e 
a 


* 

1 


# 

i 

S 








1^ 


Campbell, l8t Precinct... 
Campbell, 2d Precinct. . . . 
Robberson 


187 
45 

9 
19 

7 
12 
21 
18 
12 


144 
34 
53 
17 
13 

30 
5 

21 
5 

25 

30 
8 

14 

30 
3 

29 

20 
3 

18 
5 
1 
9 

16 

31 


161 
34 
62 
33 
13 
38 

7 
25 
13 
26 
33 
17 
13 
21 

7 

3 
24 

4 

"is" 

1 
18 
36 
26 


153 
36 
5 
3 

9 

"is" 

10 
3 


152 
37 
11 

8 
7 
8 
21 
17 
9 


151 
41 

1 
16 

5 

8 
14 
14 

7 


149 
31 

68 
27 
17 
40 

7 
30 
10 
26 
32 
17 

5 
21 

7 

1 
22 

6 


153 
32 
54 
17 
16 
33 

4 
25 

8 
26 
30 
17 

5 
20 

"21" 


134 
33 
37 
35 
15 
31 
18 
27 
11 
24 
33 
3 
3 
7 
10 
2 

20 
11 

I 


150 
34 
25 

1 

5 

9 

6 
12 

9 
3 

18 

...... 


135 
28 
63 
28 
17 
35 
14 
19 

9 
25 
32 
12 

3 
21 

"23" 


130 
35 


Center 

Wilson 


4 

7 


Cass 


2 


Boone 


3 


Jackson 

Clay !:;! 

Pond Creek !! 


6 
18 
1 


Co. G, 72dE. M. M..... 

Co. F, 72dE. M. M 

Co. E, 14th Cav. M. S. M.. 
Co. A, 74th E. M. M.... 
Co. D, 6th Mo. Cav. Vols!! 

Co. E, 72d E. M. M 

Co. H, 74thE. M.M 

Co. G, 8th Mo. Cav. Vols.. 
Co. D.SthMo. Cav.Vols.. 
Co. F, 8th Mo. Cav. Vols.. 
Co. A, 8th Mo. Cav. Vols.. 

Co. B, 74th E. M. M 

Co. A, 24th Mo. Inl'y. . . 


5 
2 
3 

4 
9 

""s"' 

15 
16 
12 
16 
14 
15 
1 


2 


"5" 


5 

1 

1 

1 

10 


4 
5 




4 
3 
1 

1 

"i" 

1 
3 


3 

13 

1 

...„. 

5 
16 


2 
5 


"i" 


4 
12 


2 
10 
3 
3 
3 


...„. 


"io" 




3 
4 
4 


ii 

12 


10 
12 
30 


1 
3 

1 


5' 




32 17 








450 564 1 


630 


258 


332 


289 


587 499 


513 


297 


479 


207 



The avowed Emancipationists are marked with a star (»). 



422 HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 

For county treasurer, Mr. McAdams received 391 votes, and for 
assessor John McElhannon, 605. The vote of Co. E, 8th Mo. Cavalry — 
Boyd fi, and Phelps 1 — was rejected for want of proper certification. 

The result in the Congressional district was the election of Col. S 
H. Boyd, of the 24th Mo., over Col. John S. Phelps, latterly of 
" Phelps' Regiment," and afterwards colonel of the 72d E. M. M. 
For State Senator, J. W. D. L, F, Mack was elected over Col. Marcus 
Boyd. Christian county gave Mack 266 and Boyd 26 votes. The 
Springfield Missourian, published by A. F. Ingram and edited by 
Chas. E. Moss was the organ of the Emancipationists of Greene 
county, and the Journal, Graves & Boren's paper, was the Conserva- 
tive Union journal. 

THE "GAMBLE OATH." 

Reference has been made to the " Gamble oath," meaning the oath 
of loyalty required by the provisional government of Missouri by all 
voters, office holders, etc. The following is a copy : — 

I, , do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will 

support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and 
the Constitution of the State of Missouri, against all enemies and op- 
posers, whether domestic or foreign : that I will bear true faith, 
loyalty and allegiance to the United States, and will not, directly or 
indirectly, give aid and comfort or countenance to the enemies or 
opposers thereof, or of the Provisional Government of the State of 
Missouri, any ordinance, law or resolution of any State Convention or 
Legislature, or any order or organization, secret or otherwise, to the 
contrary notwithstanding ; and that I do this with a full and honest 
determination, pledge and purpose, faithfully to keep and perform the 
same, without any mental reservation or evasion whatever. And I do 
further solemnly swear (or affirm) that I have not, since the 17th day 
of December, A. D. 1861, wilfully taken up arms or levied war against 
the United States or ao-ainst the Provisional Government of the State 
of Missouri, so help me God. 

After a time the *' Gamble oath " was supplemented by one more 
binding, more exacting, harder to take, and still harder to observe. 
This was called the " iron-clad oath." 

A JOKE ON A CARPET BAGGER. 

During the Congressional campaign in this district in 1862, a prac- 
tical joke was played upon Charles E. Moss, the editor of the Mis- 
sourian. Mr. Moss was a recent importation to Greene county, hav- 
ing come from Iowa here with the 1st Iowa cavalry. He was a writer 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 423 

of good ability, and a radical Emancipationist. Col, S. H. Boyd was 
stumping the district as well as he could, and on one occasion was to 
speak at Mt. Vernon. Moss arranged to accompany the colonel. 
The commander of the post at Springfield, Col. W. F. Cloud, of the 
2d Kansas, sent an escort with them, as the road was thought to be 
infested with bushwhackers. 

On the way Boyd contrived to till Moss with more than half a pint 
of Dutch courage, and he was soon declaring his contempt for any 
kinds and all sorts of danger. Boyd supplied the escort with some of 
the same article and induced them, after supper, to ride on ahead and 
arrange a sham ambush. The men did so and when the colonel and 
Moss rode up — it being pitchy dark, and at a lonesome spot, some 18 
miles west of Springfield — opened on them with their revolvers. 
Moss was mounted on a fine white stallion, and turning hastily about 
galloped away for Springfield, he and his horse resembling a streak of 
daylight as they sped along the dusky road. Boyd and the escort 
chased him four miles or so, and then turned about and rode on to 
Mt. Vernon. Moss returned to Springfield and announced that Boyd 
and the escort were either killed or taken prisoners, and that he had 
barely escaped with his life. Col. Cloud sent out a company to in- 
vestigate the aff'air, and when the truth was learned it was made very 
pleasant for a few days for the Iowa carpet-bagger ! 

OPERATIONS OF THE 14tH M. S. M. IN DECEMBER, 1862. 

At the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., Dec. 6, 1862, Capt. Julian's 
Greene county company of the 14th cavalry, Missouri State Militia, 
fired the first gun on the Federal side discharged by Gen. Herron's 
division. The entire portion of the regiment engaged, numbering 
about 100 men, performed valuable service for the Union cause by 
uniting with 25 men of the 1st Arkansas (Union) cavalry and 175 
men of Judson's 6th Kansas, and holding a road, thus preventing the 
Confederate General Hindman from throwing his entire force upon 
Gen. Herron and crushing him before Gen. Blunt could come up and co- 
operate. The Confederates were delayed two hours by this small force. 

On the 14th of December 40 men of the 14th M. S. M., under 
Lieut. John R. Kelso, 60 enrolled militia under Capts. Green and 
Salee, the whole under command of Capt. Milton Birch, of the 14th 
M. S. M., raided the Confederate saltpeter works on White river, near 
Yellville, Ark., made prisoners of Capts. Jesse Mooney and P. S. 
McNamara and 36 men ; destroyed 35 stand of arms ; a complete sup- 



424 HISTORY OF GREENE- COUNTY. 

ply of provisions for 50 men three mouths ; burnt four buildings, and 
destroyed machinery, kettles, manufactured saltpeter, etc., to the 
amount of $30,000, and brought their 38 prisoners to Springfield 
without the loss of a man. 

Other similar " scouts " were made about this time from Springfield 
into Arkansas, and north and west after Confederate guerilla bands, 
recruiting companies, and other hostile organizations. Often expedi- 
tions were undertaken for the purpose of procuring forage, which, in 
such cases, was " captured,''' not bought and paid for. 

FORTIFICATIONS AT SPRINGFIELD. 

During this year the Federal military commanders constructed 
heavy fortifications at Springfield to command the town and protect 
the large stores of government property then in and about the i)lace. 
Four large forts were built, as follows: Fort No. 1 (Ft. Brown) was 
situated a little northwest of the town, about a mile and a quarter from 
the public square, and is still standing, the walls in tolerable condi- 
tion ; Fort No. 2 was at the west end of Walnut street, near Mrs. Ruth 
Fulbright's, and its location can still be seen, and its embankment is yet 
in fair condition ; Fort No. 3 was near the residence of Judge Hendrick, 
in the southwest part of town ; it was never fully completed. Fort 
No. 4 was on* South street, nearly opposite the Baptist church, com- 
manded the approaches to the town from the south, and was the fort 
attacked by Marmaduke. Rifle pits connected No. 4 and No. 2. A 
covered way led from No. 1 to the Fu.lbright spring. Fort No. 5 
was in the east part of town on the north side of the St. Louis road 
and overlooking the Berry spring. 

These forts were built hy details from the different military com- 
mands, by prisoners, by impressed citizens and negroes, but prin- 
cipally by details from the Federal soldiery. They were very well 
supplied with artillery, and Ft. No. 1 had some heavy siege guns, 
brought from St. Louis, and also had magazines, quarters, and was by 
all odds the best and most important fortification in this part of the 
State. The defenses at Springfield were constructed under the super- 
vision of Col. M. LaRue Harrison, afterward the commanding officer 
of the 1st Arkansas cavalry. Col. Harrison was a fine civil engineer. 
As Springfield was the base of supplies for the Federal army of the 
Southwest, containing the general hospital, the quartermaster's, com- 
missary's, and ordinance departments, etc., it behooved the military 
commanders to protect it well. But they did not always do it. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 425 



ORGANIZATION OF THE ENROLLED MISSOURI MILITIA. 

On the 22d of July, 1862, — when Cols. Jo. Porter and J. A. Poin- 
dexter were leading large forces of newly-recruited Confederates 
throughout North and Northeast Missouri, and daily adding to their 
strength, and Cols. John T. Hughes, John T. Coifee, Vard Cockrell, 
and others were slashing about through Jackson, Johnson, and Cass 
counties, and Jo. O. Shelby was raising his fine regiment of cavalry 
at the Grand Pass, in Saline county, and the devil was to pay with 
the rascally "rebels," everywhere, — His Excellency Gov. Gamble 
issued the following order : — 

Headquarters State of Missouri, Adj. General's Office, 

St. Louis, July 22, 1862. 
Special Orders No. 101. 

The existence of numerous bands of guerillas in different parts of 
the State, who are engaged in robbing and murdering peaceable 
citizens", for no other cause than that such citizens are loyal to the 
government under which they have always lived, renders it necessary 
that the most stringent measures be adopted to punish all such crimes, 
and to destroy such bands. Brigadier General John M. Schofield, in 
command of the Missouri State Militia, is hereby authorized to 
organize the entire militia of the State into companies, regiments, and 
brigades, and to order into active service such portions of the force 
thus organized as he may judge necessary for the purpose of putting 
down all marauders and defending the peaceable citizens of the State. 

H. R. Gamble, 
Governor of the State of Missouri. 

Three days later Gen, Schofield ordered "an immediate organiza- 
tion of all the militia in Missouri for the purpose of exterminating the 
guerillas that infest the State." The militia were further directed to 
assemble at any post with whatever arms they had, and a good horse 
each, if they had one, elect officers, and be sworn into service accord- 
ing to the laws of the State. They were to be kept in service such 
portion of the time as the commanding officer of the district might 
direct, and while in service were to be paid as volunteers. The 
" Paw Paw Militia,"^ as the E. M. M. were sometimes called did 
good service on many occasions, especially in Greene county, and 
are worth v of honorable mention. 



' So called because up on the Missouri river it was said that a large portion of th« 
members were old "rebels" and bushwhackers, who had lived on paw-paws while hiding 
in the river bottoms and thickets from the Federals. 



426 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



At Springfield the organization of the Enrolled Missouri Militia be- 
gan about the 1st of August. What a great time there was about the 
enrolling, to be sure! Many of the " able-bodied men" were Con- 
federate sympathizers ; many more detested " those vile o-uns " and 
abhorred the smell of " villainous saltpeter," and there were a sreat 
many ingenious devices resorted to to escape even this sort of militarv 
service. 

Two regiments, the 72d and the 74th, were almost wholly recruited 
in Greene county. C. B. Holland was the first colonel of the 72d, 
followed by Henry Sheppard, F. S. Jones, and John S. Phelps. 
Marcus Boyd was the first and only colonel of the 74th. The Greene 
county companies and the names of their officers, together with the 
regimental officers, of these two regiments, taken from the reports oi 
the Adjutant General of the State are here given : 

SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT E. M. M. 




COMPANY A. 



Feb. 



5, 1863 I Nathaniel Sink.... 
I D. J. McCroskey.. 



2cl Lieut. I Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
2d Lieut. I Killed at battle of Springfield, Jan. 8, '63. 



COMPANY B. 



Sept. ID, 1862 
Dec. 8, 1863 
Jan. 22, 1864 
July 7, 1864 



R. K. Hart 

Wm. F. McCullagh 
Stephen L. Wiles. . 
S. Pears 



Captain. . I Promoted to Major, Sept. 29, 1863. 
Captain. . Revoked by Special Order No. 233. 
1st Lieut. Revoked by Special Order No. 233. 
2d Lieut. I Vacated March 12, 1865^ 

COMPANY D. 



Oct. 3, 1802 
April 2, 1863 
Oct. 3, 1862 
June 30, 1864 



J. E. Smith 

G. S. Patterson. 

S. B. Ranney 

T. J. Kershner.. 



Captain. . 
1st Lieut. 
2d Lieut. 
2d Lieut. 



Vacated March 12, 1865. 
Vacated March 12, 1865. 
Resigned June 10, 1864. 
Vacated March 12, 1865. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



427 



COMPANY E. 



Date of 
Commission. 


Name. 


Rank. 

m 


Accounted For, 


Oct. 3, 1862 
Sept. 15, 1864 
Oct. 3, 1862 
Mar. 11, 1863 
Mar. 11, 1863 


G. A. Dillard 

G. A. Dillard 


Captain ... 
Captain ... 
1st Lieut.. 
1st Lieut.. 
2d Lieut.. 


Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated March 12, 1865. 


Wm. F. Lane 

Andrew J. Potter.... 
Robert Love 


Died. 

Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 

Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 



COMPANY F. 



Oct. 3, 1862 I George T. Beal 

Oct. 3, 1862 1 Bryant VVindfield.. 
Oct. 3, 1862 I Joseph Windfleld,. 



Captain ... 

1st Lieut.. 
2d Lieut... 



Resigned July 16, 1864, 
Resigned Jan. 10, 1864. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 



COMPANY G. 



Oct. 3, 1862 
Oct. 3, 1862 
Oct. 3, 1862 



S. W. Headlee 

Irwin W. Jenkins. 
Alexander Evans... 



Captain ... | Revoked by Special Order No. 233. 
1st Lieut.. Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
2d Lieut.. | Vacated March 12, 1865. 



COMPANY L 



Oct. 3, 1862 

Feb. 3, 1863 

Oct. 3, 1862 

Feb. 3, 1863 



F. S. Jones 

John B. Perkins 

John L. Holland 

James K. Gilraore., 



Captain... 
Captain.... 
1st Lieut.. 
2d Lieut.. 



Promoted to Lt. Col. Nov. 11, 1862. 
Vacated March 12, 1865. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 



SEVENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT E. M. M. 



Feb. 3, 1863 




Colonel ... 

Lt.Col 

Major 

Major 

Adjutant.. 
Adjutant.. 
Adjutant.. 

Q. M 

Surgeon... 
A. Surg'n. 


Resigned. 

Dismissed Oct. 5, 1863. 

Promoted to Lt. Col. 72d Regt., Oct. 1, '63. 

Revoked, to date from Nov. 1, 1863. 


Dec. 27, 1862 
Dec. 27, 1862 
Oct. 2, 1863 


.John S. Coleman 

J. F. McMahan 

John Small 


Sept. 1, 1863 
Dec 27, 1862 


Fenton Young, Jr... 
John R. Cox 


Promoted to Surgeon, Dec. 20, 1862. 
Resigned Oct. 28. 1863. 


Nov. 17, 1863 
Dec. 27, 1862 
June 11, 1864 


Alfred G. Lee 

James L. Rush 

F. Young, Jr 


Vacated March 12, 1865. 

Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 

Revoked, to date from Aug. 17, 1864. 


Oct. 1, 1863 


John Hunt 


Resigned July 16, 1864. 



COMPANY A. 



Oct. 


3, 


1862 


Oct. 


3, 


1862 


Oct. 


3, 


1862 



J. M. Redferan.. 
John McDaniel. 
E. Philips 



Captain... 
1st Lieut. 
2d Lieut.. 



Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated bv Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 



COMPANY C. 



Oct. 3, 1862 
Oct. 3, 1862 
Oct. 28, 1863 



Green B. Phillips.... 

Isaac P. Julian 

James C. Robertson. 



Captain..., 
1st Lieut., 
2d Lieut.., 



Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 
Vacated by Special Order 126, 1864. 



COMPANY H. 



Oct. 3, 1862 
Nov. 10, 1863 
Oct. 3, 1862 
Jan. 24, 1863 
Oct. 3, 1862 
Jan. 30, 1864 
Jan. 30, 1864 



John Small 

Robert M. Hayter... 
Lazarus H. Phillips. 
RoberC M. Hayter... 

M. W. Ackerson 

S. A. Harshburger... 
Preston Gillmore 



Captain.... 
Captain.... 
1st Lieut.. 
1st Lieut.. 
2d Lieut... 
1st Lieut.. 
2d Lieut... 



Promoted to Major Oct. 1, 1863. 

Revoked by Special Order 233, 1864. 

Entered U. S. Service. 

Promoted to Captain Oct. 24, 1863. 

Resigned March 31, 1863. 

Revoked by Special Order 233, 1864. 

Resigned Aug. 29, 1864. 



428 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

When fully organized the 72d regiment numbered 38 commissioned 
oflacers and 1,042 enlisted men; total, 1,080. The Greene county 
men in this regiment numbered 502. 

The 74th reo;iment numbered 38 officers and 966 men. Number of 
Greene county men, 278, 



CHAPTER XII. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY IN 1863 —BATTLE OF SPRINGFIELD. 

Miscellaneous County Court Proceedings — Deaths of Prominent Citizens. The Battle 
OF Sprinqfibld. — The Situation Described — A Fat Prize for the Confederates — Gen. 
Marmaduke Discovers it, and Prepares to Gobble it — " The Rebels are Coming! " — The 
Federal Garrison Prepare to Defend the Town — Disposition of the Troops — The 
" Quinine Brigade " — The Morning of the 8th of January, Anniversary of Gen. Jackson's 
Battle of New Orleans — Marraaduke's March — Bad Luck ! — Change in the Programme 
— McDonald Cleans up the Post at Beaver — Capture of Ozark — On to Springfield — 
A Line of Battle Formed — Marmaduke's Marvelous Mistake — Gen. Brown's Prepara- 
tions for Defense — The Ball Opens — The Confederate Charge on the Right Repulsed — 
Maneuvreing — Gen. Brown Wounded — Col. Crabb Assumes Command — The Main Fight 
of the Day — The 72d E. M. M. "Retires. "—Temporary Confederate Success — The 72d 
Rallies — Shelby vs. Sheppard — Capture of the Iowa Cannon — The Hardest Fight of the 
Day — The Confederates are Driven Back — The Night After the Battle — Morning — 
The Fight Over — The Confederate Retreat — The Town Safe — Details of the Part Taken 
by the 72d E. M. M., in the Battle — List of Killed and Wounded in the 72d — Aggregate 
Losses of Both Sides — Incidents of the Fight — Subsequent Movements of the Confeder- 
ates — Battle of Hartville — Burial of the Federal Dead at Springfield — Congratula- 
tions — Arrival of Re-inforcements — Death of Judge Littleberry Hendrick — The Jan- 
uary Term of the Circuit Court — Judgment by Default against Certain Confederate^ 
Non-Residents — Up to the Spring of 1863 — Hard Times — The Refugees — Organi- 
zation of the 6th Provisional Regiment E. M. M.— Killing of Will Wright Fulbright — 
The November Election — Gen. Schofield's Order — No Troops at the Polls — OflJcial 
Canvass of the Vote in Greene County. 

1863 MISCELLANEOUS COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS. 

At the January session of the county court, Woodson Howard took 
his seat as one of the judges, in the room of Judge Joseph Rountree. 
Judge Gray was made the presiding justice. January 21, VVm. P. 
Davis was appointed county clerk in the place of Maj. A. C. Graves, 
killed in the battle of Springfield. 

April 7, A. M. Julian was appointed county collector ; hitherto the 
sherifts had been, by virtue of their office, the collectors of the revenue. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 429 

Henry Matlock, the ex-officio collector for 1859-60 made a settlement 
in full and was credited with $31,167,63. 

July 6, Col. John M. Richardson was appointed the county's agent 
to prosecute a claim against the United States for rent and damage of 
the court-house, and to obtain possession of that building for the use 
of the county authorities. The court-house had been in the almost 
continuous possession of the military 'since Curtis' army entered. 
August (the 5th) Josiah Leedy, the old contractor for the building of 
the new court-house (the present one), not having completed his con- 
tract by reason of "circumstances over which he had no control, " 
the matter was compromised by himself and Greene county. 

DEATHS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN 1863. 

January 10, Judge Littleberry Hendrick died at Springfield of fever 
aggravated by the excitement incident to the battle of the 8th. The 
same evening Maj. A. C. Graves died from his wound received in the 
battle. Maj. Graves was an old Greene county newspaper man, and 
at the time of his death was one of the editors of the Journal. He 
was also county clerk at the time of his death, and serving on Gen. 
Holland's staft' with the rank of Major and commissary. January 
16, the old Whig politician, and former Representative, Hon. Wm. 
McFarland, died, aged — . 

This year also died John Fulbright, in Laclede county, Mo., and 
Thos. Tiller, at Litchfield, Illinois. Fulbright was the second treas- 
urer of the county, and served in 1833, and Tiller was an ex-county 
assessor. 



THE BATTLE OF SPRINGFIBLD.> 

The year 1863 opened on Greene county with the stars and stripes 
waving fair and free over all her soil, and with the Federal troops in 
undisputed possession of all the military stations, and no vexatious 
" rel)els " near to molest them or make them afraid. But this alto- 
gether pleasant state of affairs for the men and the cause of Uncle Sam 
was not long to continue. There was a mustering of the Confederate 
clans across the border in Arkansas that boded no good to the men in 
blue. 



1 The battle of Wilson's Creek was at the time and is yet frequently called the battle 
of Springfield. The battle of Wilson's Creek (or Oak Hills) was fought Aug. 10, 1861 ; 
the battle of Springfield, January 8, 1863. 



430 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Springfield was now the great military depot for the Federal 
*' Army of the Frontier, " whi(3h, under Gens. Schofield, Herron, and 
Blunt, was down in northwestern Arkansas resting on the laurels won 
at Prairie Grove. There were forts and cannon and muskets and 
powder and shot and shells and provisions and quartermasters' stores 
and hospital supplies in great abundance, — but few soldiers. Nearly 
all the available troops had gone to the front, and a detachment of 
eight companies of the 18th Iowa Infantry under Lieut. Col. Cook, 
was the only regular garrison in the place. The 3d M. S. M., under 
Col. Walter King, 10 companies, 500 strong, were temporarily here. 
There were about 1,200 sick and wounded in the hospitals in charge of 
Surgeon S. H. Melcher, formerly the assistant surgeon of Salomon's 
old 5th Missouri, and there were also perhaps 300 furloughed men 
and convalescents in a camp in the north part of town awaiting trans- 
portation, pay, etc., while down at Ozark and out at other points 
were detachments of the Missouri State Militia, which might be called 
in if a reasonable time were given. Col. Boyd's and Col. Sheppard's 
regiments of the Enrolled Militia were lying around loose at their 
homes throughout Greene, Lawrence and other counties. The dis- 
trict of Southwest Missouri was under the command of Gen. Egbert 
B. Brown, of the E. M. M., and under him was Col. Benj. Crabl), of 
the 19th Iowa Infantry, who was in command of the post. 

About the 1st of January it came to be known to the Confederate 
General John S. Marmaduke, down in Arkansas, at Louisburg and Po- 
cahontas, that there was a big fat prize up in Missouri, and in Greene 
county, to be had for the taking — namely, the goodly town of Spring- 
field, with all of its military stores and other " loot," and with all of 
its mules and wagons to transport the captures into Dixie. The weak- 
ness of the garrison and the exact condition of the place were de- 
scribed to the Confederate commander with great exactness. If a sud- 
den concentration of forces could be effected and a swift march made, 
the capture of Springfield was certain — with all that the term im- 
plied. The base of supplies for Schofield's array would be broken. 
Gen. Blunt would be forced to let go his hold on the Arkansas 
river, and both Herron and Blunt would be compelled to abandon 
northwest Arkansas, and fall back, running the risk of fight- 
ing a battle oi route under all disadvantages ; heavy reinforcements 
would have to be sent to this quarter, and it would take months of 
time and millions of treasure to repair the damage inflicted by this 
raid, if it were successful, — and why should it not be? 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 431 

Gen. Marmaduke divided his little army into two columns. One, 
under Col. Joseph C. Porter, was to move from Pocahontas, Ark., 
and, coming via Hartville and Marshfield, was to be in the neighbor- 
hood of Springfield on the east by the evening of January 10th. Por- 
ter's forces consisted of the cavalry regiments of Colton Green and 
Burbridge and a battalion or two besides — 800 men. 

The main column under the immediate command of Marmaduke 
himself consisted of Col. Jo. Shelby's brigade, composed of Shelby's 
old regiment, then led by Lt. Col. Gordon, of Lafayette county ; Col. 
Gideon Thompson's regiment. Col. Jeans' regiment, Col. Ben Elli- 
ott's battalion. Col. Emmett McDonald's battalion, or regiment, and 
Capt. R. A. Collins' batter}^ of two pieces, the entire brigade num- 
bering not far from 2,000 men. ^ All of the forces, including Porter's, 
were mounted. Shelby's brigade was to leave Louisburg, Ark., 
come north into Missouri through Taney county, swoop down upon 
the isolated Federal posts at Forsyth and Ozark, gobble them up, 
and be on the south of Springfield by the 10th and join forces with 
Jo. Porter. 

* ' THE REBELS ARE COMING ! ' ' 

On the evening of the 7th there came clattering into Springfield 
from the south a scouting party composed of detachments of the 14th 
Missouri State Militia and of the 73d E. M. M., all under command of 
Capt. Milton Burch, of the 14th M. S. M., and reported to Gen. 
Brown that a large force of Confederates, numbering all the way from 
2,000 to 6,000, had come upon Lawrence Mill, Taney county, from 
Dubuque, Arkansas, and was on its way to Springfield, as fast as it 
could travel, to capture the place and play the mischief with the Fed- 
eral cause generally ! The alarm was given and Gen. Brown notified. 
That officer immediately sent out swift messengers wiio skurried over 
the country calling up the enrolled militiu of Col. Johnson's 26th reg- 
iment. Col. Sheppard's 72d, and Col. Marcus Boyd's 74th, ordering 
them to concentrate immediately at Springfield. Word was also sent 
to detached companies in Webster, Lawrence and Dade counties, and 
to Mt. Vernon and Cassville. 

All possible preparation was made in Springfield. Every soldier 
that could shoot a gun was called out, and all of the citizens belong- 
inj2; to the militia were mustered. The sick and wounded soldiers in 



' Edwards' " Shelby and His Men," page 140, fourth line from the bottom, says Shelby's 
brigade numbered 1,800; McDonald's battalion 200 more. 



432 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the hospitals who were able crawled out from their bunks, were or- 
ganized into companies by Surgeon Melcher, and were given muskets 
by him. "The quinine brigade," as these men were sometimes 
called afterwards, did heroic and valuable service. The transient sol- 
diers were organized under Capt. C. B. McAfee, of the 3d M. S. M., 
and others. 

EXTEMPORIZING ARTILLERY. 

Fort No. 4, on South street, was without artillery. Early in the 
evening Surgeon S. H. Melcher, in charge of the post hospital, and 
Col. B. O. Carr, chief quartermaster of the Army of the Frontier, 
called on Gen. Brown and from him first learned of the danjrer. 
After some solicitation Gen. Brown consented that Col. Carr and Dr. 
Melcher should assist in the defense. Dr. Melcher suggested that it 
was very important that Fort No. 4 sh(mld be supplied with artillery. 
Gen. Brown said he had none available. Dr. Melcher replied : 
" There are three old iron guns, two 12-pounder8 and a 6-pounder, 
lying on the ground down by the Presbyterian church. They can be 
rigged up and shot off once apiece, anyhow^ and that will help scare, 
if nothing more ! " 

Gen. Brown at last gave permission to " rig up " the cannon. At 
about 10 o'clock that night Dr. Melcher went through his hospital 
and found Lieut. Joseph HotFman, of Backoff's battery, 1st Missouri 
artillerv, and also a sergeant and seven privates of the same regiment. 
The nine artillery men readily volunteered to take charge of the guns, 
and to do their best, in their sick, enfeebled condition. Col. Carr fur- 
nished the front wheels of throe army wagons for gun-carriages. 
With chains and other devices the cannons were fastened to the axles. 
Some carpenters made trail-pieces and prepared blocks and Avedges as 
sul)stitutes for elevating screws, and before morning the three guns, 
well mounted, were in position in Fort No. 4, supplied with plenty 
-of ammunition, and manned by the nine gunners of the 1st Missouri, 
and some other volunteers. Sergt. Christian Mindener, of Battery 
L, 1st Mo. Artillery, had charge of one of the guns, and says he was 
*' awakened from a peaceful slumber 1)}'^ Dr. Melcher, who put me in 
charge," etc. 

A considerable detachment of the 18th Iowa occupied Fort No. 1; 
another detachment was in Fort No. 2. The detachments of the 4th 
M. S. M., the 14th M. S. M., and the 3d M. S. M., were stationed 
west, east and south of town watching the roads. It was hardly ex- 
pected to make a successful defense of the place, since it was almost 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 433 

wholly unprotected on the east along and on both sides of the St. Louis 
road, and it was believed that the Confederates knew the vulnerable 
points, and would come rattling down the little Wilson's creek valley 
from the east and be upon the public square in fifteen minutes after 
the firing of the first shot — and then the town would l)e lost. 

Gen. Brown at first wanted to retreat.- Other officers, amono- 
whom were Cols. Sheppard and Boyd, thought it might be necessary 
to surrender the town, but they did not wish to do so without first 
making a fight. Col. Crabb and Lieut. Col. Cook declared that if it 
came to the worst all should repair to Fort No. 1 and behind its strong 
walls keep up the fight until reinforcements came. Gen. Brown'^ 
never a very efficient and determined officer, was on this occasion 
especially flustered and irresolute, and throughout the night was 
in a very perturbed state of mind, declaring one minute'that he 
would retreat, and the next that he would fight. Sheppard and Boyd, 
whose homes were here, were determined not to retreat or yield with- 
out first having tried the metal of Marmaduke's merry men. 

Meantime Surgeon Melcher had gone through the hospitals calHng 
for volunteers to defend the toAvn. The hospitals then consisted of 
the court-house (the present) with some forty tents, the Lyon hotel 
(now the Southern) with forty tents, the buildings at the Berry place, 
and some private residences. Al)out 300 men were obtained Avho were 
able to walk about and were willing to fight, and they Avere organized 
into companies of 50 each and placed under the command of nurses 
and stewards, and disabled commissioned officers. Then they were 
marched down to the arsenal and furnished with muskets and ammu- 
nition. Dr. Melcher at once set his cooks to work preparing cooked 
rations, and in the morning, with their " grub" in their haversacks, 
their quinine, calomel, and jalap in their pockets, and patriotic pluck 
m their hearts, the members of the " quinine brigade" marched tot- 
teringly but bravely out to the skirmish line'. 

As to the character and importance of the service rendered at the 
battle of Springfield by Dr. Melcher and his " quinine brigade," Gen. 
E. B. Brown testified under oath, June 6, 1874, before Rufus Cam- 
pion, notary public of St. Louis, the following being an extract from 
his testimony : — 

A/r*i u* * ^"^""^g ^^^e attack of Gen. Marmaduke, he, the said 
Melcher, organized the convalescents under his control into military 
companies, who, acting under his (Melcher's) direction, did very effi- 
cient duty in the battle and greatly assisted in the dciense oV said 
28 



484 HISTORY OF GKKENK COUNTY. 

post, and thereby saved several millions of dollars to the government 
of the United States in military stores deposited at that point for the 
use of the Army of the Frontier, then in northwest Arkansas. I have 
always been and am still of the opinion that, as my command was 
composed entirely of irregular troops and militia, without the aid and 
assistance of said Melcher, as aforesaid, I could not have successfully 
defended said post. 

All through the night and in the early morning the members of the 
enrolled militia kept coming in. During the night, too, confirmation 
of the advance of the Confederates was received from squads that came 
in from toward Forsyth. The people of the town were greatly ex- 
cited. Many of the Unionists were seriously alarmed. It was said that 
the town would be taken, and then woe to the Yankee sympathizers 
and their property ! 

The Confederate sympathizers did not seem cast down with a great 
burden of sorrow, or plunged into an ocean of grief at the prospect of 
a speedy occupation of the town by their friends, and a sight, brief 
though it might be, of the bonnie stars and bars. From lip to lip the 
messasre had run that Marmaduke was comins:, and with him were 
some of the Greene county boys that were wearing the gray, whom it 
would be an extra delight to welcome when they should enter with the 
flush of victory on their brows. The ladies at that day were almost 
universally violent partisans for one side or the other, and they were 
especially demonstrative at this time in expressing their glee or their 
dissatisfaction at the prospective coming of the " rebels." 

Some of the citizens " packed their traps" and betook themselves 
to the houses of relatives and friends in the country ; others fled from 
exposed situations to Fort No. 1 and to the public square ; still others 
went to their cellars ; all hid their money and valuables. It was a 
night of excitement, alarm, and terror, to be sure. 

" FALL IN ! FALL IN ! " 

At daylight on the morning of the 8th there came galloping into 
town the d(^tachment of the 14th ^I. S. M., which had been stationed 
at Ozark, and reported that Marmaduke, Shelby, Emmett McDonald, 
and other chieftains of equal and lower degree had attacked them at 
their post ai about 10 o'clock the night before, had driven them out, 
and were now upon their heels. They added that the Confederates 
had destroyed their fort by giving it to the flames, and burning every- 
thing inflammable. They had ridden all night, they said, and had 



HISTORY OF GREEN K COUNTY. 435 

carefully noted the movements of their pursuers, and knew that Sprinir- 
field was the objective point. 

Immediately Gen. Brown began to prepare in dead earnest for the 
fight. Capt. Green B. Phillips' company of Col. Boyd's regiment of 
militia, was thrown into Fort No. 4, as were a number of the con- 
valescents from the hospitals and the volunteer gunners under Lieut. 
Hoffman, who were to work the pieces of artillery in the fort. To 
the west of the old graveyard, on Campbell street, and between Campbell 
and Market, near Grand avenue, stood a two-story brick college 
building, enclosed on three sides with a stout palisade, which had been 
used by the garrison as a military prison. The prisoners, about 50 
Confederates, were now taken out of this prison and carried to the jail, 
and the building was ordered by Gen. Brown to be filled with soldiers ; 
but by some oversight this was not done. On theleftof Brown's line, 
to the southeast of town, the cavalry were stationed, under Lt. Col. 
Walter King, of the 3d M. S. M. To the right of the cavalry and to 
the left of the fort was a detachment of the " quinine brigade." " What 
of Boyd's regiment (the 74th) that had got into town, — with the ex- 
ception of Co. C, — Phillips' company, — was over in Fort No. 1, where 
also the greater portion of the 18th Iowa was. In Fort No. 2 were 
about 100 men belonging to the 18th Iowa and the " quinine brigade." 
Col. Sheppard's 72d regiment, to the number of 238 men, were in the 
public square, awaiting orders. 

Capt. McAfee organized a number of men from the convalescent 
camp and some citizens, armed them, and, reporting to Gen. Brown 
tor orders, was assigned to the arsenal, the church building of the M. 
E. South, which is still standing on South street, and was then piled 
full of tons of ammunition of all kinds, cartridges, shot and shell, and 
hundreds of stands of arms. Gen. Brown ordered Capt. McAfee to 
prepare oil, turpentine, shavings and other inflammables, and be ready 
to set fire to and ])low up the arsenal and magazine, when ordered or 
when it became evident that the town had fallen. 

Only one battalion of the 4th M. S. M. was present, commanded 
by Col. Geo. H. Hall, of St. Joseph, and under him Avas Maj. Doug- 
lass Dale. 

Dr. Melcher states that just as the last company of the convales- 
cents was being armed, the next morning, the skirmishing began. Just 
then a company of citizens, forty-two in number, came running up 
and asked to be furnished with arms and ammunition. They were 
supplied, joined the " quinine brigade," and Dr. Melcher says fought 
bravelv throusrhout the da v. 



436 HISTOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The convalescents and citizens were distributed in Fort No. 4, and 
in houses and along the line m that vicinity, except the detachment 
stationed at the arsenal. 

marmaduke's march. 

Leaving Louisburg, Ark., Marmaduke crossed White river at Du- 
buque, and so far all was well. The march was to be made in silence 
and the Federals were to I)e surprised. Porter was to come in from 
the eastward and brush away the small Federal garrisons at Hartville 
and elsewhere, and prevent their forming in the rear, and, as this 
would take a little time, Marmaduke, with Shelby's brigade, was to 
move leisurely and give the other column plenty of time to get up to 
Springfield before the fight should come off. Bad luck ! Near Du- 
buque a little scouting party was encountered, and, instead of running 
away, stood its ground and made a " nasty little fight" with the ad- 
vance of Shelby's brigade, Elliott's battalion, and found out the size 
and character of the Confederate force and its probable destination, 
and then hurried away to give the alarm, turning about and watching 
from time to time, but keeping swift messengers on the way to Spring- 
field, and these rode without drawing bridle rein, save to exchange an 
exhausted horse for a fresh one. 

No leisure now ! The march was to be a rush, and Springfield 
reached within 24 hours if men and horses could do it. Messengers 
dashed eastwardly across the country to Porter to inform him of the 
change in the programme rendered necessary by circumstances which 
could not be foreseen, and to order him to turn squarely across the 
country by the first road that ran westward, ;ind be at Springfield by 
the evening of the 8th at the latest. But cither because they missed 
their way and became entangled and bewildered amid the rocky roads — 
no better than sheep paths — that led through the mountains and hills 
and woods of the country, or else because Porter had passed by when 
they struck his trail — these messengers failed to find Porter, and that 
officer passed on with his force, unconscious that anything had occur- 
red to change the original plan. 

A detachment of the 14th M. S. M., under Capt. Birch, went down 
from Ozark to ascertain if the reported invasion was a fact. Not far 
from White river this detachment came upon a Confederate lieutenant 
and two men, who had been left sick in a house by the roadside. 
From them it was learned that in truth, and in dangerous numbers, 
the Confederates were on the war path, with such l)old leaders as 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 437 

Marinaduke, Shelby, and the long-haired Eniniett McDonald at their 
head. 

Striking northward, Capt. Birch made for the Federal post at Law- 
rence Mills, on Beaver creek, in the northwestern part of Taney coun- 
ty, where Maj. Turner, of the 73d E. M.M., had about 75 Douglas 
and Taney county men in garrison in a little block-house and fort. 
Reaching the fort in good time Birch warned Maj. Turner of his 
danger and advised him to evacuate the post and go on to Ozark. 
But Turner was an old man, had been long in the service, and had heard 
n great deal more of the Confederates than he had ever seen of them, 
und was incredulous about there being any more of them then in the 
country than a squad of bushwhackers. 

Scarcely had Maj. Turner delivered himself of his opinions, when 
*'■ spat — spat — spat — " the pistol shots of the Confederate advance 
firing on his pickets were heard ! A few moments later and Emmett 
McDonald, with 500 cavalry, dashed up and assaulted the block house 
and the men in it and around it, cheeri'ig and shouting and making 
more noise than a charivari party at a country wedding ! The fight 
was soon over. The 14th M. S. M. scampered away towards Ozark; 
Maj. Turner was wounded; four or five of his men were killed, and 
very soon nearly the whole outfit were prisoners of war, had been 
paroled, and McDonald was clattering across the country to join the 
main body under Marmaduke. 

Gen. Marmaduke had come on the main Yellville road, leaving 
Forsyth to the left and west, and striking straight for Ozark and 
Springfield. McDonald had been detached to "cleanup" the post 
at Beaver or Lawrence Mills, and not allow it to form and follow in 
the rear, and right well did he do his work. Three days later his 
work was done forever. 

In the evening of the 7th Shelby's brigade was near Ozark, and 
stopped an hour or so to eat a hasty supper and give the horses a 
bundle of fodder and a few ears of corn. Near midnight a gallop was 
made by the advance into Ozark, where the 14th M. S.M. had aban- 
doned the post in haste, and gone on to Springfield. The fort and 
block house were burned, and then, after a few prisoners had been 
made, the command, Shelby and Marmaduke at the head, with Elliott's 
battalion, struck out for Springfield on the main road, with the polar 
star to steer by should they miss the way. En route a few prisoners 
were picked up, mainly members of the militia, and a few citizens of 
Union proclivities. 



438 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

By daylight the iidviince reached Phelps' farm, and, after some dis- 
cussion as to the propriety of waiting for Porter, keeping the town 
closely invested in the meanwhile, a line of fight was formed between 
9 and 10 o'clock. Some skirmishers from the militia, advancing 
through some high weeds, were discovered, fired on, and brought 
down severely wounded. Preparations were at first made to feel of 
the Federals at the southeast corner of their position, on the St. Louis 
road, and a regiment (Thompson's) was swung around to the right. 

Two miles from the public square, in the edge of the timber, Mar- 
maduke formed his line for the attack. Gid. Thompson's regiment 
held the right ; Shelby's regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Gordon, 
held the left; Jeans' regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Chas. 
Gilkey, and Collins' battery were in the center. These troops were 
dismounted. Elliott's and McDonald's battalions continued to ojjcr- 
ate as cavalry, Elliott to the right, and McDonald to the left. The 
lines were formed in the open prairie, under fire. 

Here Gen. Marmaduke made a fatal blunder. The Federals had 
been of the opinion that his force numbered something near 5,000 or 
6,000 men, and were consequently much in fear of him. Now, he 
came fairly up in sight of them, displayed his whole force almost so 
plainly that every man could be counted, and gave away his weakness, 
showing that he had but a few hundred men more than they had, and 
then Gen. Brown, hitherto a little undecided, determined to fight to 
the last. 

BURNING HOUSES. 

Early in the morning, after it had become apparent that the Con- 
federate attack was to come from the south and southeast. Gen. Brown 
ordered to be burned a number of houses that obstructed the range 
and sweep of the guns of Fort No. 4, on South street. Perhaps ten 
or a dozen buildings were thus destroyed, half of which belonged to Mrs. 
J. A. Stephens, widow of the Union citizen killed by accident by 
Zagonyi's men. Another house destroyed belonged to W. P. Davis, 
a Union man, in the Federal service at the time. The expediency of 
this action has been called in question, l)ut no doubt Gen. Brown 
thought it necessary to prevent a lodgment of the enemy- in his imme- 
diate front, and the severe, if not fatal, harassment of his best posi- 
tion. Perhaps the destruction of these houses was a " military neces- 
sity," made so by the exigency of the occasion, but in that event the 
government ought long ago to have paid their loyal owners full value 
for them, which at this date it has not done. 



HISTOUY OF GREENE COUNTY. 439 

The burning of the houses added not only fuel to the general flame, 
hut distraction to the already intense excitement among the citizens, 
tiumhers of whom began leaving with their lares and penates for the 
sheltering walls of Fort No. 1, and continued to tramp back and forth 
from that fortification during the day. 

THE FIGHT BEGINS. 

On St. Louis street was Walter King's 3d M. S. M. (which regi- 
ment, a month later, was broken up and distributed among the 6th 
and 7th M. S. M.) and the 14th M. S. M., numbering at least 600 
men, and they were to the north and south of the street. Near the 
public square a huge steam boiler and some other obstructions were 
placed across the street. 

Upon the front of King's regiment hovered a force of Confederate 
cavalry, Elliott's battalion, seat to feel the way and to learn if the 
route into the city by St. Louis street and down the valley of Wilson's 
creek were practicable. A sharp skirmish ensued. The Confederate 
force was small and it fell back. Then King's regiment charged and 
drove the force well back on the prairie, but did not follow far, fear- 
ful of being cut off. Returning to their original position the Federals 
fired with their carbines at somewhat long range upon such of the Con- 
federates as showed themselves, and at least one more successful charge 
was made, the forces not coming to close quarters, however, and doing 
but little injury to each other in the matter of wounds and casualties. 

Here Marmaduke made another serious mistake. Had he concen- 
trated his entire force upon the southeast and east and made one grand 
rushing charge, he would have broken King's line easily and been in- 
to town upon the pul)lic square in ten minutes after his bugles had 
sounded the advance. The force he sent was by far too small to eflect 
anything like success. The Federals fought well and made a display 
of all their force in that quarter, and did a deal of marching up and 
counter-marching to the rear, which had the effect to make the 
Confederates believe that there was a very powerful force in their front, 
and it was known that it was too strong for the force which had been 
sent to develop it. The entire Confederate force then was formed well to 
the southeast, and the men sat upon their horses waiting and wonder- 
ing what was to be done next. 

SHELBY SENDS HIS COMPLIMENTS. 

The attack on Spriwgfield was begun by the Confederates without a 



440 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

demand for surrender, and now the bombardment of the town was 
commenced without notification to remove the women and children, a 
circumstance unfavorably commented ui)on by the Federals. Moving 
up the two guns belongiiic: to his brigade, Col. Shelby ordered their 
commander, Capt. R. A. Collins, to open on the town and Fort No. 4. 
Collins unlimbered and soon was banging away, his balls falling about 
the fort and into and near the square in quite rapid succession, and 
■with very uncomfortable precision. One shot pierced the Lyon house, 
(now the Southern Hotel) on South street ; two others struck the 
church building of the M. E. South, then occupied as an arsenal, and 
guarded by Capt. McAfee's convalescents. 

COMPLIMENTS RETURNED. 

The iron guns in Fort No. 4 now began to reply to the two guns of 
Shelby's and for a time there was quite a free interchange of metallic 
compliments between Lieut. Hoffman and Dick Collins. Capt. Phil- 
lips' company of Marcus Boyd's regiment of militia and the convales- 
cents in the fort tried the range of their muskets too, and quite a 
din arose. Hoffman threw shell, as he had howitzers, and Collins 
threw solid shot. (It is not certain that Hoffman did not open the 
fight, by shelling Marmaduke's advance.) 

MANEUVERING. 

The fighting now slackened for a time. It was about half-past 11. 
Marmaduke conferred with his officers, who examined the field in 
front as well as they were able with their field-glasses, and after a 
great deal of riding about and consulting, it was finally agreed to 
assault the Federal position from the south and southwest. Gen. 
Marmaduke himself, being ver}^ near-sighted, could tell nothing about 
the position of his enemy, but approved the plan of attack, which 
was begun at once. 

The troops had been drawn up in line and dismounted ; they might as 
well have been disarmed. Shelby's men were never themselves save 
when upon their horses. Right cheerfully would they have formed 
in column " by fours " and charged up South street, letting the firing 
of the fort and its supporters go for what it was worth, but very reluc- 
tantly did they abandoned their trusty steeds, and take to their *' trot- 
ters " for it, just as the " web feet," as they called the infantry, fought. 

The Federals were maneuvering too. Some of King's men and the 
4th M. S. M. were moved out upon the Fayetteville road, and then 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 441 

to the north of that thoroughfare, in the vsouthwest quarter of town. 
The 72d regiment of militia was also moved up from the public 
square to the Fayetteville road, for it was evident <to Gen. Brown that 
an attack was to be made in that quarter. There w^as a lot of gal- 
loping about on the part of the officers, and a great deal of" double- 
quicking" on the part of the men as they hurried from one part of 
town to the other. The route from town to Fort No. 1 was also well 
thronged with fugitives tramping back and forth from their homes 
carrying over their most valuable articles for safe keeping. 

Many Union citizens, not already organized by Dr. Melcher, were 
willinjr to fiirht to defend the town, and asked for arms. Lieut. 
Creighton was the officer in charge of the arsenal proper and he is- 
sued muskets to those having orders for them and made every man that 
received a gun sign a receipt for it. This proceeding required so much 
time that Capt. McAfee says he summarily interfered, drove Creigh- 
ton away, and then gave guns to those who asked for them as fast as 
he could hand them out. There was no time for red-tape proceed- 
ings then, with an enemy thundering at the gates of the city and the 
people clamoring to be allowed to defend them. 

GEN. BROWN WOUNDED. 

At about 3 p. M. Gen. Brown was severely wounded in the arm. He 
had ridden out South street to the corner of State, to encourage 
the men, and while here with some of his staff, was shot from his 
horse. He went to the rear and by written order turned over the 
command of the troops engaged in defending the city to Col Crabb. 
His arm bone above the elbow was broken, and afterwards a piece 
was taken out. He did not leave the service, however, until several 
months later, and commanded the forces sent against Shelby in his 
raid the ensuing fall. Gen. Brown's arm was dressed and saved 
from amputation by Surgeon Melcher. ^ The operation was counted 
one of the most skillful in the surgical annals of the war. 



1 The Confederates, unlike some of the Federals, gave Gen. Brown great credit for cour- 
age and good conduct at the battle of Springfield. Maj. Edwards, in his account of the 
battle ("Shelby and His Men," p. 139,) says: " Gen. Brown made a splendid fight for his 
town, and exhibited conspicuous courage and ability. He rode the entire length of Shel- 
by's brigade, under a severe fire, clad in bold regimentals, elegantlj- mounted and ahead of 
all, 80 that the fire might be concentrated on him. It was reckless bravado, but Gen. 
Brown gained by one bold dash the admiration and respect of Shelby's soldiers. * * * 
As he rode along the front of the brigade, two hundred voices were heard above the crash- 
ing muskets, 'Cease firing — don't shoot that man — let him go — let him go.' I take 
pleasure in paying this tribute to a brave and generous officer." 



442 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

THE MAIN FIGHT OF THE DAY. 

At about 2 in the afternoon the Confederates, dismounted, began 
moving around toward the southwest part of town. One of the guns 
of Collins' battery was also sent around and took up a position a 
little to the west of Market street and opened on the 72d in its front 
with grape and canister. Previously Lieut. Col. Jones, of the 72d, 
had made a reconnoissance down in the brush on the Fayetteville road 
and found no enemy. Presently Collins' second gun followed the first. 

Sometime between two and three o'clock the fight began in earnest. 
The Confederates advanced from the south towards the north and 
northwest, coming up the little valley at the foot of South and Camp- 
bell streets, and sweeping over the ground to the westward. On they 
came, through " Dutchtown," as a collection of houses at the foot of 
Campbell street was called, taking the houses and their outbuildings 
for shelter as they advanced — forward to the stockaded college 
building, which had been left unguarded, and captured it without los- 
ing a man — beating down and driving backward the 72d, pushing on, 
on, step by step, from house to house, from street to street, until the 
72d was back upon College street and they were along West Walnut. 

In front of No. 4 was a portion of Jeans' regiment of Confederates 
under Gilkey, and some of Gordon's men, meaning to storm the fort 
when there was a good opportunity, but Hoffman's gunners served 
their old iron pieces so vigorously, and the members of the " quinine 
battalion " popped away with their muskets so rapidly, pausing 
occasionally to take a powder or a pill, and both cannoneers and 
quinineers worked so effectively that Gordon and Gilkey gave up for 
a bad job all attempts at assault, and the Confederates drifted west- 
ward and over about the graveyard. 

Some of the sharpest and hardest fighting of the day was done in 
and about this graveyard, amid the tombstones and the cold '■^ hie 
jacets" of the dead. Back' and forth through the aisles and across 
the graves of the silent sleepers ran blue coats and gray jackets, and 
through the trees, where nothing but birds had sung and soft breezes 
had blown aforetime, now whistled the cannon shot and shrieked the 
bombshell. 

THE 7 2d RALLIES AND THE CONVALESCENTS COME TO THE RESCUE. 

An incessant fire upon the Confederate line was kept up from Fort 
No. 4 and by its supports, and the 72d regiment, under Sheppard and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 443 

Jones, came gallantly " to the right about," and advanced against the 
enemy driving them back across and a little to the south of Mt. 
Vernon street. A number of volunteers from among the convalescents 
at the arsenal double-quicked across to the corner of Market and Mt. 
Vernon and took possession of the dwelling house then occupied 
by Mrs. Toney, and from this point of vantage opened on the Con- 
federates in front, first driving away Mrs. Toney, who made a sudden 
appearance from her celUir, and refused to leave until the soldiers, in 
language more forcible than elegant, and inexcusable under any other 
circumstances, commanded her to depart, when she ran away, with 
the Confederate bullets singing about her ears quite lively. When the 
fight was over nine of the convalescents lay weltering in their blood 
about this house and the building itself was riddled with bullet holes, 
the marks of which are plainly visible at this day. On the vacant lot 
just east of Mrs. Toney's house known now tis ♦'the show ground," 
men in blue and men in gray lay scattered about, some moaning and 
groaning, and others silent and pulseless and cold in death. 

SHELBY VS. SHEPPARD. 

For an hour or more lively skirmishing was kept up between the 
Confederates of Gordon's and Thompson's regiments and Sheppard's 
72d and the convalescents. A little after 4 o'clock five companies of 
the 18th Iowa came up from toward Fort No. 1 and went into position 
along the Fayetteville road, opening a galling fire on the enemy 
in sight. On two or three occasions some of Shelby's men, who were 
workinor themselves around to the risht or west of the Federal line, 
were charged and driven back by the cavalry on that flank stationed 
there to prevent the turning of the Federal right. The Confederates 
in the stockade made it lively for every bluecoat in range, and an 
attempt to drive them out was abandoned before it was fairly begun. 

CAPTURE OF THE '* IOWA CANNON." 

There were two six-pound brass field pieces over in Fort No. 1. 
Some time before the Confederates advanced on their grand charge, 
one of these guns, manned and supported by detachments from the 
18th Iowa, under Capts. John A. Landis, Wm. R. Blue, and Joseph 
Van Meter, had been run over to strengthen the Federal right. 
A minute or two before the charge was made, this gun came into po 
sition on State street, a little east of Campbell, and to the east and 
south of the cemetery, and opened on Shelby's brigade with canister. 



444 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Immediately a battalion of Gilkey's men under Maj. John Bowman, 
and some of Gordon's regiment under Capt« Titsworth, sprang away 
for this gun, and after a short hard fight captured it and hauled 
it away in triumph, after driving back the supports to the fort, and to 
the left and into and beyond the graveyard. The hardest fight of the 
engagement was had here. 

Maj. Bowman dashed up and called out to the lowans, " Surrender ! 
Surrender!" Capt. Landis replied, " We were here first; you sur- 
render!" Bowman instantly fired, the ball taking off Landis' 
shoulder strap. Almost at the same moment a shot from the lowan's 
revolver struck Maj. Bowman just below the heart. In the fierce 
fight that followed Captains Blue and Van Meter were mortally 
wounded, two or three of their men were killed, and Capt. Landis and 
a dozen more of the Hawkeyes were severely wounded, while the 
Confederates lost Capt. Titsworth, Lieut. Buffingtou, and Lieut. 
McCoy, and four or five men killed, and perhaps twenty (including 
Lieut. Maurice Langhorne, now of Independence) wounded. 

The gunner with the primers of the piece in his possession ran to 
the rear, and the Confederates were not able to profit much just then 
by their capture, and so it was hauled off to the rear by hand. Before 
the Confederates had fairly started on the charge, some of the lowans 
said, "Let us get away from here or they will capture us sure." 
Capts. Blue and Van Meter drew their pistols and threatened to shoot 
the first men who offered to retreat, and so saved their reputation for 
bravery, but lost their gun and their lives. It is said that Capt. Blue 
shot down three of the Confederates before he himself fell. Capt. 
Van Meter also fought well, and it is claimed that had not every 
officer of the lowans been stretched upon the ground with fearful 
bullet wounds, the Confederates would have been driven back. 

Capt. Blue died on the 12th, and Capt. Van Meter died on the 14th, 
after the fight. The remains of both are buried in the National Cem- 
etery. The gallant Confederate, Maj. John Bowman, died a day or 
two after the fight. Dr. Melcher writes : — 

" The next morning after the fight I found Maj. Bowman at a small 
house, half a mile east of the Phelps homestead, and examined his 
wound. He was past surgical aid — in fact, was dying. Two of 
his men had remained, and were tenderly but hopelessly caring 
for him." 

The particulars of the fight for the gun have been obtained from 
actual participants on both sides. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 445 

THE LAST ROUNDS. 

Late in the evening, at about 5 o'clock, or thereabouts, the Confeder- 
ates, under the leadership of Shelby himself, made a charge on, or rather 
towards. Fort No. 4. Jeans' regiment and Elliott's battalion ad- 
vanced under cov^er of the houses and the fences and the hedges to 
within 100 yards of the fort, and then, opening fire, made a brave 
attempt to fight their way in. But Capt. Phillips' company of militia, 
the detachments of the 18th Iowa, and the convalescents, opened such 
a rapid and deadly fire of small arms that the Confederates were 
driven back, and the attempt to take the fort was not only a signal 
failure, but a disastrous one. 

Al)out sundown and until dark Collins' battery thundered away 
spitefully and recklessly at the town, and several shot and shell fell 
into the midst of the city, doing no serious damage, however. One 
shot passed through the Missourian newspaper office, on South 
street, scattering plaster all over the room, and knocking into 
" pi " half a column of advertisements oil a " galley." Other build- 
ings were struck, among which were some private houses, but, as the 
occupants had skedaddled and were safe over in Fort No. 1, and as 
there were no soldiers in that quarter, nobody was hurt, and Capt. 
Collins' balls served no other purpose than to furnish relic-hunters 
Avith rare treasures. 

There was some charging and counter-charging, and a great deal of 
shooting and skirmishing as long as it was daylight, and after dark 
there was desultory firing until midnight. About 8 o'clock and at 
intervals through the night, Lieut. Hoffman, with his gun in No. 4, 
practiced on the stockade and different portions of the Confederate 
line until late at night, using shell. 

THE BUGLES SANG TRUCE AND THE NIGHT CLOUD LOWERED. 

When darkness had settled down, there was an occasional boom of 
cannon, a pop of a musket and crack of a revolver, but no serious 
fighting. Some Union women made coffee and sent it out to the skir- 
mishers who had fought so well for the town, and were even yet keep- 
ing watch and ward over it. 

The lines of the two forces after nightfall seem to have been as fol- 
!f)ws : The Confederates were in two wings, which formed a very 
obtuse angle or letter V, with the arms much extended. The point 
of this angle rested on the stockade, and the right arm (or the Con- 



446 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

federate left), extended in a tsouth westerly direction along the Fay- 
etteville road. The left arm (the Confederate right), ran in a south- 
easterly course across State street, through " Dutchtown," and past 
a ])laoksmith shop, out into the open prairie. 

"OH, THAT PORTER WOULD COME !" 

Here Marmaduke resolved to wait until daylight, hoping and trust- 
ing that Porter would come up or be heard from some time during 
the night. Along toward midnight, the skirmishing ceased, the Con- 
federate line fell back or was withdrawn to the prairie, and at 1 
o'clock on the morning of the 9th a venturesome party of Federals 
found the stockade abandoned, and they speedily took possession. 
Some of Sheppard's regiment also advanced about midnight some 
distance to the southward of Mt. Vernon street, finding no enemy. 
Details worked all night gathering up the dead and wounded, and 
bearing the latter to the hospitals. 

MORNING THE FIGHT OVER THE TOWN SAFE. 

At daylight all was quiet. From the top of the court-house the 
Confederates could be seen in motion to the southeast and at Phelps' 
farm, but whether they were preparing for another attack or for re- 
treat was not certainly known. Gradually they moved away, and the 
Federal line, which had been prepared for either attack or defense, 
moved forward, and it was found that the battle was over, that the 
victory was with the " boys in blue," and that the town was safe. By 
and by the Union prisoners came in, and a message from Marmaduke 
was received ysking care for the wounded, and a soldier's sepulture for 
the Confederate dead. The prisoners had been released on parole. 
Among them was Judge J. H. Show, who, with others, had been 
captured when the advance was made east of town. 

There was a great deal of satisfaction at the result among the Fed- 
eral officers and soldiers, to be sure. The usual cheering and con- 
gratulations were indulged in, mingled with sympathies and regrets 
fc)r those who had fallen. Maj. Graves, of the militia, had been mor- 
tally wounded ; Lieut. McCrosky, of the 72d, had been killed, and 
Maj. Hornbeak, of the same regiment, wounded. Gen. Brown was 
badly hurt, and it was touch and go whether he would lose his arm or 
not. The hospitals were well filled with the Federal wounded, while 
the Confederates were piled as thick as they could lie in the house of 
Mrs. Owen, in the south part of town. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 447 

The citizens began to return from Fort No. 1, and to come up out 
of the celhirs, und order once more reigned in Warsaw. Col. Crahh 
decided to let well enough alone, and not attempt to follow Marma- 
duke and Shelby, who were moving out on the wire road toward 
^ Marshfield. A renewal of the attack was feared by some, as the pris- 
oners had learned and reported the presence of Porter's column, 
somewhere to the eastward. The cavalry was ready to advance if the 
order should be given, but no orders came, and only a reconnoissance 
a mile or so eastward and south was made. 

THE 72d e. m. m. in the fight. 

Space forbids a detailed mention of the part borne by all of the 
commands in the battle of Springfield. It is proper, however, to 
describe the part taken by the 72d regiment of Enrolled Missouri Mili- 
tia, since it was called the Greene county regiment and was largely 
officered and composed of Greene county men. Its colonel, Henry 
Sheppard, and its lieutenant-colonel, Fidelio S. Jones, both of 
Springfield, led the regiment in person, and to them much of the ef- 
ficient service it rendered is due. 

From the personal statements of many of the members of this reo-i- 
mentyet living, and from a private letter written by Col. Sheppard 
himself a few days after the fight and kindly furnished by his son, 
Frank H. Sheppard, Esq., as well as from Col. S.'s report, this ac- 
count has been derived. 

Col. Sheppard states that his regiment numbered in the fio-ht, all 
told, officers and privates, 253 men, represented in Companies A, B, 
D, E, F, G, H and I, Company C, Capt. Stone, and Company K, 
•Cai)t. Moore, being absent. At daylight the regiment was formed on 
the public square. At about 11 it was on East St. Louis Street to 
repel the expected attack from that quarter. Afterward it double- 
quicked out on the Fayetteville road. Between 2 and 3 o'clock, and 
when the grand charge of Shelby's brigade was made, it lay along 
State street, to the right and south of the palisaded college building. 

The men were '« double-quicked " about over town until they were 
almost exhausted before they fired a shot. Gen. Brown had but 
comparatively few troops, and these he showed everywhere. When 
the main fight came off the 72d was on the right and a little in front 
of the Federal line, unsupported by artillery or reserves, with 200 
cavalry to the right and rear, north of the Fayetteville road. The 
Confederate advance was in two lines, dismounted. It was composed 



448 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of some of the best fighting men of either army. Shelby's brigade 
won and deserved an excellent name for its dash, bravery and gal- 
lantry in action. 

Col. Sheppard states that the Confederates came on in a line of con- 
vex shape, the point nearly opposite Fort No. 4, and the wings well out. 
When near State street the line rapidly concentrated and contracted, 
advancing with a rush through Dutchtown and the brushwood and 
gardens westwardly, cheering and shouting and pouring a hot fire 
upon the 72d, which the colonel had formed along the Fayetteville 
road, or State street, and behind fences, near the then residence of 
Mr. Worley. The men were lying down, but their curiosity to see 
what was coming caused every head to bob up and become a fair tar- 
get. The men now began to fire and a hot fight was soon in pro- 
gress. In the midst of the rattle of musketry and the pattering of 
revolvers and all of the noise of battle, a poor unfortunate calf at- 
tempted to run the gauntlet of flying bullets, and when it was struck 
by a shot set up a loud bawling. One of the 72d sprang to his feet 
and roared out to the advancing Confederates : *' You had hetler take 
care of your calf! " A shout of laughter rose audibly over all the 
din. 

But Shelby's men came dashing on, now using their revolvers with 
serious eflfect. The fire was too hot for the 200 militia, and they 
sought to move hack from it ! There was soon considerable disorder. 
The men lost their numbers and began to mix up. Col. Sheppard 
and Lieut. Col. Jones reformed and renumbered them under fire, and 
got them down and to work again. By this time the regiment had 
lost seriously. Major Hornbeak was wounded, Lieut. McCroskey 
was killed, Lieut. Lane's leg was shot nearly off, and the halt and 
maimed were already thick, and growing thicker every minute. 

Very soon the regiment was again in disorder, and this time it 
gave way. The men trotted back in search of safer positions. Col. 
Sheppard shouted at them and tried to stop them until his voice was 
gone ; Lieut. Col. Jones had lost his horse and was well nigh ex- 
hausted, but by voice and example struggled desperately to rally 
them ; Major Hornbeak, wounded as he was, worked vigorously ; the 
commander of the milita and his staflf came up and the officers exhorted 
and threatened, and commanded, but " backward, still backward, " 
went the militiamen until they got under the cover of the hill that 
slopes down to Wilson creek, and stopped along College street, re- 
formed, and began to load their muskets. One squad, however, led 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 449 

by a commissioned officer, retreated to Fort No. 1, reporting that 
they were ordered to do so. Major A. C. Graves was mortally 
wounded while trying to rally the 72d at this time. 

As soon as the regiment reformed and the men turned their faces 
again to the south, Col. Sheppard and Lieut. Col. Jones again or- 
dered them forward. The men set up a shout and moved forward as 
readily as they had moved backward a few minutes before. Some of 
Shelby's more venturesome men were along Walnut street, and, fol- 
lowing somewhat the fashion at Donnybrook fair, whenever they saw 
a head fired at it. The 72d drove these men away, and pushed on up 
the hill to near Mt. Vernon street, where the men threw themselves 
into and behind the houses, behind fences, and into all sorts of shelter, 
and so the fight went on until dark. The Confederates held the 
college and the line of houses and fences west of it, with Collins' bat- 
tery in the rear, near Mr. Worley's place. The college building, 
which the Federals had blunderingly left unguarded, and which the 
Confederates quickly seized, was a strong position, being of brick and 
surrounded on the east, south and west sides with strong palisades 
of stout logs, driven deep in the ground, and well pierced with port 
holes. 

"When the night came on, " says Col. Sheppard, " my men were 
placed in the line of buildings right west of the Baptist church, in the 
brick Hornbeak house, at the M. E. church South (then the arsenal), 
and in Fort No. 4, to the command of which I was assigned. In the 
night Iliad the howitzer in the fort, a 12-pounder, pepper the rascals in 
the palisade college building, 250 yards away. The moon shone beauti- 
fully and the Dutch lieutenant (Lieut. Hottnian) made splendid 
practice. The secesh vacated it and at 1 a. m. I put a company in it. 
All night my boys, in squads, under careful officers, were crawling 
over the ground to the front, spying out the land, but daybreak 
showed only dead and wounded rebels before us. An hour later, 
with Gen. Brown's field-glass, I sat in a bastion and saw the long 
lines of the enenn^ working their way eastward from ' the goose- 
pond, ' where they had withdrawn during the night. To only one 
idea did it seem reasonable to attribute this movement that the at- 
tack was to be renewed from the east and north. " 

Quoting further from Col. Sheppard the following extract from the- 
private letter before referred to will l)e found of interest : — 

* * * My regiment was only 238 [privates] strong in the fight. 
We lost 53 killed and wounded. The advance of the enemy from. 
29 



450 HISTORY OF (JltEKNE COUNTY. 

Ozark was so rapid that the members of tlie regiment living in the 
country were cut off iVoni town and were unable to join us. We have 
buried 51 of the enemy. About 80 of their wounded are here; they 
carried away a good many of their wounded in wagons, and of course 
numl)ers of their slightly wounded rode off their own horses. Nine 
prisoners, armed with Enfield rifles, were taken in one house by a 
squad of the 7 2d. 

Bill Frazier was with them, and badly shot; he is now in the hos- 
pital. Lingow was also with them, and so exhausted that he lay down 
in one of the little houses in Dutchtown, and did not wake until morn- 
ing. Then, supposing the rebels had possession of the college, he 
went in and was kindly received by Capt. Small, who sent the gentle- 
man over to me. He is a lieutenant of artillery. 

My men are by all looked upon as the men who saved the town, 
protected the immense accumulations of government stores for the 
Arm}^ of the Frontier, and preserved the communications of that army 
and the quiet of the whole Southwest. 1 doubt not that my gallant 
boys rendered triple more actual valuable service to the U. S. govern- 
ment than Gen. Fremont's entire army and magnificent Body Guard. 
We lack letter-writers, however, and he had them in abundance. 

LOSS OF THE 72d E. M. M. 

The total loss of the 72d E. M. M. in the l)attle of Springfield was 
53, of which number 7 were killed or moi;tally wounded, 45 severely 
and slightly wounded, and one man reported missing. The following 
are the names, b}^ companies : — 

Field and Staff. — Maj. A. C. Graves, brigade commissary, mor- 
tally wounded; Maj. John Hornbeak, 72d E. M. M., slightly 
wounded . 

Company A, (Japt. JacJcson Ball commanding. — Killed, 2d Lieut. 
David J. McCroskey ; Private John N. Cox. Wounded, Corporal 
Elisha L. Elam and Privates Stephen Sink, John Davis, Nimrod P. 
Ginger, Aaron T. Bacon, and D. M. Wallace. 

Company B, Capt. B. K. Hart co^nmanding. — Wounded, Sergt. 
John H. Williams, in thigh ; Privates Levi E. Grimmitt, in the ankle, 
iuid Jackson O. Hale, in leg. 

Company D, Lieut. Geo. S. Patterson commanding. — Wounded, 
Sergt. John L. Rainey, in arm, mortally; Corporal J. W. Boren, in 
head, slightly; Privates Silas Dugger severely, W. J. McDaniel in 
hip, S. M. Gresham in shoulder, Thos. Wilson in foot* Elisha Painter 
in foot, W. R. Russell in face, H. C. McKee in hip, N. J. Dver in hip, 
F. M. Chiping. 

Company E, Capt. Geo. A. Dillard commanding. — Wounded, 1st 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 451 

Lieut. W. F. Lane, leg broken (died) ; Corporals Hinim Vaughn in 
shoulder and John Hissey in arm ; Privates Charles Crane in leg, se- 
verely, George W. Townlin in head, Clay Leslie in head, Robert P. 
Ellison in head, Josiah M. Cunningham in arm. 

Company F, Capt. Geo. T. BeaJ commanding. — Wounded, Sergts. 
W. R. M. Campbell in head (died) ; P. G. Perkins in leg; Privates, 
W. H. O'Neal mortally, W. Braswell severely, Louis Payne in knee, 
J. M. O'Neal in hand and leg, W. W. Ward, J. A. Hampton, W. R. 
Norman, Baker Russell and W. C. McCroskey, all slightly. 

Company G, Lieut. Irwin W. Jenkins commanding. — Wounded, 
Privates W. T. Noblett mortally, and Russell Stokes slightly. 

Company H, Capt. Vincent Cummings commanding. — Wounded, 
Privates Absalom Wheeler and Henry Goodnight slightly. 

Company I, Capt. J. B. Perkins commanding. — Killed, Sergt. 
S. Burling ; wounded, Privates James Adams, John Watson, Joseph 
Hursh, John Mills; missing, D. M. Bedell. 

NUMBER OF TROOPS AND LOSS ON EACH SIDE. 

According to the official reports (cited by Col. Sheppard and 
others) the Federals had 1,566 men, all told, in the battle. This in- 
cluded convalescents and the men from the hospitals. The Confed- 
erate strength was not far from 2,000. 

The Federal loss was 18 killed outright, some 12 mortally wounded, 
who within two months, died from wounds and disease combined. 
The wounded numbered about 100. The total killed and wounded on 
the Union side, including citizens, convalescents, and all was about 
125. 

The Confederate loss was much greater — how much cannot now be 
<letinitely ascertained. The Missourian newspaper, published January 
17th, after the fight, said that 32 dead Confederates were picked up on 
the battle.-field, " and those of their wounded who have since died will 
raise their loss in killed to over 40." Dr. Melcher says that altogether 
he knows 80 Confederates were buried from first to last. The doctor 
further says that there were left in charge of four of Marmaduke's 
surgeons Confederate wounded to the number of 60, of whom only 28 
were alive on January 31, showing that only the more dangerously 
wounded were left behind. Ex-Confederates say that all of their 
wounded that could ride away did so.. Ten days after the battle Col. 
Sheppard says : '< AVe have buried 51 of the enemy. " 

The official recrords show that on the Federal side the 2d battalion 



452 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of the 14th M. S. M. lost two men killed — E. C. Vanbibber, regi- 
mental commissary, and Private S. H. Hyde, Company D — ten 
wounded, and one missing. The 3d M. S. M. lost one man killed, 
Simon McKissick, private Company B. James T. Harris, of Co. D, 
was wounded, and James Pennington and H. S. Rickets were taken 
prisoners. The 4th M. S. M. had two men killed — Michael Schmidt, 
private of Company C, and Reuben H. Parker, private of Company 
K. The 18th Iowa had six men killed outright, five mortally wounded 
and 42 severely and slightly wounded. Capt. Wm. R. Blue, of Com- 
pany C, of the 18th, died on the 12th, and Capt. Joseph Van Meter, 
of Co. H, died on the 14th. Capt. John A. Landis, of Co. D, and 2d 
Lieut. A. B. Conaway, of Co. C, were severely wounded. 

The Confederate officers killed were Major John Bowman, of Jeans' 
i-egiment ; Captain Titsworth and Lieut. John Buffington, of Gordon's 
(Shelby's) regiment; Lieuts. McCoy and Steigall, of Jeans' regiment. 
(Col. Jeans was not in the fight, the regiment being led by Lieut. 
Col. Gilkey.) 

INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT . 

Will Rid2:ely, a young lad of 16, had his gun and accouterments 
taken from him b}^ Col. Sheppard, and was ordered out of the fight, 
but he mounted the colonel's horse, which he had been ordered to lead 
to the rear, and galloped ofi* and served all day as orderly to the 
commander of the militia. 

It is impossible to describe the part taken by Col. Marcus Boyd's 
74th, for want of information on the subject. It is believed, however, 
that only three companies of the regiment participated in the fight — 
Capt. Redferan's Capt. Phillips' and Capt. Small's. Phillips com- 
pany was in Fort No. 4, and Small's occupied the college building at 
1 o'clock on the morning of the 9th, after the Confederates had evac- 
uated. Col. Boyd himself was present and assisted in directing the 
movements of the troops, etc. 

Durino- the fight Col. Sheppard saw a Confederate officer riding a 
fine black horse. Calling to Will Gott, who had a Springfield rifle 
umsket. Col. S. bade him try his hand as a sharpshooter. At the 
crack of the gun the horse fell. 

It was reported that 27 dead Confederates were buried on Phelps' 
farm ; 14 in the graveyard, and that 12 more died from their wounds 
in ten days after the fight. 

It is said that Gen. Marmaduke came near being taken prisoner. 
He lingered in the rear on the morning of the 9th, and when, at about 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 453 

S, he left Phelps' house, where he had slept, his command had nearly 
all ridden away and left him, and a company of King's 3d M. S. M. 
was " fooling around " unpleasantly near. 

Some of the Confederate sympathizers in Springfield were greatly 
elated at the prospect of the capture of the town, until Col. Sheppard 
told them that turpentine and gunpowder had been distributed in such 
quantities that if the town were captured it would soon be a miniature 
Moscow. " I intend to fire my own store with my own hands," said 
the colonel. 

Seven resident printers belonging to the enrolled militia, took part 
in the fight. Maj, Graves, of the Journal, was mortally wounded, 
and Corporal Boren, of the same paper, was slightly hurt. Capt. W. 
P. Davis, the veteran publisher, took an active part in the engage- 
ment. Four printers from the Missourian office participated. 

The next day after the battle Col. Jas. W. Johnson, with the 26th 
E. M. M., from Polk county, came into town, and his arrival made 
the forces already in town feel more secure. The colonel was unable 
to get in on the 8th, not having time to get his men together. 

When Captains Blue and Van Meter were shot down in the fight 
over the cannon, Surgeon Whitney was promptly with them. Capt. 
Blue, realizing that he had his death wound, and that his end was 
near, asked the surgeon to stay with him while he lived. Surgeon 
Whitney, seeing Post Chaplain Fred H. Wines near, excused himself 
to perform other duties, saying, " Here is the chaplain ; he will stay 
with you ;" but Wines, who was a very active man, and much inter- 
ested in the battle, breathed but a short prayer for the dying officer, 
and then said : " Now, cai)tain, put your trust in Jesus ; He will stay 
with you always ; I can't." And away went the chaplain into the fight. 

Surgeon Whitney and Chaplain Wines were both very industriously 
engaged. When it was the hottest at Fort No. 4, at one angle stood 
Whitney, shouting, "Give them hell, boys ! give them hell ! " At 
another angle stood Wines, solemnly but encouragingly exclaiming, 
**.Put your trust in Jesus, boys, and aim low!'' At the same time 
the fighting parson was blazing away with his dragoon revolver, and 
doubtless aiming " low." 

One gallant Confederate evidently considered himself sufficiently 
armored and fortified to capture Fort No. 4 by himself. He charged 
bravely up alone, till within about fifty yards of the fortification, when 
he suddenly turned and ran toward the rear. A bullet struck him 
and he fell in a singular heap. After the fight it was found that he 
had a large skillet or frying-pan under his clothes in front. When he 



454 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

turned to run he seem to forget that his rear was unprotected. The 
fatal bullet went clear through his body and lodged in the frying-pan. 
It is said that one Federal soldier, nominally a member of the 1st 
Iowa cavalry, was out on the picket line with Sergt. Garrison, of the 
72d, deserted and went over to the Confederates, who greeted him 
with a great cheer. Apparently the information he gave caused the 
Confederates to move away from Fort No. 4 to the west. 

CONFEDERATE MOVEMENTS AFTER THE FIGHT. 

At 10 o'clock on the morning of the 9th, Marmaduke's command 
was well out on the wire road leading to Rolla, seeking to join forces 
with Col. Porter. At Sand Springs the advance of Porter was met 
and a halt was made. Here the prisoners were all paroled and sent 
back, and the united command began to r.etreat eastward by way of 
Marshfield and Hartville. At the latter place a strong Federal force, 
under Col. Fitz Henry Warren, of the 1st Iowa cavalry, was encoun- 
tered, and a hard fight ensued on the 11th. Here Emmett McDonald 
and Col. John M. Wymer, of St. Louis, both were killed and Col. Joe 
Porter mortally wounded, dying afterward, a week or so, near Little 
Rock;Maj. George Kirtley, Capt. Chas. Turpin, Capt. Garrett, Capt. 
Duprey and Lieut. Royster, all Confederates, were either killed or 
mortally wounded. After this fight Marmaduke retreated rapidly in- 
to Arkansas. 

The death of the brave and chivalrous Emmett McDonald was learned 
with regret in the Federal lines as well as in Confederate camps. A 
desperate fighter when fighting was to be done, he was as kind as a 
brother and as gentle as a woman when it was over. His kind offices 
for Federal wounded and prisoners, and his generous conduct regard- 
ing the body of Gen. Lyon, a fellow-hero, though an enemy, had won 
for him great respect among the Union troops, and the people of Greene 
county and Springfield, Union and Confederate, still admired him for 
his many heroic, generous qualities. 

BURIAL OF THE FEDERAL DEAD. 

On Sunday, January 11th, the bodies of the Federal dead were 
buried, pursuant to the following order from Gen. Brown : — 

Headquarters S. W. District of Missouri, 

Springfield, Jan. 10, 1863. 

I. The jreneral commanding is desirous that the noble dead who 

have fallen in defense of Springfield should receive, in their death, 

that honor which they have purchased with their lives. It is there- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 455 

fore ordered that the bodies of all officers and men who were killed in 
the battle of Springfield be buried on Sunday, the 11th inst., 2 p. m. 

II. Col. Walter King is hereby appointed field marshal of the day, 
and will make the necessary arrangements for the funeral. 

III. Two companies of infantry will be detailed as an escort, and 
will report to Col. King for orders. 

IV. The procession will form at four at Fort No. 4, and move 
through the square and out North street in the following order : 1. 
Baud. 2. Escort. 3. Tlte bodies of the dead. 4. The horses ridden 
by the slain. 5. Chaplains. 6. Infantry. 7. Cavalry. 8. Mounted 
Officers. 9. Citizens on horseback. 10. Citizens in carriages. 11. 
Citizens on foot. Officers and soldiers not detailed on special duty, 
will join the procession ; they will carry their arms. 

By order of Brig. Gen. E. B. Bkown. 

James H. Steger, Asst. Adj. General. 

Besides the honors thiis shown the Federal soldiers who fell at 
Springfield, the fine monument, costing $5,000, now standing in the 
National Cemetery, was erected in their memory by Dr. T. J. Bailey, 
the well known old citizen of Springfield, whose name so frequently 
appears in these pages. 

death of judge hendrick. 

On the 10th, two days after the battle, Hon. Littleberry Hendrick 
died at his residence in Springfield. He had been sick with a fever 
for some days, and it was thought that the excitement of the battle 
hastened his death. Such frequent mention has been made of Judge 
Hendrick in this volume that it is only necessary to state in summary 
that he was one of the oldest settlers of Springfield, one of the oldest 
and best lawyers of this section of the State, a prominent politician 
and public man, and a gentleman of unblemished moral character. 
At the time of his death he was circuit judge for this circuit. 

CONGRATULATIONS . 

Upon receipt of the news of the battle of Springfield, Gen. Curtis, 
then in command of Missouri, sent the following dispatch to Gen. 
Brown : 

Headquarters, etc., St. Louis, 4 p. m. Jan. 12, 1863. 

To Brig. Gen.E. B.Broion: — Dispatch of the 11th, via Sedalia, 
received. Your gallant and successful defense of Springfield has 
added to the glory of the 8th of January. The troops and the people 
of Springfield who participated in your efforts have given imperisha- 
ble proof of their loyal devotion to our cause and country, and the 
State of Missouri will ever cherish your memory. 

S. R. Curtis, Major General. 



45G HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS. 

The news of the Siiringficld fiirht spread rapidly, and soon the 
Federal commanders woke up to the importance of protecting their 
base of supplies. Gen. Herron himself came up in a few days and 
saw that all was safe and snug against future attacks. News of the 
battle reached the troops down in Arkansas on the 10th. The 2d 
brigade, 1st division of the Army of the Frontier, was at once set hi 
motion for Springfield. This brigade was commanded byCol. Wm. 
F. Cloud, ^ of the 2(1 Kansas Cavalry, and was composed of that 
regiment, the 10th and 13th Kansas, and Eabb's 2d Indiana Battery. 
The brigade started from near Elm Springs on the 10th and by a hard 
forced march reach Springfield on the 13th. The march from Cass- 
ville was made without stopping to feed the horses but once. The 7th 
cavalry, M. S. M., Col. John F. Philips commanding, joined Col. 
Cloud at Cassville and came on with the advance. 

THE JANUARY TERM OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, 1863. 

No sooner had the smoke of battle and the roar of cannon died away 
at Springfield than the civil law came into dominion again so far as 
regarded the civil rights of the people. The circuit court for the 14th 
circuit convened at Springfield on the fourth Monday in January. 
Hon, John C. Price, judge of the circuit on the west (the 13th), pre- 
sided in the room of Judge Hendrick, who had died on the 10th. M. 
J. Hubble was the clerk ; John A. Mack was prosecuting attorney, 
and Capt. T. A. Reed was sherifl^. Resolutions of respect for the 
memory of Judge Hendrick were adopted by the bar, J. S. Waddill, 
presiding, and spread upon the records, and then the court proceeded 
to business. Geo. W. Randolph acted by appointment as circuit 
attorney. 

At this term of court a number of cases growing out of the war were 
disposed of. During the Confederate occupancy of Greene county 
many of the Union citizens had their property taken by the Con- 
federates, some of whom were also citizens of this county and owned 
property. Certain other Unionists were arrested by the Greene 
county Confederates who of course were only acting in obedience to 
the orders of their sui)erior officers. When the Confederate army 
left, the Greene county members under Campbell, Lotspeich, and 
others, left with it, and after the Federal authority was restored suit 



' Republican candidate for Congress in this district in 1882. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 457 

was instituted against them by some of the Unionists living here 
whom they had arrested or whose property they had taken for mili- 
tary purposes. As personal service could not be had, notice of these 
suits was given by publication in the newspapers, which of course the 
defendants never saw, until long after judgment had been rendered by 
default and execution issued and served and their property levied on 
and sold. 

Among other suits disposed of at this term of court were the cases 
of "Sidnev Ingram v. John S. Blackman and Wm. Wallace Black- 
man," wherein the defendants were charged with " wrongfully and 
feloniously stealing, taking, and carrying away 35 head of hogs, by 
which the plaintiff says he is damaged in the sum of four hundred dol- 
lars, " the case of " John S. Colman v. L. A. Campbell and Geo. M. 
Jones," for the sum of $405, "caused by the taking and carrying 
away by the defendants of certain goods and merchandise, the property 
of plaintiff, without leave and against his will ; " the case of Warham 
McElhany v. Wm. D. Hendrick, for *' taking and carrying away 
nine hogs, of the value of $200." From time to time other judg- 
ments were rendered against Confederate soldiers " by default," and 
afterwards trouble arose. 

The Confederates always claimed that these proceedings against 
them were unjust and unfair, inasmuch as they were carried on during 
their absence, when they were prevented from appearing in their own 
defense and that when executions were levied on their property it was 
sold ridiculously low, and without regard to propriety. But the plain- 
tiffs replied that they were not bound to await the pleasure of the 
defendants to bring their suits ; that they, the plaintiffs, had been 
wronored and were not bound to submit without redress ; that the de- 
fendants had no right to be in the Confederate army, away from their 
homes, and still less right to go about taking the property of loyal 
men and harassing them by arrests and imprisonments. After the 
war all prosecutions growing out of the military acts of either army 
were dismissed and forever barred by a special act of the Legislature. 

UP TO THE SPRING OF 1863. 

About the middle of February, Col. Benj. Crabb, of the 19th Iowa 
Infantry, was relieved from the command of the post at Springfield, 
and was succeeded by Col. Thomas M. Bowen,^ of the 13th Kansas. 



» At present one of the United States Senators from Colorado. 



458 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Col. Bowen's administration did not give general satisfaction. His 
men were too fond of foraging, and he seemed unable or unwilling to 
control them. 

A few cases of small-pox prevailed in the hospitals at Springfield 
during this winter, and in February a citizen, Wm. A. Peacher, died 
of this disease. Other citizens were attacked, but the contagion was 
not suffered to spread generally. 

In February and March the Army of the Frontier was scattered 
over Southwest Missouri. Gen. Blimt's command of Kansas troops 
principally was stationed in Lawrence county. The wide distribution 
of troops was made necessary on account of the necessity for and great 
scarcity of forage. How the corn and hay and fodder of the farmers 
suffered ! How the cattle and hogs, not to mention the turkeys and 
chickens, suffered and perished, too ! Citizens ft-om Christian county 
reported to the commander at Springfield that the Federal soldiers were 
exterminating the hogs in that county, killing them where they could 
find them, and carrying them off, contrary to orders. There was no 
excuse for this lawlessness. Uncle Sam fed his soldiers well in this 
quarter, and the people had no right to expect that they would be 
plundered by the troops sent to protect them. 

By the 1st of March the 8th Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, largely 
composed of Greene county men, was stationed on Finley, about 30 
miles from Springfield. The scarcity of forage and the continued hard 
scouting required of the men had reduced the number of horses 
in the regiment to an average of 25 to the company. There was great 
complaint of the want of discipline in the command. Col. G^iger was 
absent from the regiment, in command of the second brigade of Her- 
ron's division. Lieut. Col. Baldwin was under arrest for havins; some 
Confederate prisoners (who had violated their paroles) taken out and 
shot without a trial. Maj. Lisenby was at Springfield the greater 
portion of the time, and the regiment was commanded by Maj. 
Rich. 

The commanders of the posts in this quarter of the State often sent 
long forage trains up northward as far sometimes as into Pettis county* 
The chief forage-master at Springfield was Joseph Gott, still a resident 
of Springfield. He made several trips and never lost a train. About 
the middle of February, however, a forage train belonging to the 8th 
M. S. M., then stationed in Newton county was captured by a scout- 
ing party of Confederates (supposed to be under Standwaite and Jack- 
man) and some of the guards killed. A force of cavalry was sent out 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 459 

from Springfield to assist in the capture of the Confederates, but re- 
turned without accomplishing anything. 

Some time in February, Alf. Bolen, a desperate guerilla and bush- 
wacker, was killed across in Boone county, Ark., by an officer of an 
Iowa regiment, who, disguised as a Confederate, had induced Bolen to 
come into a house to get his breakfast. While the guerilla was eat- 
ing, the officer crushed in his skull with the colter of a plow. Bolen 
was a terror to the Union citizens of the southern part ot Greene 
county, as well as those of all Christian, Stone and Taney. He had 
killed man}^ a man, and the Confederates detested him almost as se- 
verely as the Unionists. Among his victims was an old man, 70 years 
of age, named Budd, whose ears he cut off before he finished him 
with a revolver. This murder was committed in the fall of 1861, 

There were hard times among the people of this county, and in- 
deed of all Southwest Missouri in these days. The Confederate sym- 
pathizers were preyed upon by those among the Federal soldiers that 
were vicious and unprincipled, and the lot of the Union families was 
but little better. Persons who had hitherto struggled bravely to help 
themselves now gave up in despair and desperation, and daily gangs 
of women and children concentrated in the little towns and at the mil- 
itary posts, looking for bread which they could find no longer in their 
own desolated homes. Many of the men had enlisted in the Federal 
army — in the 24th Missouri, in the 8th Mo. Cavalry, the 6th Mo., 
the 1st Arkansas, the 14th M. S. M., which regiments were chiefly 
recruited here, and hundreds were in the Enrolled Militia, and many 
of the families of these men were in absolute want, for the Federal 
government had not paid its soldiers in this quarter for months, and 
no money could be obtained from their natural protectors or earned 
honorably. The families of the poor Confederate soldiers were of 
course in wretched plight. The result may be imagined. Hundreds 
of female refugees swarmed about Springfield and other posts of im- 
portance and became abandoned and depraved. Vice and immorality 
of all sorts prevailed. 

Homeless wanderers went stroUino; about bessrinor for food and 
clothing and shelter. If the weather had been severe there would 
have been the most intense suffering. But He who tempers the wind 
to the shorn lamb moderated the chillinor blasts that ordinarily in 
winter sweep across the Ozarks to gentle breezes, and enabled many 
wretched people to pass the night in the open air without perishing. 
The winter of 1863 was exceptionally mild and pleasant. 



460 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE 6tH PROVISIONAL REGIMENT, E. M. M. 

In February, 1863, the organization of the provisional regiments 
of militia was begun in this State. It was believed that the crisis 
calling for the general arming of the people of the State had passed 
away, and it was decided by Governor Gamble to commence the or- 
ganization in the various military districts oi a picked force of men, to 
be detailed from the enrolled militia for permanent service, and to 
consist of those who could the most easily be spared from their ordi- 
nary avocations. 

In this military district (the 4th) two regiments of provisional 
militia were formed, the 6th and 7th, each regiment consisting of 
twelve companies, and organized as a regiment of cavalry. The 
colonel, lieutenant colonel, three majors, the adjutant, and other 
officers of the 6th regiment were mainly from this county, as were 
three of the companies, as follows : — 

First Colonel, Henry Sheppard, formerly of the 72d E. M. M., commis- 
sioned April 1, 1863 ; resigned the following October. Second colonel, 
F. S. Jones, commissioned October 5, 1863, resigned January 22, 1864. 
Majors, John Hornbeak, John Small, R. K. Hart. Adjutant, J. W. 
D. L. F. Mack. Quartermaster, W. P. Davis. Assistant Surgeon 
Philip M. Slaughter. 

Company A. — This company was detailed from the 74th E. M. M., 
Col. Marcus Boyd's regiment. Its officers were : 1st captain, John 
Small, promoted to major, Oct. 5, 1863. 2d captain, R. M. Hayter, 
commissioned Oct. 26, 1863. First, 1st Lieut., Isaac P. Julian; 2d, 
Lazarus J. Phillips; 3d, Samuel Harshbarger. 1st Second Lieut., 
Lazarus J. Phillips; 2d, Samuel Harshbarger; 3d, Preston Gilmore. 

Company E. — This company was detailed from the 72d E. M. 
M. All the officers were commissioned April 15, 1863. Captain, 
Saml. W. Headlee ; 1st Lieut., Bryant Winfield ; 2d Lieut., Saml. B. 
Rainey. 

Company H. — This company was detailed from the 72d. Some of 
its members were from Christian county. Roswell K. Hart was the 
first captain ; Wm. McCullah, second captain, Isaac W. Faught, 1st 
Lieut. ; O. P. Cates, 1st Second Lieut. ; John A. Gideon, 2d Second 
Lieut. 

KILLING OF WILL WRIGHT FULBRIGHT. 

In the month of May of this year, a young man known as Will 
Wright Fulbright, a member of the well known family of Fulbrights, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 461 

of this county, was killed in the southeast part of the county. 
Young Fulbright was a Confederate soldier, belonging to Marma- 
duke's army, then in northern Arkansas. He was about 21 years 
of age. 

With the putting out of the leaves in the spring of this year, a 
favorite pastime of the Confederate boys was to make raids up into 
Missouri and visit their old homes. Sometimes these raids were 
bloodless ; sometimes they were not. Young Fulbright called about 
him a dozen or so of his companions, three of whom are said to have 
been Will Merritt, "Buck" Abernathy and Brashears, and in- 
duced them to accompany him on a raid into Greene county. What 
the object of this raid was has been variously stated. The party 
reached the county in safety and went into camp somewhere down on 
the James. A Union citizen discovered them and reported their pre- 
sence to the enrolled militia of the neighborhood, a squad of whom 
was soon organized and in search of the raiders. Coming upon them 
suddenly the militia soon routed them, and in the melee Fulbright 
was shot and killed. The militia reported that he was shot while 
running away, and only after he had been repeatedly commanded to 
halt. 

Some of Mr. Fulbright's relatives claim that at the time he was 
killed, Will Wright was on his way to Springfield, to procure medicine 
as he was then, or had been, sick. That his comrades were those who 
had volunteered to go with him to protect him, and that the party did 
not intent to make " a raid," as the term was commonly understood. 
They further allege that he was wantonly shot down in cold blood 
after he had surrendered. Both versions of the affair are represented 
as having been obtained from members of the militia who were 
present ! The reader may believe whichever version he can. 

novembi:r election, 1863. 

At the general election for 1863, in Missouri, but two tickets were 
voted for, both claiming to be "Union." One ticket, headed by 
Barton Bates, W. V. N. Bay, and J. D. S. Dryden, for supreme 
judges, was called the conservative ticket, the other headed by H. A. 
Clover, Arnold Krekel, and David Wagner was denominated the 
" radical " or " charcoal " ticket. The latter was supported by all 
of the immediate emancipationists in the State. 

There being large numbers of the military under arms in the State,. 



462 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

apprehension w;is felt thiit in many quarters they would attempt to 
influenee the election h}'^ the intimidation of voters, etc. To pre- 
vent any action of this kind being taken, the commander of the 
department in which Missouri was situated, Maj. Gen. Schofield, 
whose head(iuarters were then at St. Louis, promulgated the following 
order : — 

Headquarters Department of Missouri, 
St. Louis, Mo., September 28, 1863. 
General orders No. 101. 

The right of the people to peaceably assemble for all lawful purposes, 
and the right to freely express their will at the polls according to law, 
are essential in civil liberty. 

No interference with these rights, either by violence, threats, in- 
timidation, or otherwise will be tolerated. 

Any commissioned officer who shall incite or encourage any inter- 
ference with any lawful assemblage of the people, or who shall fail to 
do his utmost to prevent such interference, shall be dismissed the ser- 
vice ; and any officer, soldier or civilian, who shall, by violence, threats 
or otherwise actually interfere with any such lawful assemblage of the 
people, shall be punished ))y imprisonment or otherwise, at the discre- 
tion of a court martial or military commission. 

Any officer, soldier, civilian, who shall attempt to intimidate any 
qtialified voter in the exercise of his right to vote, or who shall attempt 
to prevent any qualified voter, from going to the polls or voting, shall 
be i)unished by imprisonment or otherwise, at the discretion of a court 
martial or military commission. 

Special attention is called to the 5th article of war, which Avill be 
applied to commissioned officers of Missouri militia not in active ser- 
vice, as well as to officers and soldiers in actual service. 

By command of 

Maj. Gen. Schofield 

C. W. Marsh, Assistant Adjutant General. 

In this county there were to be voted for a judge of the circuit court 
and of the court of probate and common pleas. For the former John 
S. Waddill (conservative), J. W. D. L. F. Mack (radical), and J. R. 
Cox were candidates, and for the latter John A. Mack (radical) and 
E. Headlee (conservative). The following is an abstract of the of- 
ficial vote of the county, including that of the Greene county men in 
Company E, 6th provisional regiment, and three companies of the 
24th Mo. infantry. Returns from other mllitar}' companies were 
rejected for irregularities, etc. : — 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



463 



ABSTRACT OF THE VOTE AT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1863. 





SUPREME JUDGES. 


JUDGE OF 
CIRCUIT COURT. 


PROBATK 
JUDGE. 


TOWNSHIPS OR 
MILITARY COMPANIES. 


3 

a 
05 




1 


i 


1 
4 


1 


"5 

1 


1 


1 


■si 

u 

1 


1 


Campbell Tp., 1st Precinct 

Campbell Tp., 2d Precinct 


172 
70 
16 
10 


172 
70 
14 
10 


172 
70 
16 
10 


178 
119 
11 
26 
23 
49 
10 
42 
34 
48 
12 
55 
39 
16 


178 
119 
11 
26 
23 
49 
10 
42 
34 
48 
11 
55 
39 
16 


178 
119 
11 
26 
23 
49 
10 
42 
34 
48 
12 
55 
39 
16 


159 
62 
16 
18 


116 
92 
12 
3 


44 
21 



12 
23 
44 

"i" 


88 
74 

3 

2 
17 
40 

6 
35 
34 
38 

7 
52 


142 
45 
17 




25 








13 
3 
5 
1 
48 
14 


13 
3 
5 

"is" 

13 


13 
3 

"l" 

48 
13 


16 

3 

9 

1 
57 
15 

"■3 ' 


5 
11 
39 
34 
42 
10 
43 
35 

6 


15 


Wilson 


3 




15 








46 


Company E, 6th Prov., E. M. M. 


16 












Company D, 24th Mo. Infantry.. 


1 


1 


1 















Total 


353 


349 


347 


662 


661 


662 


353 


448 


145 


396 


324 







CHAPTER XIII. 
FROM 1864 TO THE CLOSE OF THE CIVIL WAR. 

ISS4. — Miscellaneous County Court Proceedings — Organization of Federal Troops at 
Springfield — Historical Sketches of Batteries H, I, and K, 2d Missouri Artillery' — 
The 2d Arkansas — Flag Presentation — Addresses of Misses Mohizer and Phelps and 
Replies of Cols. I'helps and Cameron — The 16th Missouri Cavalry — Number of Men 
and in What Regiments in the Federal Service from Greene County, January 1 — Guer- 
illa Raids Through the County — Killing of .Joseph Cooper by Bill Anderson's Band — 
The Federal Raids and Jay-Hawkers — Murders and Misdeeds of All Sorts — O, War! 
War! — Murder of James M. Thompson — The Union League — Gen. Sanborn's Admin- 
istration — The Political Canvass of 1864 — "Bloody-Bones" Kelso — His Election to 
Congress — The November Election — "Come on with Your Draft" — Other Events of 
1864 — Time of the Price Raid, etc. 1865. — Miscellaneous — " Richmond Has 
Fallen ! " — The War Over — Tragedies, Murders, etc. — Militarj^ Executions During the 
War — The Case of the Confederate Lieutenant Brownlee. 



1864 MISCELLANEOUS COUNTY COURT TUOCEEDINGS. 

The following proceedings of the county court, and the acts of other 
public officials during the year 1864, have l)een derived from Mr. A, 
F. Ingram's "Chronology," published in the Patriot-Advertiser in 
the spring of 1878. 



464 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

January 4 — R. A.. C. Mack was appointed county clerk, vice W. 
P. Davis, resigned. — J. W. D. L. F. Mack was appointed temporary 
county attorney. — The collector and treasurer were authorized to 
receive Union military bonds for county revenue, and for principal 
and interest on road, canal, and school bonds. 

January 6. — Mrs. Fairchilds was allowed $15 by the county court 
for finding, in Stone county, and preserving, the records of the circuit 
court of this county. — J. W. Mack was appointed deputy county clerk. 

April 4. — Benj. Kite took his seat as a county justice, vice J. W. 
Gray, and was made presiding justice until the next general election. 

April 5. — T. A. Reed, collector of the revenue for 1861, entered 
on a final settlement, and was indebted in the sum of $16,909.64, and 
credited $16,409.64. 

April 14. — R. A. C. Mack was appointed, by the county court, 
local military agent for the county for one year, to collect claims for 
widows, orphans and disabled soldiers of Missouri in the service of the 
United States ; said Mack to be paid $150, and give bond in the sum 
of $500. 

May 27. — A county tax of 40 cents on the $100 was levied for 
current expense, and a poll tax of $2 for years 1862-'3. 

July 18. — A. M. Julian, collector, receipted for tax books of 
1862-3, amounting to $12,406.60, no taxes having heretofore been 
levied and collected for these years. 

August 1. — The Assessor's books for 1862-3, made this year, 
showed 3,677 names. 

August 16. — A special term of the county court met for the 
purpose of considering the propriety of levying and raising a bounty 
for encouraging soldiers to enlist in the United States service, but 
owing to the financial condition of the county, nothing Avas done. 

November 28. — James Abbott, treasurer elect, not being a free 
holder, and therefore ineligible, A. F. Ingram was appointed treas- 
urer for two years, by the county court. Mr. Ingram's bond was 
fixed at $80,000. 

ORGANIZATION OF FEDERAL TROOPS AT SPRINGFIELD. 

During the winter of 1863-4 a number of companies and regiments 
for the Federal service were organized at Springfield, and many of 
their members were from this county. By this time the able-bodied 
men of the county had learned that they might expect to be in active 
service the greater portion of time, if they remained at their homes, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 465 

as militia men, and that it were as well that they entered the regular 
U. S. service at once and for good. There was no real peace to be 
found at home unless it was fought for ! The Confederate sympa- 
thizers were few, but were full of trouble, and even many of them 
entered the U. S. service as a choice of evils. 

SECOND MISSOURI ARTILLERY. 

Three batteries of the 2d Missouri Artillery Regiment were among 
the military organizations perfected at Springfield during this period. 
They became known as Batteries H, I, and K, and were com- 
manded respectively at the first by Capt. W. C. Montgomery, Capt. 
S. H. Julian, and Capt. W. P. Davis. Montgomery and Julian com- 
manded their batteries through the war ; Davis died, and was 
succeeded by Ephraim Confare, who resigned in June, 1864, and then 
Edward S. Rowland became captain. Brief histories of these bat- 
teries, composed as they were partly of Greene county men, may not 
be regarded as inappropriate in this volume. 

Battery H was organized as a company of heavy artillery, at 
Springfield, December 4, 1863, under command of Captain W. C. 
Montgomery. Left February 3, 1864, and proceeded via Rolla and 
St. Louis to New Madrid, Missouri. April 27, 1864, it was ordered 
to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Remained there until May 3, 1864, 
when it was ordered to St, Louis, Missouri, to be equipped as a bat- 
tery of field artillery, arriving at St. Louis, Missouri, May 8, 1864, 
where it remained until September 21, 1864, when it was ordered to 
Pilot Knob, Missouri. Was in the battle at that place September 26 
and 27, 1864. Lost traveling forge, battery wagon, baggage wagon, 
eighteen mules and twelve horses ; then abandoned caissons and camp 
property, and marched to Leesburg, on the Pacific Railroad, distance, 
seventy-five miles. Was in the engagement at that place, September 
30, 1864 ; marched from Leesburg October 5, 1864, to Rolla, Mis- 
souri ; from there with General McNeil's command to Jetferson City, 
Missouri. October 8 was ordered Avith a division of cavalry in pursuit 
of General Price. Was engaged during several days with the enemy 
at Russellville, California and Boonville, Missouri. October 17 
marched on to Lexington, Missouri, and then towards Independence, 
Missouri. In the suburbs of that city came up with the enemy, took 
position, fired about twelve rounds, when the enemy retreated. The 
same night left with General McNeil's command, on the Little Santa 
Fe road. Was eno-aoed in the battle of the Bi<r Blue. After the 
30 



466 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

enemy marched towards Foit Scott, Kansas, in pursuit, was engaged 
at Marais-des-Cygnes and Osage river, then went into Fort Scott, 
Kansas, for rations and i'orage. October 27, one section of the bat- 
tery, under command of Lieutenant Smiley, marched with General 
Sanborn's brigade to Newtonia, Missouri, and was engaged with the 
enemy at that phice. The remaining section, under command of 
Captain Montgomery, returned to Warrensburg, Missouri — distance, 
ninety-three miles — as [)art of an escort to prisoners and other cap- 
tured property. From Warrensburg it was ordered to St. Louis, 
Missouri; Lieutenant Smiley's section joining it at that point. Bat- 
tery marched, during the whole raid of Price into Missouri, about 
twelve hundred miles, and expended seventeen hundred rounds of 
ammunition. Loss, four men killed, ten captured, three missing and 
six wounded ; twenty -five horses killed and fifteen captured. 

January 1, 1865, this company was in winter quarters at Franklin, 
Missouri, where it remained until June 11, when, in accordance with 
instructions from the headquarters of the army, it was mounted and 
equipped as cavaUy, and, with other batteries of the regiment, order- 
ed to Omaha, Nebraska, where it arrived June 20, leaving that point 
July 1, 1865, as a portion of the right column, Powder river Indian 
expedition. During the different engagements on Powder river with 
the Indians, this company lost three men killed. Company returned 
to St. Louis November 11, and was mustered out of service Novem- 
ber 20, 1865. 

Battery I was organized at Springfield, December 28, 1863, as a 
company of heavy artillery. Left Springfield February 3, 1864, and 
proceeded to New Madrid, Missouri, via Eolla and St. Louis. Was 
stationed at that place until June 9, when it was ordered to St. Louis, 
to be equipped as a light battery. Remained at St. Louis until Octo- 
ber 4, 1864, when it was ordered to Franklin, Missouri, and attached 
to Brigadier General Pike's division, E. M. M. ; from that point left 
for Washington and Hermann, arriving there October 25, 1864. On 
the 9th of November, 1864, the battery was ordered to St. Louis, and 
then to Paducah, Kentucky. Left that place November 27, 1864, and 
was attached to Major General Smith's division, IGth Army Corps. 

While on a scout in Osceola county, Ark., April 7, 1864, a detach- 
ment of this battery under Lieut. Lazarus J. Phillips, was surrounded 
and surprised by a stronger force of Confederates. A hot fight re- 
sulted, in which Lieut. Phillips, Sergt. Hanlejs and five privates of 
this batter}' were killed, but the Confederates were defeated with a 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 4fi7 

severer loss. Lieut. Phillips' detachment was making this scout on 
foot at the time, and was surrounded in a swamp. 

In December the battery was ordered to Tennessee. It guarded 
the rear of the army when it fell back from Franklin to Nashville. 
At the battle of Nashville, December 15-17, 1864, it was actively 
engaged the last two days, during which it fired 22,000 pounds of 
ammunition ; lost five men wounded, ten horses killed, and had every 
gun struck repeatedly. It followed Hood to the Tennessee river, and 
was stationed at Eastport for a time. 

January 1st, 1865, this company was stationed at Johnsonville, Ten- 
nessee, doing garrison duty until the latter part of June, when it was 
ordered to St. Louis, and was mustered out of service August 23, 1865. 

Battery K was organized at Springfield, January 14, 1864, as a com- 
pany of heavy artillery. February 3, 1864, it proceeded to New Mad- 
rid, Missouri, where it remained until May 7, when it was ordered to 
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and then. May 10, to St. Louis, Missouri, 
to be equipped as a battery of light artillery. Remained at St. Louis 
until October 11, 1864, when it embarked on the steamer /Stephen Deca- 
tur, and proceeded to Jefierson City, Missouri, and from there, October 
19, via Pacific Railroad, to Lamine bridge, where it was stationed until 
November 15, 1864, when it was ordered to Franklin, Missouri, to go 
into winter quarters. 

January 1st, 1865, this company was in winter quarters at Frank- 
lin, Missouri, where it remained until June 11th, 1865, when it was 
mounted and equipped as cavalry, and, with other batteries of the 
regiment, was ordered to Omaha, Nebraska territory, where it ar- 
rived June 20th, and left July 1st as a portion of the right column. 
Powder river Indian expedition. September 1st and 5th this company 
lost five men, killed by the Indians on Powder river. Company re- 
turned to St. Louis, Missouri, November 11th, and was mustered out 
of service November 25, 1865. 

% THE SECOND ARKANSAS CAVALRY. 

The organization of this regiment was completed at Springfield in 
March, 1864, having been recruited the previous winter and fall, at 
Springfield, Cassville, and other points in the Southwest. A citizen 
of Greene, Col. John E. Phelps (afterward brevet brigadier general), 
a son of Hon. John S. Phelps, who had seen service almost constantly 
since the battle of Wilson's Creek, was commissioned colonel of the 
regiment March 18th. Other Greene county men in the 2d Arkansas 



468 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

were Pleasant G. Potter, regimental commissary, and the following 
n>erabers of Company A : Wm. D. Moore, 2d lieutenant ; privates, 
James M. Beall, Wm. McElhany, John Mills, James M. Mills, and 
Anthony Myers. Company E, privates, Peyton Gwinn and Samuel 
Gvvinn. Company F, Private John F. G. Cleburne. Company M, 
Capt. G. W. Moore, 2d lieutenant, James P. Philips, Sergt. Geo. W. 
Moore, Private Ruf us Alredge. Sutler, J. L French. The 2d Ar- 
kansas was of course mainly composed of loyal Arkansans, who had 
either escaped the Confederate conscription laws or deserted the Con- 
federate army. Their homes were chiefly in Northwestern Arkansas, 
and they were known as "Mountain Feds," or "Boomers." The 
regiment was engaged in many severe skirmishes in Arkansas, and all 
^of the important battles of Price's raid, and was finally mustered out 
-of service August 20, 1865. 

SWORD AND FLAG PRESENTATION. 

Just before the 2d Arkansas left Springfield for "the front," the 
ladies of the city, through Miss Mohizer, presented Col. John E. 
Phelps with an elegant sword. At the same time Miss Mary Phelps, 
(now Mrs. Montgomery) for her mother — who was also the mother 
of the colonel of the regiment — presented the regiment with a beauti- 
ful standard, now preserved in the capital at Little Rock. 

The addresses of the ladies and the responses of the officers on this 
occasion are deemed worthy of publication, and are herewith given. 

ADDRESS OF MISS MOHIZER. 

My friends, we meet to-day to perform a duty that is unusually 
pleasant, being nothing less than the rendering honor to one who es- 
pecially deserves it. 

I need not speak of the bravery or patriotism of Col. Phelps ; they 
are too well known to all present to need comment or encomium from 
me. He is one of those whom all true men knowhow to honor. One 
who embodied his principle in his life ; who does not consider himself 
too good to die, if necpssary, in defence of a government under whose 
protection he has obtained all that he has of good, and which he loves 
with an und\'ing affection. One who is fighting, not for opinions, but 
principles ; not for abolition or slavery — not for the black race or the 
white — not for union or disunion — but for the rights of man. Such 
a man is Col. Phelps, and as Kiich I tender this sword to his acceptance, 
in the name of the ladies of Springfield. May it never be drawn from 
its scabbard save in the cause of truth and right, and its blade be al- 
ways as free from the breath of dishonor as now. 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 469 



COL. PHELPS REPLY. 

Miss, I accept the present, and return my respectful thanks to the 
ladies for the honor conferred upon me. I cannot find words to ex- 
press my feelings on this occasion. It is an event in one's life that 
can never be forgotten. I am made the recipient of a tribute paid on- 
ly by a grateful community to eminent men for the greatest services. 
The hidies of Springfield, the pride and ornament of my home, bestow 
the same mark upon me, and yon condescend to present the rich tes- 
timonial to make the honor greater still. I am and will ever be proud 
of the favor received, but whether I should not bow under its weight, 
I do not know. Methinks, however, that it is a mark of those ladies' 
and your friendship, and enconragement to those deeds which it is 
generally meant to reward. As snch only could I accept it, under 
promise that this sword, drawn in defence of a distracted country, 
shall never be sheathed nntil Union is restored and peace once more 
reigns supreme over all the States, when each fireside is again made 
happy by the return of all of us to our homes, or the consolation 
that we have fallen in defence of a noble cause. Once more, ladies 
and Miss, I thank you. 

ADDRESS OF MISS MARY PHELPS. 

Officers and men of the 2d Arkansas Cavalry, in the name of my 
mother, I present you with this banner of liberty. Some restless, 
deluded spirits, blindly seeking for what they call their rights in rob- 
bing you, have made it necessary for you to defend your homes and 
families. When you look on this beautiful lianner, and see the eagle 
and thirteen stars, remember it as an emblem for which our forefath- 
ers fought — remember the constitution which they made — press it 
to your bosoms, and raise your hearts to the great God above, and beg 
His assistance in its defence. 

This beautiful country is now torn by strife and discord, but you 
brave men have volunteered your services, nay, even your lives, in her 
defence : you nobly stand forth to fight and die for her. Our country 
is now reeking with the blood of many of her most gallant sons ; but, 
ah ! she is not dead ; though trampled and bleeding, she raises her 
drooping head and calls on you, brave men, to rally round her banner 
and avenge her fallen sons. 

Take this emblem of liberty, bear it high and teach the traitor to 
tremble and cower at its sight. Ever keep it as a sign of protection 
to the widow, the orphan and the grey-haired fatheu. 

"To your homes you never may return, 
Ne'r press again your loved one in your arms; 
O'er your lone graves our faithful hearts will yearn, 

Then cheer up. boys, cheer up, 

Such death hath no alarms." 

Go forth, and remember the dear ones at home will watch and pray. 
Let " Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable," 
ever be your motto. 



470 HISTORY OF GUEENE COUNTY. 

LIEUT. COL. Cameron's reply. 

On behalf of my Colonel, I thank your mother for this pretty and 
appropriate present — this priceless product of that love which is 
purely patriotic and maternal. My language is utterly inadequate to 
II faithful expression of the gratitude due from the recipient of this 
most legitimate offering of that most exalted sentiment; but, on his 
behalf, I accept it with obligations stronger even than those imposed 
upon the Spartan boys. On l)ehalf of his subaltern officers I thank 
her for the interest she is taking in the present success of his regi- 
ment — for the high hopes which she entertains of its future, and for 
his noble character and exemplary deportment. We will vie with 
each other in practicing his many manly virtues, and in supporting 
him in the enforcement of that thorough and exact discipline by which 
he may, ere long, full}'' realize her most fond anticipations. On be- 
half of the enlisted men, I further thank her for the generous liber- 
ality with which she has, in very many instances, provided for their 
distressed and destitute families, for the untiring energy which has 
marked her continued labors in favor of the sick and wounded, and 
for her encouraging sympathy bv which many unfortunate soldiers 
have been sustained and comforted ; and on their behalf I pledge her 
their gratitude, and a more cheerful submission to the vicissitudes of 
the service in which they are employed, they will, whenever opportu- 
nity offers, more than redeem the obligations imposed by this cere- 
mony. Should dangers ever threaten this beautiful standard, the 
memories of this hour, having become the memories of the past, will 
exert a stirring power in making valiant men. 

We will remember, how of yore 

Our fathers did this ensign bear. 
They did create, we tnust restore. 

Like them, we must endure and dare. 

On behalf of my country, I thank your mother for her self-sacrific- 
mg devotion to its service — exemplified by her quiet and uncomplain- 
ing submission to the many and great sacrifices which she has been re- 
quired to make. First, in separating from many with whom she had 
been associated for years on terms of intimate friendship, and in yield- 
ing up the accumulations of a life of industry and frugality to the en- 
emies of good government. And finally in sacrificing to the hazard 
of war, not only a husband whose superior wisdom and experience, as 
well as his gallant services in the field, were of incalculable value to 
the government, bnt, also, an only son, whose military career will yet 
adorn a page in American history. 

THE 16th MISSOURI CAVALRY. 

In August of this year the 6th Provisional regiment of militia was 
changed by order of the commander-in-chief to the 16th regiment of 
cavalry, Missouri Volunteers. As many of the members of this regi- 
ment were from Greene county, and still live here, a brief sketch of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 471 

its operations may not be altogether void of interest. Its colonel was 
John F. McMahan ; lieut. col., Roswell K. Hart, and its last three 
majors were John B. Waddill, John Small, and James L. Rush. The 
following brief history of this regiment is by Maj. John B. Wad- 
dill : — 

The regiment, composed of twelre companies, with an aggregate of 
more than eleven hundred men, was mustered into the United States 
service in August, 1864, to date back to November 1, 1863, Lieuten- 
ant Colonel John F. McMahan commanding, afterwards promoted to 
colonel. The various companies were stationed in Greene, Christian, 
Ozark, Douglas, Webster, Laclede and Texas counties, doing much 
to restore quiet to the country and exterminate bushwhackers. 

In the latter part of 1864 this regiment composed a part of Brevet 
Major-General Sanborn's command, and participated in the pursuit of 
General Price, and bore an honorable part in every engagement from 
Jeflferson City until the enemy was driven from the State ; being in 
the advance at Boonville, on the extreme right of the advance at In- 
dependence, and also at the battle of the Big Blue, where it made a 
brilliant saber charge upon an overwhelming number of the enemy, 
at that time falling back from Westport. 

After the enemy was expelled from the State, the regiment again 
returned to the District of Southwest Missouri, and was judiciously 
distributed among the counties above named, for the purpose of sup- 
pressing lawlessness and preserving order. Company K, in Texas 
county, was very valuable to that section of country, operating 
against the marauders then infesting the Rolla district and the line of 
communication ])etween Rolla and Springfield, killing some forty-five 
of the most desperate outlaws and driving out the balance. The 
entire regiment was mustered out of service June 30, 1865. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

John B. Waddill. 
Late Major 16th Regiment Cavalry, Missouri Volunteers. 

The 7th Provisional Regiment became the 15th Mo. Cavalry, Col. 
John D. Allen commanding. 

NUMBER OF MEN IN THE FEDERAL SERVICE. 

By the 1st of January, 1864, there had enlisted from Greene coun- 
ty, in the Missouri volunteer regiments of the Federal army, 840 
men. In the Missouri State Militia there had enlisted 406 men. In 
regiments from other States, 141 men, making the total number of 
men from this county, who had joined the regular Federal service up 
to that date, 1,387. These men had joined the regiments named 
below to the number given. 



472 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS. 



Regiment. No. Enlisted. 

2d Missouri Infantry 4 

15th Missouri Infantry 2 

17th Missouri Infantry 1 

24th Missouri Infantry 145 

27th Missouri Infantry 36 

Ist Missouri Artillery 3 



Regiment. No. Enlisted. 

2d Missouri Artillery 199 

Ist Missouri Cavalry 15 

2d Missouri Cavalry 3 

6lh Missouri Cavalry 16 

8th Missouri Cavalry 306 

11th Missouri Cavalry 110 



Regiment. 
4th Cavalry, M. S. M. . 
14th Cavalry, M. S. M. 



MISSOURI STATE MILITIA. 



No. Enlisted. 

8 

400 



Regiment. 
8th Cavalry M. S. M. 



No. Enlisted- 
3 



REGIMENTS FROM OTHER STATES. 



Regiment. No. Enlisted. 

In Illinois Regiments 18 

In Kansas Regiments 26 



Regiment. No. Enlisted. 

In Iowa Regiment 1 

In Arkansas Regiments 101 



GUERILLA RAIDS THROUGH THE COUNTY. 

During the year 1863 roving bands of Confederate guerillas pass- 
ed through the county from time, but did no serious damage to life 
and property. In this year, 1864, however, some of these gangs did 
grievous mischief. Houses were plundered, and two or three burned 
and there were a few tragedies. In June two Federal soldiers, be- 
longing to the infantry, were killed on the wire road not far from the 
Wilson's Creek battle ground. They were sick or foot sore and had 
straggled behind from their command, which had been enffasred in 
guarding a train from Cassville to Springfield. It seemed that they 
had been taken out into the woods and shot, and one of the bodies 
had a heavy bruise on the temple, causing one of the eyes to start 
from its socket. Their boots were taken from their feet. As some 
of Col. Sid. Jackman's men were known to be in the neighborhood 
at the time, it was supposed that they had killed these men. 



KILLING OF JOSEPH COOPER. 

In the early spring Bill Anderson's band of guerillas passed 
through the northwest part of this county on its way from Texas 
(where it had wintered), to the counties along the Missouri river. 
Anderson, as is generally known, was one of the most bloody villains 
the war produced — and it produced a great many. He asked no 
quarter and he gave none. He was never known to spare but one 
Federal soldier or ex-Federal that fell into his hands. Withal he was 
one of the most fearless and desperate fighters that ever lived. 



I 



QISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 473 

Three miles from Cave Springs lived Joseph Cooper, a young man, 
perhaps 21 years of age. Mr. Cooper was a Union man, but not a 
soldier ; he had served a brief time in the enrolled militia, but his 
services were of an unimportant character. The majority of Ander- 
son's men were dressed in blue uniform, and easily imposed them- 
selves on Mr. Cooper as Federal soldiers. They secured his services 
as a guide, and took him up into Polk county, a short distance from 
the county line, and killed him. The body was not found for five or 
six days afterward, and when discovered was only recognized by the 
clothes. It is reported to have received mutilation of such a horril)le 
and revolting character as not to be described. 

Other raids were made from time to time by small squads of Free- 
man's, Jackman's, Carter's and other bands, but the operations, so 
far as this county was concerned, were chiefly confined to stealing 
horses, and robbing citizens indiscriminately, without regard to age, 
sex, or political opinions. These raids were uniformly made in the 
night-time, the raiders lying in the bushes by day, or traveling along 
sequestered roads and by-paths. 

THE FEDERAL RAIDERS AND JAYHAWKERS. 

The Confederate guerillas and bushwhackers did not have a 
monopoly of all the raiding and plundering and burning and killing in 
this county and throughout Southwest Missouri. There were num- 
bers of men in the Federal service who were guilty of atrocities for 
which there was hardly any adequate earthly punishment. Bands of 
them rode about through the country, and pouncing unawares upon 
some harmless Confederate sympathizer plundered him without re- 
morse and sometimes shot him without mercy. Sometimes these vil- 
lains called up men out of their beds and slew them in the presence 
of their terror-stricken families, and then put the torch to their 
homes. O, War! War! 

MURDER OF JAMES M. THOMPSON. 

During the fall of this year, October 5th, a most atrocious murder 
was perpetrated near Springfield. The victim was a Mr. James M. 
Thompson, a well-to-do, respectable citizen, living a few miles south 
of town. Mr. Thompson had taken the oath of 103'^alty, but was at ^ 
heart, perhaps, what was known as a ♦' Southern sympathizer. " 
However his politics had nothing to do with his murder. He was 
killed for his money, presumably. Mr. Thompson was a stock-dealer 



474 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 

and had recently returned from Ft. Leavenworth and St. Louis, 
•whither he had gone to dispose of some cattle. After returning to 
this county he told his wife that he would go to Springfield and with- 
draw what money he had in the hands of a certain party there. His 
money, or the greater part of it, is believed to have been in his pos- 
session at the time of his murder. He started for his home on horse- 
back unattended, *' but hame never came he. " A mile or so from 
town he was fired upon by some parlies in ambush and killed. 

Who the perpetrators of this murder were will perhaps never be 
certainly known. Gen. John B. Sanborn, in command of the dis- 
trict, with headquarters at Springfield, instructed his subordinates to 
find the guilty parties if possible, and strong circumstantial evidence 
was developed against certain parties living south of the James. In a 
letter to the writer Gen. Sanborn says : "The circumstantial evidence 
was, in my judgment, conclusive as to the parties who killed James 
Thompson, but I do not now remember their names. They lived 
south of the James. When I left I gave their names and the names 
of the witnesses to Col. Fyan [then prosecuting attorney]. Col. 
Henry Sheppard knew the men toward whom all the evidence pointed. 
I did not order them before a commission, for the reason that 
prejudice ran so high, and the evidence was wholly circumstantial. 
I expected to have one of the parties turn State's evidence in time, 
and, as the parties were in good standing, I had decided that I would 
not proceed until the evidence was conclusive. " 

Mr. Thompson was a good citizen and an honorable man, and the 
people of the county who knew him greatly deplored his loss. His 
widow was killed in the dreadful cyclone that visited the country in 
April, 1880. 

Mr. Thompson was one of the oldest citizens of the county. His 
father, Edward Thompson, settled in 1829, a little south of th« 
James, on what afterward came to be knoAvn as the John Caldwell 
farm. His relatives have their suspicions as to who are his mur- 
derers, but it is best not to give their opinion at this time. 

THK UNION LEAGUE. 

The secret political order called the Union League had an existence 
and flourished in Greene county during this year. While its avowed 
objects were the *' aiding and abetting by all honorable means of the 
Federal government in its efforts to put down the rebellion, " these 
purposes were prostituted to the worst uses, and the order was often 



1 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 475 

used for the gratification of private revenges, the wreaking of personal 
malice, and the perpetration of crime — all in the name of '* loyalty." 

In Springfield the Union League had a strong lodge, whose char- 
acter during this year became at times lawless, turbulent, fanatical, 
and Jacobinical. Some of the members were almost insane in their 
" loyalty." Its being a Presidential year added to the already intense 
excitement. The League declared for Lincoln and Johnson, and 
some of the members in their zeal went so far as to say that any 
man who voted for McClellan was an enemy to his country, a sympa- 
thizer with treason, and it would be only an exercise of great mercy 
if he were not taken out and shot. Some of these fanatics, four years 
before, had desired to hang everybody that wanted to vote for Lin- 
coln, and now wished to hang everybody that desired to vote against 
him ! 

From a reliable source, a former member of the League, it is learned 
that at one meeting it was proposed that a number of prominent 
McClellan men be " removed " for the good of the cause, as they 
were said to be *' obstructionists in the way of putting down the rebel- 
lion and punishing traitors," and it was agreed that all such obstacles 
ought to be displaced, and that the end would justify the means. 
Among those named as proper subjects for '* removal " were Col. John 
S. Phelps, Col. F. S. Jones, Hon. D. C. Dade and Hon. M. J. Hub- 
ble. Happily other sensible members of the League denounced all 
such sanguinary and incendiary schemes and schemers, and nothing 
serious came of them. Gen. Sanborn was often roundly denounced 
by some of the extra-loyalists for his conservatism and care of the 
rights of all, " secesh"and Union citizens alike, and that officer was 
often put to his wits to keep in proper subjection some of the Leaguers 
without a resort to the most violent means. 

GEN. Sanborn's administration. 

Among all of the Federal military commanders at Springfield, Gen. 
John B. Sanborn seems now to be most kindly remembered. His ad- 
ministration of affairs was at a most critical period, in 1864-5, when 
the passions of men were most violently inflamed by the war, and they 
were the most difficult of control. The soldiery had become accus- 
tomed to scenes of violence and disorder, and the citizens were as 
hard to manage as the soldiers. Some loyalists were fanatical, some 
secessionists were desperate. Oftentimes the general was assailed by 
extreme radical Union men for his protection of the persons and prop- 



476 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

erty of " rebels " from those who wished to " vex the Midianites, " to 
spoil them and spare not, and again the Confederate partisans would 
denounce him for his unrelenting pursuit of bushwhackers, who were 
rendering so much property insecure, and so many lives unsafe. 

But Gen Sanborn kept steadily on his course of repressing and re- 
pelling the violent of both factions, of protecting the good and punish- 
ing the bad, and with a wise conservatism so managed affairs that at 
last all but the most disreputable endorsed him, and to-day he is given 
great praise by men of all parties and former shades of opinion. 

THE POLITICAL CANVASS OF 1864. 

Amid all the turmoil of the war the political canvass of 1864 went 
on as usual, except that it was largely one-sided. The Republicans of 
the county had grown in four years from 42 to hundreds, and the 
Democratic party was well nigh extinct. It was a *' Presidental 
year," too. Gen. George B. McClellan and Hon. Geo. H. Pendle- 
ton were the candidates of the Democratic party, and Abraham Lin- 
coln and Andrew Johnson were the nominees of the Republican party, 
for President and Vice President. Both the Republican and the 
Democratic candidate for Presidential elector from this district were 
from Greene county. Hon. H. J. Lindenbower was the Lincoln can- 
didate for elector and Hon. Dabney C. Dade was his opponent on the 
McClellan ticket. 

There were four candidates for Congress in this district. Col. S. 
H. Boyd, the then incumbent, and Capt. John R. Kelso, of the 8th 
Cavalry M. S. M., were running as Radical Republicans; Martin J. 
Hubble, of this county, was voted for by the Democrats or McClellan 
men, while Dr. P. B. Larimore, of Bolivar, as frequently before, was 
an "independent" candidate. There were full tickets in the field for 
minor officers. 

A very exciting contest was that for Congressman, the fight being really 
between Boyd and Kelso. Boyd was well known throughout the dis- 
trict, but his opponent had only come into public notice after the war. 
Capt. Kelso was a singular man. He was an old resident of Missouri, 
and by occupation a school teacher. By his own efforts he had ac- 
quired a first-class education, and it is said of him that, besides being 
master of the exact sciences, he spoke five languages with extraordi- 
nary fluency. Before the war Capt. Kelso had lived in Polk county. 
Upon the breaking out of the troubles he took the Union side and in 
the summer of 1861 was made major of the Dallas County Home 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 477 

Guards. Afterwards he was a 1st lieutenant in Kichardson's 14th 
M. S. M., and was transferred to the 8th M. S. M., in which he be- 
came captain of Company M. 

From all accounts Kelso was a desperate fighter, and a desper- 
ate man. He did a great deal of scouting service for the Fed- 
eral army throughout Southern and Southwest Missouri and 
Northern Arkansas, and experienced numerous exciting and perilous 
adventures. He was fanatical in his Unionism, held all Confeder- 
ates to be traitors, guilty of treason and deserving death. It is 
said of him that he killed many a man without cause. Stories are 
told of him that make him appear a Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones 
sort of fellow, fit only to be denominated a monster, and entitled 
only to execration. Doubtless some of these stories are exaggera- 
tions, but the fact remains that Kelso was a " bad man, " and held 
human life in very cheap estimation. In this day Capt. Kelso would 
have been called a " crank. " Much learning had made him mad. 
He was a transcendentalist and was well versed in all the dogmas of 
the schools of modern thought. It is said that he always carried a 
book of some sort in his saddle pockets, and frequently engaged in 
the study of mental philosophy and the subtletieis of metaphysics 
while lying in the Ijrush by the roadside waiting to " get the drop " 
on a " rebel ! " He believed in diet and plenty of exercise as brain- 
producing elements, practiced them himself, and forced his wife and 
daughter to adopt the Bloomer costume. 

But with all of his whims and failings, Kelso had hosts of friends 
and admirers, especially among the soldiers, and succeeded to 
Congress over his competitors by a handsome plurality. He found 
time to make a canvass of the district, and, though it was charged that 
questionable means were used to elect him, and though his seat was 
contested by Col. Boyd, there were many who rejoiced at his suc- 
cess, and he retained his place in Congress to the end of the term. 

THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1864. 

The following was the result of the November election in this coun- 
ty this year, in the aggregate, it not being possible to give the vote by 
townships and military commands : 

For President. — For the Lincoln electors, 2223 ; for the McClel- 
lan electors, 346. Kepublican majority, 1877. 

For Congress.— S. H. Boyd (Rep.), 1129 ; John R. Kelso (Rep.), 
995 ; M. J. Hubble (Dem.), 228; P. B. Larimore (Ind.), 1. 



478 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

For State Senator. —J. W. D. L. F. Mack (Rep.), 1146 ; J. M. 
Moore (Ind.), 674. 

For the Constitutional Convention^ 1651; against, 302. 

For Delegates to Con. Convention. — John A. Mack, 1543 ; R. L. 
Childers, 1485. 

For Representatives in State Legislature. — T. A. Reed, 972 ; S. W. 
Headlee, 1359 ; Green B. Phillips, 334 ; C. Cannefax, 277 ; Chas. B. 
Owen, 282. 

For County Treasurer. — James M. Abbott, 933; no opposition. 

For Sherif. — John A. Patterson, 1325 ; H. Matlock, 215. 

For Circuit Attorney. — John R. Cox, 871 ; J. F. Hardin, 305 ; 
James M. Morehouse, 7. 

For (7o>mer.— James F. Brown, 37; P. C. Beal, 16; J. C. Pil- 
ger, 12. 

For County Justice. — Benjamin Kite, 1055; Joseph Roimtree» 
195. 

Every township in the county went Republican. Pond Creek cast 
90 votes for Lincoln ; not one for a Democratic candidate. What a 
change in the political complexion of the county had occurred in four 
years, on account of the war, the Gamble oath and Federal bay- 
onets ! Though it must not be inferred that there was any mili- 
tary interference in this election in this county. 

"COME ON WITH YOUR DRAFT." 

In the fall of this year the Federal Administration decided upon 
ordering a universal draft. While the matter was under discussion a 
telegram was sent to Gov. Bramlette, of Kentucky, advising him of 
the step that was about to be taken, and asking him how he thought 
it would aft'ect his State. To this the Governor replied : " Come on 
with your draft ; it won't hurt us. Kentucky's quota is full, on both 
sides/" Greene county might have made a similar response ; /^er 
quota was " full " — and, indeed, running over a little on one side — 
and almost, if not quite, full on the other. While there was great 
ado in the so-called " loyal" States over the draft, and in many dis- 
tricts, extremely patriotic, there were great deficiencies, and substi- 
tutes and exemptions were in most extraordinary demand, Greene 
county, away down in Southwest Missouri, up to December 19, 1864, 
had furnished to the Union army all the men demanded of her — and 
a surplus of 392 besides! The 4th congressional district, comprising 
21 counties in this part of the State, had a surplus of 2,455 men over 
its quota. 

In the Confederate army, too, Greene county was well represented, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. A79 

and by right its qnotA was hiW on that side — save that the Confed- 
erate authorities had ordered a universal draft through all of the Con- 
federate States, of which, it was claimed, Missouri was one, under the 
Neosho ordinance of secession. 

OTHER EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1864. 

Throughout the year 1864 Greene county was under military oc- 
cupation by the Federal troops, who were to be found in every quar- 
ter at any time. They passed up and down the wire road to and from 
Cassvilleand RoUa, from time to time, as they were wanted in North- 
western Arkansas or in the Army of Tennessee. Every few days a 
military train of some sort passed through the county. Sometimes a 
train would consist of artillery and ammunition therefor, from field 
pieces to 32-pounders ; sometimes it would contain provisions and 
forage ; sometimes ammunition ; sometimes sick and wounded ; some- 
times nothing but empty wagons. 

Troops, too, were constantly arriving and departing, infantry, cav- 
alry and artillery. The wire road was kept hot by the feet of tramp- 
ing soldiers. Every road in the county, too, was traversed by scout- 
ing parties of cavalry that roamed about to keep the country clear of 
bushwhackers and marauders, but sometimes themselves turned bush- 
whackers and marauders. 

At the time when Gen. Price made his celebrated raid into Mis- 
souri, in the latter part of September of this year, there was great ex- 
citement at Springfield. Gen. Sanborn was in command of the post 
at the time, and he was at once ordered to the front. He took with 
him the 2d Arkansas, the 15th and 16th Missouri cavalry, and some 
other troops and went to Jefferson City, which place he successfully 
defended from the attacks of Gen. Price, and then, when the latter 
went westward, followed him, and was engaged in all the important 
battles of the great " raid " which resulted so disastrously for the 
Confederates. During the progress of this raid there was great 
uneasiness felt at Springfield lest the Confederates should some- 
how and sometime soon come upon the town and capture it. 
Sharp lookouts were kept upon all the roads leading to town, 
and pickets were extra vigilant far out in the interior and every- 
where. 

September 25, a newspaper, called the Missouri Patriot, was es- 
tablished at Springfield by A. F. Ingram. The Patriot succeeded 
the Missourian. It was Republican in politics. 



480 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

1865 MISCELLANEOUS. 

On the 14th of Januuiy Hosea G. Mullings was appointed by Gov- 
ernor Fletcher bi-igadier-general of the militia in the room of Gen. 
Holland, whose commission was revoked January 12, 1865. 

On the 20th of January Capt. J. T. Hubbard was appointed pro- 
vost marshal of Springfield in the room of Col. J. M. Richardson, re- 
signed. There was a force of Federal troops in and about the city, 
and a strong provost guard was necessary for the preservation of good 
order. 

January 21 the Radicals held a large meeting in Springfield to cele- 
brate the passage of the emancipation ordinance by the State conven- 
tion. The ordinance was passed January 11, by a vote of 60 to 4 . 
The delegate from this county, Hon. John A. Mack, voted for it. 
The four negative votes were cast by Hon. S. A. Gilbert, of Phitte, 
Thos. B. Han-is, of Callaway, Wm. A. Morton, of Clay, and Wm. F. 
Switzler, of Boone. In 1860 the number of slaves in this county was 
1,677, but by this time there were probably not more than 500, the 
remainder having " gone off" with the war," as it was expressed. 

The troops at Springfield made several scouting expeditions through- 
out the county during this winter, but with no important results. A 
few bushwhackers vv^ere encountered and some of them killed. Only 
one or two were killed in this county, however. No quarter was 
shown on either side during these raids. Sometimes the scouts 
were extended down into Boone, Marion and other counties in Ar- 
kansas. 

In March a census of the county was taken, which showed the 
population to be as follows: White, 12,829; colored, 584; refugees, 
476 ; total, 13,899. Five years before the population had been : 
Whites, 11,509; slaves, 1,677; total, 13,186. The county therefore 
showed an increase of 713 in five years, notwithstanding the casualties 
of war. 

The early spring of this year was unusually wet and cold, and the 
season was backward and unpropitious, but, notwithstanding, the few 
farmers in the county l>egan to plow and sow, although it was not 
certai)! l)ut that another should reap. The news from the chief seats 
of war and all the signs of the times, indicated that the war would 
soon be over, but these signs and tok(Mis had all appeared before, and 
many had been deceived thereby. Not until the middle of May and 
the 1st of June was planting finished in this county. 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 481 

*' RICHMOND HAS FALLEN ! " 

About the 1st of April news came to Springfield that Lee's army in 
Virginia was in a bad way. April 9, four years, lacking three days-, 
from the capture of Ft. Sumter by the Confederates, Gen. Lee sur- 
rendered to Gen. Grant at Appomattox. A few days previously 
Richmond had been occupied by the Federal troops, and on the nio-ht 
of the 10th of April the Union people of the county had a grand cele- 
bration at Springfield, Avhich was participated in by soldiers and 
citizens. The town was illuminated, a salute of 200 guns from the 
forts was fired, and orders were issued that any sober man found on 
the streets after 9 o'clock should be fined, and forced to drink a liberal 
portion of his fine ! 

The hearts of the Southern sympathizers of the county now sank 
heavy. It was now plainly evident that a bad iuvestment had been 
made when stock was taken in the Confederacy ; for it was clearly 
a|3parent that defeat, utter and complete and overwhelming, would 
soon overtake those who followed the stars and bars. The Confed- 
erate people of. the county became resigned to the inevitable, and 
waited patiently for the end. 

THE WAR OVER. 

» 

And the end soon came. A few days after Lee had surrendered to 
Grant, Gen. Joe Johnston's army surrendered to Gen. Sherman, and 
May 13, Kirby Smith's Trans-Mississippi Army, except a portion of 
Shelby's brigade and some other Missourians, gave up to Canbv. 
Gen. Price, Gen, Shelby, and certain other Confederate Missourians 
to the number of 500 or more went to Mexico for awhile. Very soon 
thereafter the Confederate soldiers began to return to their Missouri 
homes. Many passed through this county, and a few lived here. In 
most instances the vanquished men in gray were allowed to return to 
their homes in peace, but occasionally some brute or brutes in blue 
who shamed the name of soldiers insulted and abused them ; and 
rarely, but yet sometimes, the returned "rebel" was made to leave 
the country, or taken out and shot, in retaliation, as alleged, for 
some outrage perpetrated by bushwhackers or regular Confederates 
during the war. Happily there were not many enormities of this sort 
perpetrated on returned Confederates in this county, and in no 
instance was any man murdered solely because he had been a Con- 
federate soldier. 

31 



482 HISTORY OF GREENK COUNTY. 

TRAGEDIES, MURDERS, ETC., OF THE WAR. 

This history is nothing if it is not impartial and faithfnl, and 
although it is painful to set down and record certain events, it is better 
to do so than to ignore them, and make pretense that they never 
occurred. Some horrid crimes were perpetrated in this county during 
the civil wai'. There was scarcely a settlement in which one or more 
atrocious murders were not perpetrated to blacken the page of its 
histor3^ So far as reliable particulars of these enormities have been 
obtained these atrocities have been noted and wdll be found in the 
township histories, or in the general history. Where no particu- 
lars could be learned, it would not have been of either interest or 
l^rofit to mention them. 

MILITARY EXECUTIONS DURING THE WAR. 

From time to time during the war military executions took place 
at Springfield, the subjects uniformly being Federal soldiers, 
guilty of murder, robbery, desertion, and the like. Two soldiers 
were shot in 1863 near the Fulbright spring for desertion to the 
enemy. 

In 1864, a soldier belonging to the regular army murdered a half 
crazy citizen out on the Fayetteville road for his money. He w^as 
tried by court martial, sentenced to be shot, and executed out south 
of town, near the residence of Mrs. Ovven. He died " game " enough 
to delight the most misanthropic admii'er of indifference to death. 
Being taken out of jail, he assisted in placing in the wagon his coflSn, 
on which he rode carelessly enough to the place of execution. Being 
placed in position to be shot, he took " the position of a soldier " in 
front of a stake or post, head erect, heels on a line, -little fingers ex- 
tended along the seams of his pants, and gazing with steady gaze 
fairly in the faces of his executioners. The officer in command of the 
firing-party gave the word, " Make ready — take aim " — the doomed 
man raised his right arm and pointed to his heart with a suggestive 
motion, as if he said, " aim here" — then, " Fivel " Six muskets 
crashed, and the soldier did not drop suddenly, but sank slowly down 
by the post, his heart split into fragments and his breast torn all 
to pieces. 

One member of the 4th M. S. M. was shot for deserting to Sid. 
Jackman and engaging in bushwhacking. He was executed over north 
of town, near where North Springfield now is. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 483 

EXECUTION OF LIEUTENANT BROWNLEE. 

In 1863 a Confederate guerilla or bushwhacker (although he may 
have been a regular Confederate) named Charles Brownlee, was tried 
and convicted bv a military commission at Boonville of bemg en- 
gaged in murder, robbery, and burning houses in which people were 
living at the time. These offenses were committed in Moniteau and 
Cooper counties. Brownlee himself lived in Moniteau. The com- 
mission that tried Brownlee sentenced him to be shot, and Gen. 
Schofield, then in command of the department of Missouri, approved 
both finding and sentence, but before the latter could be executed, 
Brownlee, who was confined in the Boonville jail, made his escape, 
it was said through the efforts of his sweetheart, and got safely away 
into Arkansas, where he joined the Confederate army, becoming a 
lieutenant. 

In the eiiY\y spring of 1865 (some say March, some say April, 
some say Mav), Brownlee was making his wa}'^ up into Central Mis- 
souri from Arkansas, and passed through Greene county. Up in Polk 
county he was captured by a scouting party and brought to Spring- 
field. Here he was recognized by some of the officers who had tried 
him at Boonville, as Brownlee, the bushwhacker, etc. A telegram 
was sent at once to St. Louis, to Gen. G. M. Dodge, asking him 
what disposition should be made of the prisoner. Promptly came 
the answer : " Carry out the sentence of the commission and shoot 
him." Another telegram was sent, explaining matters, but back 
came the answer; " Shoot him at once; he is not a regular Confed- 
erate soldier." 

Brownlee himself prepared a written appeal to Gen. Sanborn, asking 
that his sentence mio:ht be commuted to banishment durinoj the war. 
This paper was afterwards printed and copies of it circulated through 
the county. It was a very piteous supplication for clemency, and 
moved many a sentimental Southern woman to tears. Of course it 
was not in Gen. Sanborn's power to grant the commutation asked for, 
but it is doubtful that if, even had he been invested with the authority, 
he would have done so, since he refused to recommend him to the clem- 
ency of Gen. Dodge, saying, " I shoot my own murderers and robbers 
and house-burners, and I can't show any favors to the enemy's 
rascals that I won't grant to my own." 

Lieut. Brownlee (the fact that he held a commission in the Con- 
federate ami}' is denied) was taken out south of town, and shot 



484 HisTOKY OF gkep:ne county. 

the next dav after Dodije scut back the fatal mcssacre on the 10th of 
May. Whether he died bravely or how he died, cannot now be 
learned, as there seems to be no one now living in the county who 
was present at the execution, or at least will admit it. 

There are those, even among the ex-Federal officers, who knew all 
the facts of Brownlee's case, who think the ends of justice would 
have been satisfied had Brownlee's sentence been mitigated or com- 
muted to banishment or life imprisonment, or even imprisonment for 
a term of years. Many of the ex-Confederate sympathizers do not 
hesitate to denounce the execution as a " military murder." 



CHAPTER XIV. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM APRIL, 1865, TO 1870. 

1865. — "The Martyr President" — New Appointments — Adoption of the "Drake" C. in- 
stitution — Vote on the Question in Greene County — The Famous 3d Section — The 
"Oath of Loyalty," etc. — Miscellaneous Matters in the Summer of 1865 — August — 
September — The Soldiers' Orphans' Home — Good-Bye to the Boys in Blue — The 
Last Armed Federal Soldier Leaves the County — October — November — Miscellane- 
ous County Court Proceedings. 1866. — Supervisors of Registration — Radical Mass Meet- 
ing — A Shooting Scrape — The Reign of the Regulators — Details of the Murder of 
Capt. G. B. Phillips — Hangmg of Rush and Gorsuch — Parade of the Regulators — 
Murder of Rev. S. S. Headlee — The November Election — County Court Proceedings — 
Miscellany. 1867. — Items — Killing of James Simpson by Kindred Rose — Killing of 
Perry Lewis by Samuel Massej' — Murder of Judge H. C. Christian by Texas "Aveng- 
ers " — Escape of the " Avengers " — Singular Suicide — Board of Immigration — Lo- 
cation of the National Cemetery. 1868. — Statistics — Storms and Floods — The 
Political Campaign of 1868. — Abstract of the Vote at the November Election — 
Miscellaneous Incidents. 1869 — Items — The Memphis, Springfield and Kansas 
City Railroad — Editors in Council — Statistics — Organization and History of the Con- 
federate Burial Association — Tragedies of 1869 — Killing of Willis Wynn by Wm. 
Birt — Murder of John Marshall — Fatal Runaway. 

"THE MARTYR PRESIDENT." 

The news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received in 
Greene county with profound regret. In Springfield many business 
houses were closed, and the town was generally draped in mourning. 
April 18th, funeral ceremonies in honor of the distinguished dead 
were held. There were speeches and addresses, a procession, etc, A 
few rantankerous Confederate sympathizers in the county expressed 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 485 

their delight and satisfaction because the President had been killed, 
and a few "torn-fool" Radicals wanted to show their great grief by 
killing every unarmed " rebel sympathizer," but the great majority of 
the people behaved with becoming propriety during the excitement. 

NEW APPOINTMENTS. 

In April, under the " ousting ordinance " of the State Constitution, 
Gov. Fletcher removed M. J. Hubble (Democrat), clerk of the cir- 
cuit court, and appointed R. A. C. Mack (Radical) in his stead. Mr. 
Mack had previously been school commissioner. Col. J. W. Lisen- 
by was appointed clerk of the county, probate and common pleas 
courts ; the last two named courts had been united by another ordi- 
nance. Col. L. entered on his duties May 1. 

May 11, Hon. S. H. Boyd was appointed by Gov. Fletcher circuit 
judge for this court, vice Judge Waddill, removed. Maj. Robt. W. 
Fyan was appointed prosecuting attorney. All of the new appointees 
were Radical Republicans. When it came to holding offices in those 
days, no Democrat needed to apply. Judges Bay and Dryden, of the 
Supreme Court (Democrats), who had been elected in 1863, were 
removed by force, being phiced under arrest by the police of St. 
Louis for refusing to vacate when ordered, they holding the ousting 
ordinance to be unconstitutional. Those who were removed in Greene 
county submitted without an audible murmur ! 

ADOPTION OF THE DRAKE CONSTITUTION. 

On the 18th of April, the State Convention, by a vote of 38 to 14, 
adopted an entirely new constitution of the State, which was to be pre- 
sented to the voters for adoption on the 6th of June. For this constitu- 
tion Mr. Mack, the delegate from Greene, voted. The canvass which 
succeeded was one of great bitterness. Although the war was practically 
over, all of the regular Confederate armies having surrendered, and 
the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, a close prisoner, yet a few 
guerillas and bushwhackers continued in existence in this State, to 
the detriment of the peace and safety of the sections which they 
infested. The presence of these villains furnished an excuse for keep- 
ing bands of the military in the field, in many counties, to " preserve 
the peace," hold the guerillas in check, and punish them for dis- 
orders. 

All of those who had participated in, or given any sort of voluntary 
aid or encouragement to, the rebellion or the Confederate cause, were, 



486 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

by the 3d section of the proposed new constitution, debarred from votini^ 
or holding office, as well as from teaching, preaching, practicing law, 
etc. And all such were prohibited from voting for or against the 
adoption of the constitution! A spirit of unrest and malevolence, 
hatred and ill-will, prevailed among our people, and the character of 
the issues discussed, to say nothing of the discussions themselves, was 
not calculated to restore an era of good feeling, or cause the two fac- 
tious to make haste to clasp hands over the bloody chasm. Hundreds of 
our tax-payers, many of them old and honored citizens, non-combatants 
durino- the war and men of education and influence, were disfran- 
chised by the 3d section, and denied the privilege of the ballot in the 
decision of the great issue before the State — that issue being the 
adoption or rejection of an organic law, which was to govern them 
and their children after them. 

On the other hand, the Radicals and friends of the new constitu- 
tion maintained that citizens who, by overt or covert acts, had 
attempted to destroy their government ; who had, by fighting against 
the Federal government, "committed treason," or in deeds, words 
and sympathy, given encouragement to those who had, were not and 
could not be proper recipients of the ballot. It was further alleged 
that, had the Confederate armies succeeded, and Missouri become in 
fact and indeed one of the Confederate States, then every Union man 
in the State might have considered himself truly fortunate if he had 
been allowed to live in Missouri ; that no Union soldier, or militia- 
man, or those who had sympathized with either, would have l)een 
allowed a vote ; and that, in all probability. Gen. Price's threat, made 
in the fall of 1861, would have been carried out — and the 
$250,000,000 worth of property belonging to the Union people of the 
State would have been confiscated for the benefit of those who had 
remained loyal to the Confederate cause, and suffered thereby, etc., 
etc. 

In the whole State only 85,478 votes (including soldiers' votes), 
were cast at the election adopting the new constitution, as follows : 
For, 43,670; against, 41,808; majority for, 1,862 — a very small 
majority, indeed, to decide so important a question. The constitu- 
tion went into effect on the 4th of July following. At this election, 
Greene county cast a much larger vote than many of her sister coun- 
ties with equal or larger population. The following was the vote by 
townships, showing an overwhelming majority in favor of the consti- 
tution. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 487 

VOTE ON THE DRAKE CONSTITUTION, JUNE 6, 1865. 

Townships and Military Company. For. Against. 

Campbell. 1st Precinct, 174 31 

" 2d " 272 94 

Boone 69 5 

Cass 76 2 

Clay 64 1 

Center 42 9 

Jackson 82 29 

Pond Creek 62 3 

Kobberson ^ 114 20 

Taylor 92 

Wilson 22 14 

Second Battalion 14th Mo. Cavalry 12 

Total 1,071 208 

Majority for the constitution, 863. 

THE THIRD SECTION OF THE DRAKE CONSTITUTION. 

" The 3d section," frequently mentioned in these pages, referred 
to section 3 of article 2 of the constitution known as Drake's constitu- 
tion,^ or the constitution of 1865. This section was as follows : — 

ARTICLE II. RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE. 

Sec. 3. At any election held by the people under this constitution, 
or in pursuance of any law of this State, or any ordinance or by-law 
of an}^ municipal corporation, no person shall be deemed a qualified 
voter who has ever been in armed hostility to the United States, or to 
the lawful authorities thereof, or to the government of this State ; or 
has ever given aid, comfort, countenance, or support to persons en- 
gaged in any such hostility ; or has ever, in any manner, adhered to 
the enemies, foreign or domestic, of the United States, either by con- 
tributing to them, or by unlawfully sending within their lines money, 
goods, letters, or information ; or has ever disloyal!}^ held commuiii- 
cation with such enemies, or has ever advised, or aided any person to 
enter the service of such enemies ; or has ever, by act or word, mani- 
fested his adherence to the cause of such enemies, or his desire for 
their triumph over the armies of the United States, or his sympathy 
with those engaged in exciting or carrying on rebellion against the 
United States; or has ever, except under overpowering compulsion, 
submitted to the authority, or been in the service of the so-called 
" Confederate States of America ;" or has ever left this State, and gone 
within the lines of the armies of the so-called " Confederate States ot 
America " with the purpose of adhering to said States or armies, or 
has ever been a member of, or connected with, any order, society, or 
organization inimical to the government of the United States, or to 
the government of this State ; or has ever been engaged in guerilla 

' So-called because the leading spirit in its construction was Hon. Chas. D. Drake, of 
St. Louis, who, prior to the war, was a strong pro-slavery man. 



488 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

warfare agjii list loy:il inhabitants of the United States, or in that de- 
scription of niarandiiiix commonly known as " l)ushwhacking ;" or has 
ever knowingly or willingly harbored, aided, or countenanced any 
person so engaged ; or has ever come into, or has ever left this State 
for the purpose of avoiding enrollment for, or draft into the military 
service of the United States ; or has ever, with a view to avoid enroll- 
ment in the militia of this State, or to escape the performance of duty 
therein, or for any other purpose, enrolled himself, or authorized him- 
self to be enrolled, by or before any officer as disloyal or as a southern 
sympathizer, or in any other terms indicated his disaffection to the 
government of the United States in its contest with the rebellion, or 
his sympathy with those engaged in such rebellion, or having ever 
voted at any election by the people of this State, or in any other of 
the United States, or in any of their territories, or held office in this 
State, or any other of the United States, or in any of their territories, 
or under the United States, shall thereafter have sought or received, 
under claim of alienage, the protection of any foreign government, 
through any consul, or other officer thereof, in order to secure exemp- 
tion from military duty in the militia of this State, or in the army of 
the United States ; nor shall au}^ such person be capable of holding in 
this State any office of honor, trust, or profit under its authority ; or of 
beins: anv officer, councilman, director, trustee, or other manao:er of 
any corporation, public or private, now existing, or hereafter estab- 
lished by its authority ; or of acting as a professor or teacher in any 
educational institution, or in any common or other school ; or of hold- 
ing any real estate or any property in trust for the use of church, 
religious society, or congregation. 

But the foregoing provisions in relation to acts done against the 
United States, shall not apply to any person not a citizen thereof, who 
shall have committed such acts while in the service of some foreign 
country at war with the United States, and who has, since such acts, 
been naturalized, or may hereafter be naturalized under the laws of 
the United States ; and the oath of loyalty hereafter prescribed, 
when taken by any such person, shall be considered as taken in such 
sense. 

The " oath of loyalty" to be taken pursuant to the foregoing sec- 
tion was as follows : — 

I, A. B., do solemnly swear that I am well acquainted with the 
terms of the third section of the second article of the constitution of 
the State of Missouri, adopted in the year 1865, and have carefully 
considered the same ; that I have never, directly or indirectly, done 
any of the acts in said section specified ; that I have always been truly 
and loyally on the side of the United States, against all enemies 
thereof, foreign and domestic ; that I will bear true faith and allegi- 
ance to the United States, and will support the constitution and laws 
thereof as the supreme law of the land, any law or ordinance of any 



\ 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 489 

State to the contrary notwithstanding ; that I will, to the best of my 
ability, protect and defend the Union of the United States, and not 
allow the same to be broken up and dissolved, or the government 
thereof to be destroyed or overthrown, under any circumstances, if in 
my power to prevent it ; that I will support the constitution of the 
State of Missouri, and that I make this oath without any mental reserva- 
tion or evasion, and hold it to be binding upon me. 

The following are other choice extracts from Article II of the 
*' Draconian code," referring to the oath of loyalty : — 

Sec. 9. No person shall assume the duties of any State, county, 
city, town, or other office, to which he may be appointed, otherwise 
than by a vote of the people ; nor shall any person, after the expira- 
tion of sixty days after this constitution takes effect, be permitted to 
practice as an attorney or counselor at law ; nor, after that time, shall 
any person be competent as a bishop, priest, deacon, minister, elder, 
or other clergyman of any religious persuasion, sect, or denomina- 
tion, to teach, or preach, or solemnize marriages ; unless such person 
shall have first taken, subscribed and filed said oath. 

Sec. 11. Every court in which any person shall be summoned to 
serve as a grand or petit juror, shall require him, before he is sworn 
as a juror, to take said oath in open court ; and no person refusing to 
take the same shall serve as a juror. 

No wonder the ex-Confederates and those who sympathized with 
them hated intensely the Drake constitution, and still retain vivid and 
bitter memories of the days when it was in force. Happily those days 
have passed! and with them nearly all of the bitterness and animosi- 
ties then engendered. 

By another section of Article II. every person holding any of- 
fice of honor, trust, or profit in this State, whether under the authority 
of the State or any municipal corporation, was required to take the 
oath within 60 days after the adoption of the constitution. By Au- 
gust 15 no less than 87 office-holders in this county had complied 
with the law in this particular. 

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS DURING 1865. 

Owing to the presence at Springfield of large quantities of govern- 
ment stores, the general hospital for the Army of the Frontier, and 
the fact that it was headquarters for the district of Springfield, com- 
manded by Gen. John B. Sanborn, troops were stationed here until 
in the fall of the year, growing smaller by degrees and beautifully 



490 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

less each month, however. On the 18th of May Gen. Mullings ac- 
cepted the appointment of colonel of the 12th regiment of " Missonri 
Militia," or M. M., an organization gotten up in 1865 to "preserve 
the peace." There were two regiments of the " M. M." organized in 
Greene county. Jacob Hursh was colonel of the other regiment — 
the 13th. Gen. Mullings was placed in command of all the militia in 
this district. 

In June a church building belonging to the negroes of Springfield 
was burned by an inceiidiary fire. It had been used as a school build- 
ing for some time. 

About the first of the month there was quite a temperance revival 
in the place, a reformation badly needed at that time, as there were a 
great many hard characters in the town then, and consequently much 
drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Gamblers, thieves, bnllies and 
prostitutes infested the place, and came near running it, despite the 
provost guards and the orders of the military commandants. On 
the 20th the soldiers got drunk, quarreled and fought among them- 
selves, and one of them, without provocation, shot a negro named 
Dick Hornbuckle. 

June 9th, the citizens met and passed resolutions complimentary to 
Gen. John B. Sanborn, who had been ordered from the command of 
the district of Springfield to go against the Indians in Colorado. Gen. 
S.'s administration in Springfield gave very general satisfaction, and 
to this day he has many friends and admirers in Greene county. 
Gen. Sanborn was succeeded in the command of the district by Brig.- 
Gen. McKean, who came in June 20. 

On the 25th of June about 75 ex-Confederates, from the old trans- 
Mississippi army, passed through the county on their way to their 
homes in various parts of the Southwest. They were kindly treated 
by the Federal soldiers at Springfield. 

July 6th one battalion of the 14th Missouri cavalry, Col. Gravelly's 
regiment, which had been stationed in this county for some time, left 
for Fort Riley, Kansas, intending to accompany Gen. Sanborn against 
the Indians. — During the summer many bodies of Federal troops 
were ordered to Springfield to be paid off and mustered out of ser- 
vice. July 13, two regiments were so disposed of. — About the 1st 
of July the stage made its first regular trip between Springfield and 
Neosho since 1861. — During the months of June and July Col. John 
D. Allen, 16th Missouri cavalry; Col. Thos. Derry, 2d Wisconsin 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



491 



cavalry ; Col. Dudley Seward and Maj. Albert Barnitz, the two latter 
of the 2d Ohio cavalry, were successively in command of thejpos^ or 
sub-district of Springfield. The 2d Wisconsin left for Fort Leaven- 
worth July 20th.— On the 27th the general hospital at Springfield 
was reduced to a post hospital, and placed in charge of Dr. Moxley. 
Dr. H. S. Chenoweth had been relieved as surgeon of the post some 
days before and returned to his practice in this county. 

August. — The men in the employ of the government at Springfield 
were few, but they were turbulent and some of them very wicked. 
August 4, in a quarrel, Jerome Leeper, a bad character and in the 
government service, shot and killed another employee, a man 45 years 
of age, from Iowa. Leeper had been released from confinement in 
the stockade, only a few days before. He made good his escape. — 
August 10, the fourth anniversary of the battle of Wilson's Creek, the 
siege guns which had been planted in the forts at Springfield were 
started for Kolla, escorted by two companies of the 2d Ohio cavaliy. 
Other ordnance and the ordnance stores soon followed. In a few days 
four other companies of the 2d Ohio left for St. Louis to be mustered 
out. There were left behind four other companies of the same regi- 
ment to oruard the other government stores left behind, and it was 
announced that as soon as these stores should be disposed of the sol- 
diers would leave. Military encampments and buildings now began 
to disappear quite rapidly. The soldier's occupation was gone, and 
he began to beat his sword into a plowshare and fashion his bayonet 
into a pruning hook. — August 10 a meeting was held at the court- 
house in Springfield for the formation of a society whose purpose 
should be the erection of a monument on the Wilson's Creek battle 
ground to the memory of the Federals who had fallen there four years 
before to a day. Jacob Baughman presided over this meeting, and 
Judge S. H. Boyd was secretary. An organization was effected by 
the choice of R. J. McElhany as president of the association, John A. 
Mack vice president, and other prominent citizens as members. 
Nothino; ever came of the matter of a substantial character. 

September. — About the 1st of this month, a school mistress, ply- 
ing her profession in this county, was forced to give up her school 
because she could not take the " oath of loyalty " required by the 
Drake constitution, inasmuch as she had sympathized with the Con- 
federate cause. At the same time it was believed that other teachers 
were at work with far less scruples about the binding force of the oath. 
On the 18th there was a great sale of government property at Spring- 



492 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

field by Quartermaster R. B. Owen. There were sold for cash 460 
head of horses, 35 mules, 17 oxen, 322 sets of harness, 56 wagons, 
blacksmiths' and carpenters' tools, etc., etc. The horses, many of 
them good ones, brought an average of about $40 a piece. — During 
this month corn fell to 20 cents per bushel ; meal, 50 cents ; potatoes, 
50 cents, and other articles of produce sold in proportion. Owing to 
the fondness of the soldiers for fresh pork, when they were here, 
there was a great scarcity of stock hogs in the county, and these ani- 
mals were very dear. On the 12th the post hospital at Springfield 
was broken up, and the sick soldiers, only four in number, were sent 
to Rolla. Dr. Moxley, the surgeon in charge, started for his home in 
Ohio the same day to be mustered out of service. — About the 10th 
Brevet Brig. Gen. John E. Phelps and Capt. Orr, both late of the 2d 
Arkansas Cavalry, arrived at their Greene county homes. 

THE soldiers' ORPHANS* HOME. 

For some time an association of ladies had been formed in this 
county whose object was the maintenance of an asylum or " home " 
wherein the orphans of Federal soldiers who had died in the civil war 
could be cared for until they reached an age when they could care for 
themselves. At the head of this association was Mrs. Mary Phelps, 
wife of Hon. John S. Phelps. For her services in caring for the 
body of Gen. Lyon, and the valuable assistance rendered the Union 
army generally. Congress had given Mrs. Phelps the sum of $20,000, 
and this she had mainly expended in fitting up the "home" and 
in caring for its inmates. The home was situated at first in the east ' 
part of town and then removed south of Springfield a mile or so, and 
the building still stands. 

For the purpose of caring for her charges properly, Mrs. Phelps 
resolved to get up a fair in Springfield this fall, the proceeds to go 
towards defraying certain necessary expenses of the orphans. In ex- 
planation Mrs. Phelps published the following card in the Springfield 
newspapers, about the middle of September. 

THE orphan's FAIR. 

The fair for the orphans will be opened at the court-house on the 
17th of Octol)er. Since notice was published that there would be a 
fair to raise funds for the relief of orphans, many inquiries have been 
made of me. I will here state, that there may be no misunderstand- 
ing, the fair is not gotten up by the ladies of the Orphans' Home 
Association, to raise funds to purchase a permanent home; but by 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 493 

myself, with the aid of every lady who feels interested in the comfort 
of the orphan and half orphan children under my care. The funds 
raised by the fair are to be put to immediate use. We wish to lay 
in wood and provisions for the winter ; the house must have some re- 
pairs, and it is very desirable a fence should be put around the house, 
and if every lady will contribute the '* widow's mite, " we shall have 
abundance to make these dear children comfortable through the win- 
ter. All the ladies who feel interested, and will give their assistance 
will meet Saturday evening, at Mrs. E. M. Bowren's at 7 o'clock, for 
consultation and arrangements. 

Mary Phelps. 

Of the fair, and its originator, the following was said at the time by 
the Warrensburg (Mo.) Tribune: — 

That excellent lady, Mrs. J. 8. Phelps, of Springiield, Mo., is still 
engaged in deeds of charity. From the day the remains of Gen. 
Lyon were brought to her house from the battle-field, she has ceased 
not to give herself to serving soldiers, refugees, the sick and the 
wounded. The orphans of those who have fallen in this cruel war 
came in for a large share of her charity and beneficence. She pro- 
poses in a card in the Springfield papers to have a fair by the ladies of 
that city in order to provide for orphans before the coining of winter. 
How chilly this world would be if there were no good women in it. 

GOOD-BYE TO THE BOYS IN BLUE. 

During the month of September the last squad of Federal soldiers 
stationed in this county left for their homes and to engage in other 
avocations. These troops belonged to the 2d Ohio Cavalry. On the 
7th of September the four companies that had remained at Spring- 
field to care for the government property took up the line of march 
for Rolla, leaving about 20 men behind. Five days afterward Capt. 
Hillhouse, with 20 more men returned and took command of the post. 
These 40 soldiers were all that were left in Southwest Missouri at this 
time, where so many thousands had been but a year before, and they 
were only waiting " marching orders " to take their departure for their 
homes oflf in the Buckeye State. 

And at last " marching orders " came. On the morning of the 23d 
the bugler of the little troop stood out and sounded his bugle a merry 
fanfare as he blew out the notes clear and strong of the " boots- 
and-saddles " call. How he blew, that bugler ! Blew as if he would 
burst his cheeks. Blew till he " set the wild echoes flying" down 
the now peaceful valley of Wilson's creek, and over and among the 
Ozarks far and wide, letting all the people know that at last the dread- 



494 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ful reign of blood and madness in Greene county was over, indeed, 
and for good ! 

Later in the day the company, Hillhouse at its head, fnlly equipped 
for a march, save in the matter of ammunition, road merrily through 
Springfield, taking St. Louis street that led out upon the wire road 
which in turn led on to RoUa, and still on to Ohio. As they rode 
through the town, the men called out, part in jest and part in earnest, 
part in glee and part in sadness, "good-bye" to everj'^body they 
saw. " Good-bye, sweetheart," " Good-bye, judge," " Good-bye, 
Johnny," "Good-bye, my friend," "Good-bye, Mr. Blank," 
" Good-bye, auntie," " Good-bye, Springfield." At the top of the 
little eminence on the St. Louis road, just east of where the poor- 
house now stands, the little column halted — the little column of 40 
men that was the rear guard of the entire Federal army, gigantic in 
all its parts, that had been called the Army of the Frontier. " Three 
cheers for the people of Springfield," demanded Captain Hillhouse, 
and they were given with a will. Then the captain and the bugler 
rode out and faced the town. Winding his clear-voiced horn loud 
and melodious, the trumpeter, rising in his stirrups with the efl[brt, 
blew out the sad notes of the " retreat." When the echoes had died 
and the strains were floating faintly away, the two men took their 
places again at the head of the company, and so passed out of sight 
and away the last of the blue-coats. 

The ex-Confederate soldier, at work in his field, striving to repair 
his wasted farm and mend his broken fortunes, heard the Inigle call, 
saw the little cavalcade in l)lue, knew what it all meant, and, resting 
upon his implement, mused a long time. The maiden waved a snowy 
scarf and gazed after the soldiers until they passed out of sight, 
although she had seen thousands of soldiers marching before. All 
the people called out to the men with a queer feeling at the heart they 
had never felt before, and gazed after them as they ambled away 
toward the point of compass from whence comes the rosy sunrise. 

October. — On the 9th a little son of R. G. Strickland, living six 
miles from Springfield, fell into a kettle of boiling h'e, and was 
scalded to death. — On the 21st there was a Democratic meeting at 
Springfield, the first since the close of the war. Only a small num- 
ber of the " unterrified " were present, the Democrats in this county 
at that day being few and full of discouragement. Col. John S. 
Phelps called the meeting to order, and John Woods presided. Reso- 
lutions were adopted indorsing President Johnson's policy toward 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 495 

the subjugated Southern States and approving the holding of a mass 
convention of the Democrats at St. Louis. Speeches were made by 
Phelps and Woods, who exhorted the brethren to hold out faithful 
and not to be cast down because of their present forlorn condition 
and gloomy prospects. — On the night of the 23d John Q. Appleby, 
living five miles northeast of Springfield, was robbed of $600 in cash 
and $700 in notes by three men, unknown. The robbers called at 
the house and asked to be allowed to stay all night. Mr. A. had re- 
tired and his two sons went out to the gate and were made prisoners. 
They were guarded by one of the brigands, while the other two went 
into the house and did the robbing. The guard said that they were 
professional robbers, and that the business was fairly profitable. — 
The proceeds of the soldiers' orphans' fair, held on the 26th, were 
$442.90, of which Mrs. E. M. Boren received over $200. The fair 
was adjourned until December 24. 

November. — On the 16th Capt. R. J. McElhany obtained a charter 
for the 1st National Bank of Springfield. The capital stock Avas 
$150,000. — About the last of the month there was great interest 
felt throughout the county in the proposed extension of the " South- 
west Branch" of the Pacific (now the "Frisco" road) to Spring- 
field. 

MISCELLANEOUS COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS. 

April 3. — S. F. Gibson was appointed county collector for two 
years, vice A. M. Julian. — County treasurer's salary was fixed at 
$250 per year, the same as it had been for three or four years past. — 
R. A. C. Mack, had been performing the duties of county school 
commissioner for 16 months. — County court justices commenced get- 
ting $5 per day. 

April 5. — John A. Mack appointed and commissioned judge of the 
probate and common pleas court, under the '• ousting ordinance." In 
August Al. Demuth was appointed deputy clerk. 

April 15. — J. W. D. L. F. Mack, was appointed county attorney 
until April 1, 1866, at a salary of $400 per year. — The order hereto- 
fore made for collector and treasurer to receive Union military bonds, 
rescinded, and a new order made, authorizing these oflicers to receive 
50 per cent of the county revenue proper in these bonds. 

June 1. — J. W. Lisenby was appointed county agent to collect 
military claims, wee, R. A. C. Mack. 

julv 3. — The county treasurer was ordered by the county court 
to allow the county attorney five per cent, commission, to be taken 



496 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

out of the interest of all money collected by him on notes in favor of 
the school, road, and canal funds. 

October 3. — A vacancy existing in the office of county surveyor, 
the county court orders its clerk to recommend John L. McCraw to 
the Governor for appointment. 

December 26. — The collector returns his land and personal delin- 
quent list for this year, amounting to $1,973.34, of which $642.57, was 
county tax, $579.42 State, and $751.35 military tax. Also a per- 
sonal income tax list amounting to $546.06. 

December 31. — The total receipts into the county treasury this year 
were onl}'^ $784. 62 in the revenue fund, but the collector had on hand 
over $3,000 not paid over to the treasurer. 

DEATHS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN 1865. 

March 23, Judge Alexander Younger, in Texas, to which State he 
had removed prior to 1850, aged 80. — June 22, Rev. Thomas Potter, 
aged 73. — May 3, Judge John Dade. — November 29, Joseph Farrier, 
of consumption, aged about 55. — October 5, wife of L. A. D. Cren- 
shaw, aged 37. — About November 1, Col. Jacob Hursh. — Novem- 
ber 14, James R. Danforth. 



1866 SUPERVISORS OF REGISTRATION. 

In February the Governor appointed John L. McCraw supervisor 
of the registration of voters for Greene county. Mr. McCraw ap- 
pointed the following officers to assist him : For Taylor township, 
John W. Smith ; Clay, Asa Lyman ; Wilson, Wm. T. Ward ; Pond 
Creek, Hugh Boyd; Center, L. D. O. Nicholson; Campbell, L. A. 
Rountree ; Jackson, A. J. Potter ; Robberson, James K. Alsup ; Cass, 
Stephen H. Julian ; Boone, R. S. Waddill. 

On the 1st of November the reofister announced the number of 
legally qualified voters in the several townships of the county to be 
as follows : — 



Campbell township 505 

Boone " 117 

Cass '* 148 

Center «♦ 103 

Clay '* 93 

Total number of voters entitled to vote under the Drake constitu 



Jackson township . 168 

Pond Creek " 86 

Robberson " 216 

Taylor '* 120 

Wilson ♦♦ 95 



■ 





B. B. PRICE. 



T. W. KKRSET. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 497 

tion, 1,651, of which, it was estimated, about 1,200 would vote the 
Radical ticket. 

RADICAL MASS MEETING. 

In the winter of 1866 upon the precipitancy of the quarrel between 
President Johnson and the Radical majority in Congress, the Radicals 
of Greene county earl}^ ranged themselves against the President. 
March 3d, a mass meeting was held in the court-house at Sprino-field 
to endorse the action of Congress in passing the Freedman's Bureau 
Bill over the President's veto. 

A. B. Matthews was chairman and J. W. Lisenby secretary of this 
meeting. Speeches were made by R. W. Fyan, Col. Baker, John 
A. Mack, Lieut. Creii^hton and Mr. Kneelund, all indorsinjr Cono-ress 
and condemning the President. The following resolutions, among 
others, were unanimously adopted : — 

Resolved, That the late acts of Andrew Johnson have been such as 
to utterl}^ destroy our faith in his integrity, and that we henceforth 
utterly abjure all party allegiance to him whatsoever. 

Resolved, That we are not only proud of the fact that we are Radi- 
cals, but still prouder of the fact that we are Missouri Radicals. 

The committee on resolutions was composed of Sam. Kneeland, J. 
H. Creighton, James Vaughan, A. J. Potter and H. G. MuUings. 

A SHOOTING SCRAPE. 

March 24, a Mr. Wright, a newcomer, from Illinois, living on Mrs. 
Campbell's farm, south of Springfield, was shot and badly wounded 
])y James Robertson, in a wanton, wicked manner. Robertson and 
two men named Settles were returning from Springfield, much under 
the influence of liquor. One of the Settles brothers was so 
drunk that he could not well sit his horse. Coming up with Wright, 
who was driving in a wagon, the party demanded that he siiould haul 
the drunken man home. He refused, saying he and his team were 
too tired, whereupon Robertson drew his pistol and fired, hittiufi' 
Wright in the neck. Robertson was released on $1,500 bail. 

THE REIGN OF THE REGULATORS. 

During the spring and summer of this year there was much excite- 
ment throughout the country occasioned by the doings of the " Reg- 
ulators. "' For some time there had been a great deal of lawlessness 
in this county and in Southwest Missouri generally. Robberies and 
horse stealings were so common as to be every day occurrences, 
32 



498 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

and even murders were not rare. It seemed tliat there was an or- 
ganized band responsible for those depredations, since there was 
something of method and system about their perpetration, indicating 
delil)eration and much wise phmning. Few of the rogues were 
caught; fewer still were punished. Courts of justice seemed power- 
less to afford relief ; the legal officers were unable to give protection. 

At this crisis there was organized in this county, with headquarters 
at and about Walnut Grove, a band of men called the " Regulators, " 
or " Honest Men's League, " whose avowed object was the repression 
and punishment of crime of all sorts, and by any means. This or- 
ganization was composed of men of both political parties and of all of 
the reputable classes. It may have contained some bad men, but it 
had many good men in it. Ex-Federal and ex-Confederate soldiers 
were numbered among its members, and, indeed, among its victims. 
Some of the best citizens of Boone, Cass, Robberson and Walnut 
Grove townships were " Regulators, ". and it was publicly and openly 
announced that the object of their organization was to rid the country 
of thieves and robbers, through the forms of law if possible, but if 
necessary to execute justice on the guilty in its own way, on the 
grounds of necessity and in self-defense. 

About the last of May the " Regidators " began to move in earnest, 
taking the law in their own hands. Their first victim was Capt. 
Green B. Phillips, of Cass township. Capt. Phillips had been a 
prominent citizen of Greene, and had been in the Federal service 
during the war in this count3\ He was a captain in the 74th E. M. 
M., and did valiant and valuable service at the defense of Springfield, 
as is noted on other pages of this volume. But he incurred the sus- 
picion and fell under the ban of the " Regulators, " as a sympathizer 
with and an aider and abettor of crime and criminals, and was taken 
from his family and made to yield up his life as a penalty. 

Cai)t. Phillips lived about two miles northeast of Cave Springs. 
Earl}^ one morning about the 23d of May, in this year (186G) he was 
at his corn-crib o-ettiuir corn to feed his stock. A ni^ht or two be- 
fore, the " Regulators" had met in secret conclave, passed sentence 
of death upon him and detailed three men to carry it out. These 
three men had come to the captain's premises about daylight and se- 
creted themselves near the stable, where they knew he would come 
early to attend to his " chores." ^ 



> The particulars here given have been obtained from a man, a resident of Cass town- 
ship, and who says he kneus the}' are true! 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 499 

About sunrise Capt. Phillips appeared, and, entering his crib, be- 
gan husking corn. He was unarmed, and the first intimation he 
received of danger was when, on looking up, he saw three formidable 
looking revolvers covering him through the cracks between the logs 
of the crib. Two of the "destroying angels" kept him covered, 
while the third went to the crib door and ordered him out. He 
obeyed and was placed between two of the men, each ot whom held 
him by an arm, while the other followed in the rear. They had pro- 
ceeded only about twenty feet toward the gate leading to the timber, 
whither they were carrying him, when Capt. Phillips, who was a man 
of great strength, jerked loose from his captors and started to run. 
He ran about thirty feet and stumbled and fell over a hog that chanced 
to lie in his way. As he rose to his feet he was shot by two of the 
'* Regulators, " one of the bullets passing through his body, making 
three distinct bullet holes. As a stable stood between the crib and 
the house, none of the captain's family could see and identify the as- 
sassins. 

There have always been those who asserted that Capt. Phillips was 
put to death without just cause or provocation ; that through friend- 
ship he had befriended certain men accused of crime, but that he had 
never committed himself or induced others to commit a crime of 
which he ever shared the profits. This may be true — it may be 
true. 

But the ♦'Regulators" were not yet satisfied. Other victims 
were demanded, and so a few days later, or on the 26th of May, they 
visited Walnut Grove, and made prisoners of two men named John 
Rush and Charlie Gorsuch, who, it was said, were among the thieves 
and robbers that had so long terrorized the country. The two accused 
were taken out and in less than an hour their dead bodies swung and 
swayed in the soft May breezes, and there were but few who cared to 
honor their memory or ex[)ress regret either at the fact or the man- 
ner of their taking off. 

From members of the" Regulators " willino: to give information for 
th<3 purposes of history, it has been learned that Rush and Gorsuch 
were ex-members of the Federal militia. Gorsuch had married 
Rush's daughter. A day or two after the killing of Capt. Phillips, 
they went to Walnut Grove and in denouncing the murder made 
threats against two of the " Regulators," who, they asserted, were 
the assassins. 

It chanced that a meeting of the *♦ Regulators" was being held on that 



500 HISTOUY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

day at the Rice school house, northeast of Walnut Grove. Some 
parties bore word to the meeting of the presence of the two men in 
Walnut Grove, and their threats were repeated. The " Regulators " 
immediatly went into executive session, passed a sentence of death 
on Rush and Gorsuch, and straightway proceeded to Walnut Grove 
to carry it out. They entered the viUage from four difi'erent direc- 
tions, found their victims in a store, made them prisoners, carried 
them about a mile southwest of town, and hung them to a red-bud 
tree. 

Other work of the " Regulators " was the assisting of Deputy SheritF 
Isaac Jones in the arrest of some parties near Walnut Grove, wlio 
were charged with stealing. Seven of those arrested were confined 
in jail. The names of all arrested were Joseph MuUinax, Jack- 
son Smith, Samuel Richards, Jasper Fly, James Davis, John 
Ferryman, Donnell Cochran, and Marion Fortune. These men 
were arrested about the 6th of June. Some of them were after- 
wards bailed out, whereupon the "Regulators" published the 
following card, being determined that the accused should be brought 
to trial, without any nonsense about change of venue, continuances, 
and other devices incident to the " law's delay." As published, the 
card read : — 

Headquarters Regulators, Walnut Grove, June 16, 1866. 
To tlie Citizens of Southwest Minsouri: — 

We, the Reguhitors, organized to assist in the enforcement of the 
civil law, and to put down an extensive thieving organization, known 
to exist in our midst, having succeeded in arresting and committing 
to jail a number of persons charged with grand larceny, robbing and 
general lawlessness, whom we believe to be bad men ; and finding 
several of them have been bailed out, thereby extending to them an 
ojjportunity of again putting into execution their diabolical pnrposes 
of robbing, plundering and murdering their neighbors : Therefore, 
we hereby give notice, that all persons bailing such parties out of 
jail will be regarded as in sympathy il" not in full co-operation with 
such, and will be held strictly responsible for the conduct and per- 
sonal appearance at court for trial, of all persons thus bailed out of 
jail. Emphatically by the Regulators. 

After the hanging of Rush and Gorsuch the "Regulators" con- 
cluded to make a display of their force and an open defense of their 
action. Almut the 1st of June 280 of them rode into Springfield, 
formed in a hollow square, in front of the court-house, on the public 
yquarc, and organized a meeting. Speeches were made by Rev. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 501 

Mr. Brown, a Presbyterian minister; Major Downing, Col. James 
H. Baker, and Senator J. A. Mack, sympathizing with the pur- 
poses and justifying the action of the "Honest Men's League," 
or " Reguhitors," although deploring the necessity for such an organi- 
zation. On the other hand Hon. John M. Richardson and Col. John 
S. Phelps spoke discountenancing the " League," and condemning 
its action. They asserted that the civil law was all-powerful for the 
prevention and punishment of whatever of lawlessness there was in 
the country, and that all that was needed was its vigorous enforce- 
ment. They added that if the laws were not enforced by those whose 
duty it was to enforce them, the remedy lay in electing men who 
would do their duty, and not in taking upon themselves the province 
of court, jury, and executioner. 

The meeting adjourned, but the organization existed for some time, 
and it is claimed did far more good than harm, though in principle it 
may have been far wrong. Indeed, there are those who have since ex- 
pressed a wish for the re-organization of the " Regulators." 

KILLING OF REV. S. S. HEADLEE. 

July 26th of this year occurred the murder of Rev. S. S. Headlee, 
just across the line in Webster county, but near the northeast corner 
of Greene. Rev. Headlee was a minister of the M. E, Church South. 
At the breaking out of the war he espoused, in sympathy at least, the 
Confederate cause. It was charged that at one time, in 1861, he 
tore down a Union flag in his neighborhood and dared its friends to 
attempt its protection. 

At the close of the war Mr. Headlee was appointed presiding elder 
of the M. E. Church South for this district, and began the work of 
reorganizing churches. He attempted to organize a church at Pleas- 
ant View, a church building claimed by both Northern and Southern 
Methodists. The neighborhood surrounding Pleasant View was at 
that time intensely Radical, and there was already a congregation of 
Northern Methodists, under the leadership of Rev. H. W. McNabb, 
in possession of the church. Rev. Headlee's announcement that he 
would preach at Pleasant View on a certain da}'' was met by a remon- 
strance signed by 28 men of the community, notifying him that he 
would not be allowed to occupy the building, and warning him to 
keep away. As the Southern Methodists had a deed for the church 
8ite, and the building had been nearly completed by' them, Mr. Head- 
lee concluded to disregard the warninsf, which had been given to the 



502 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

press for publication, aiitl make at least an attemi)t to possess the 
church building, which in truth had been completed and partially 
furnished in 1865 by the Northern Methodists. 

At the day appointed there was quite a crowd at Pleasant View, and 
intense excitement. The Radicals and Northern Methodists largely 
outnumbered Mr. Headlee and his friends, and not only refused to 
give up the church, but declared that Mr. Headlee should not speak 
there, and there was a war of words between Revs. Headlee and Mc- 
Nabb for a time, the former reading from the discipline of the church 
and from certain ecclesiastical authorities to show his right to the 
church, and the latter maintaining that all rights of Mr. H. and his 
friends had been forfeited and invalidated Iw their " treason and re- 
bellion," as he called it. At last ten of the Northern Methodists 
stepped aside and after a brief consultation approached Rev. Headlee 
and said: "Mr. Headlee, we have heard enough from you ; it is 
time for you to leave." Headlee, thoroughly frightened, appealed to 
Rev. McNabb for protection, and the latter replied that if he (Head- 
lee) would leave and never come back he would not be hurt. 

Headlee then asked if he might go upon his own land, half a mile 
south of Pleasant View, and preach to those who desired to hear 
him. McNabb replied, " Yes, j^ou may preach to your own rebel 
brethren, on 3'^our own land, as much as you please." Headlee then 
asked if he would be followed. McNabb and the leader of the ten 
replied, "No." The congregation then broke up, but Mr. Headlee 
had not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile when he was fired 
upon and mortally wounded. Two balls passed through his body, 
and he died within a few minutes. Rev. McNabb stated that he saw 
Headlee after he was shot and before he died, and that he declared 
that the man who shot him had a scar on his face. 

This was the way that brethren and followers of the meek and lowly 
Jesus dwelt together in unity in those da3'^s of the reconstruction period. 

There was the most intense excitement, not only in Greene and 
Webster counties, but throughout the State, over the murder of Mr. 
Headlee, for murder it was, cold-blooded, heartless, and unextenuated. 
The unfortunate gentleman had many relatives in this county, many 
of whom had l)een strong Union men and were then earnest Radicals, 
and he had hosts of friends and admirers everywhere. The grand 
jury of Webster county indicted McNabb, but, upon his trial at Hart- 
ville, he was acquitted. He was always censured for his connection 
with the aftair, and many believed that although he might not have 



. HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 503 

fired the fatal shot he was the chief instigator in having it fired. 
Another man named Wm. Drake was also accnsed of having done the 
killing, and in August, 1871, was arrested. Upon his trial he was 
acquitted. For other particulars of this affair the reader is referred 
to a volume called " Martyrdom in Missouri." 

THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1866. 

The political canvass of this year was of unusual interest. The 
♦' rebels " and the " rebel sympathizers " were all disfranchised, and, 
like the bound boy at the husking, could do nothing but look on and 
work while the others danced. None but the "truly loyal" could 
vote, but not all of the "truly loyal" were Radicals. John M. 
Richardson, Marcus Boyd, and John S. Phelps, all unconditional 
Union men from first to last, and all of whom fought at the head of 
Federal regiments during the war, were now the leaders of the 
Democratic and conservative Republicans, indorsing President John- 
son's policy of reconstruction and claiming that, now that the war was 
over, by-gones ought to be by-gones, the war issues, being dead, 
should be ignored, and the States lately in hostility to the general 
government restored to their original positions in the Union, under 
the constitution, Avith all their rights and privileges unimpaired. 

The Radicals, as the Republicans were called, denounced Richardson 
and Andrew Johnson as renegades, and the Democrats as copperheads 
and sympathizers, and declared that "the rebels who brought on the 
war ought to be made to suffer for it ; " that none but those who had 
always been loyal to the government were fit to govern it, and especially 
that " no man tainted with the leprosy of treason ought to be per- 
mitted to have a share in governing a country which he had tried to 
destroy, and whose father was George Washington." 

In July the Republicans nominated Col. Joseph J. Gravelly, of 
Cedar county, for Congress. Later the Democrats and Johnson 
men, without a ghost of a chance of success, brought out Judge John 
S. Waddill, of this county. For State senator S. S. Headlee, of this 
county, and J. L. Rush were candidates. The Republicans of 
Greene nominated a full county ticket, headed by Lucius A Roun- 
tree and Gen. Mullings for representatives. The other nominees 
were: For county justices, T. A. Reed, Benj. Kite, and Woodson 
Howard ; for circuit clerk, J. W. Lisenby ; county clerk, Albert De- 
muth ; probate clerk, J. M. Rountree ; sheriff, John A. Patterson ; 
treasurer, James Abbott; supervisor of registration, J. L. McCraw ; 
assessor, J. T. Walker; coroner, F. Scholten. 



504 ^ HISTOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The Democratic ticket was called the "National Union Ticket," 
and was* made up of Democrats and conservative Republicans, as 
follows: For State superintendent of common schools, John F. 
Williams; for Congress, J. S. Waddill ; for State senator, Maj. J. 
L. Rush ; for circuit attorney, John R. Cox ; for representatives, 
first district, Z. M. Rouutree ; second district, Capt. N. D. Jen- 
kins ; for circuit clerk, Maj. John Hursh ; for county clerk, F. H. 
Warren ; for clerk probate and common pleas court, Lieut. Wm. P. 
Doran ; for sherifl*, Capt. J. C. Hurd ; for county treasurer, Wlu. 
McAdams, Sr. ; for superintendent common schools, Dr. T. W. Col- 
trane ; for supervisor registration, Capt. Alfred M. Julian; for as- 
sessor, F. M. Thomson ; for county justices, J. R. Earnest, Samuel 
Piper, and W. B. Farmer; for coroner, Chas. W. Scholten. 

During the canvass. Republican meetings were held in Spring- 
field, one of which, July 19th, was addressed by Chas. D. Drake, 
the so-called father of the '* Drake constitution." The Democrats 
held but few meetings, and they were illy attended and spiritless affairs. 

The election in November was of course an overwhelming triumph 
for the Republicans. Out of about 1,400 votes cast in this county 
they received an average of 1,075. For Congress the vote stood. 

Townships. Oravelly. Waddill. 

Campbell 289 156 

Taylor 92 12 

Cass 100 30 

Jackson 97 30 

Robberson 167 47 

Pond Creek 76 1 

Clay 71 10 

Center 79 12 

Boone 77 28 

Wilson 51 32 



Total 1089 358 

For State Senator, Headlee received 1,068 ; Rush, 362. 

In Jackson township five votes were rejected, by the board, on ac- 
count of the alleged " disloj'alty " of the voters, who were C. W. 
Huff, W. W. Jeffrees, Alexander Grimes, Wm. Ezell, A. W. Parsons. 

As showing the relative strength of the two political parties in cer- 
tain counties of Southwest Missouri, at this time, the vote in this 
senatorial district, then the 19th, is herewith appended : 

Counties. Headlee, Rad. Rush, Dem. 

Greene 1,068 362 

Webster 401 267 

Christian 439 49 

Taney 101 8 

Stone 100 64 

Total 2,109 740 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 505 

COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS IN 1866. 

January 1, J. W. D. L. F. Mack was reappointed county attor- 
ney. — Almarine Hollovvay was appointed keeper of the county poor 
farm, vice G. W. Haynie. 

March 19, J. M. Richardson was authorized to receive and receipt 
in the name of the county for $2,500, due from the United States for 
damage done to the court-house by government troops during the war. 

In March a county tax of 40 cents on the $100, and a poll of $1 
were levied for this year. 

April 3, John A.Patterson was appointed commissioner of public 
buildings, vice T. A. Reed resigned. — The county was divided into 
two representative districts. Thereafter Campbell township was to 
have only one voting precinct, because the State constitution required 
every man to vote in his own township. 

April 4, Rev. L. M. Vernon was appointed *to examine school 
teachers, and grant certificates. 

May 14, H. S. Creighton was appointed county superintendent of 
common schools until one was elected, and was ordered to proceed at 
once to visit, organize and set in operation the several schools of the 
county ; salary $3 per day for time actually employed. . 

July 17, J. M. Rountree was allowed $659.60, for making State 
and county assessments for the years 1861-5-6. 

August 8, H. L. Trantham was reappointed deputy circuit clerk by 
R. A. C. Mack, which appointment was approved by Judge Fyan. 

December 13, T. A. Reed took his seat as county justice, and Judge 
Kite was reappointed justice for two years. 

ITEMS. 

May 25, Col. Marcus Boyd was appointed register and S. M. Knee- 
land receiver of the U. S. land office in Springfield. 

April 5, Hon. H. T. Blow, Judge Bates and Capt. James B. Eads, 
of St. Louis, visited this county in the interests of the Southwest 
branch railroad. Mr. Blow made a speech at Springfield. 

A public meeting of the indorsers of President Johnson's policy of 
reconstruction was held at the county seat. May 31. Col. John M. 
Richardson, the original Lincoln Republican, made a strong speech, 
indorsing the President, denouncing the Freedman's Bureau Bill, the 
Civil Rights Bill, Congress, and the Radical Republicans of the North 
and South, A Col. Foster responded. 



506 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

A grand 4th of July celebration was held this year at Sprinfijfield, in 
Gott's grove. Addresses were delivered by Gov. Fletcher, Prof. 
Parker, the State School Superintendent, and others. 

August 1, the ex-Federal soldiers held a meeting at the court-house 
to aid in securing the passage by Congress of the ♦♦ equalization of 
bounties" bill. Col.R. W. Fyan presided. 

October 20th, Geo. Bryant, living on Wilson's creek, committed 
suicide by shooting himself with a revolver. He left a family con- 
sistins: of a wife and some small children. 

In August Col. John M. Richardson, Col. Marcus Boyd, and 
Warren H. Graves attended President Johnson's "reconciliation" 
convention, at Philadelphia. 

The spring of 1866 was very backward. By the 1st of June not 
half of the corn crop was planted, and May 29th a heavy frost fell 
greatly injuring early wheat and garden vegetables. In August, owiug 
to its great scarcity, bacon sold at 30 cents per pound. 

Among the prominent citizens of the county who died this year were 
Mrs. Louisa Campbell, widow of John P. Campbell, who died May 
29th, and Col. Marcus Boyd, who died November 30th, honored and 
respected by all that knew him. At the time of his death Col. Boyd 
was postmaster at Springfield. 



1867 ITEMS. 



The assessor's books for this year showed 2,893 names. The as- 
sessed value of real estate in the county exceeded $1,800,000. The 
taxable property of Springfield amounted to $554,000, and the number 
of polls was 260. The total value of real and personal property in 
the county was $3,211,786. A county tax of 40 cents on the $100 
was levied. 

February 28 the land office at Springfield was reopened for business, 
but in a day or two closed, because the register and receiver, appointed 
by Andrew Johnson, had not been confirmed by the U. S. Senate, 
with which body the President was then engaged in quarreling, and 
under the Civil Tenure-of-Office Bill, those officers could no longer 
act. In April Hon. John S. Waddill was confirmed as register, and 
June 10th the office was reopened. From the 10th to the 30th of 
June there were entered at this office under the homestead act 19,- 
634 acres ; with militarv land warrants, 320 acres ; with Agricultural 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 507 

College script, 3,676 acres ; cash sales, 1,989 acres ; total, 25,619 acres. 

lu January A. Hollo way was reappointed keeper of the county poor 
farm, "Alphabet" Mack county attorney, and M. J. Hubble, county 
road commissioner, the latter at a salary of $1,000 a year. Other ap- 
pointments were those of John Laney, Col. F. S. Jones, and Hugh 
Boyd in July as cattle inspectors under the Texas cattle fever law, 
and J. T. Hubbard in November, by the Governor, as public adminis- 
trator. 

A grand 4th of July celebration was held at Springfield this year. 
One of the noticeable features was the little flock of Federal soldiers' 
orphans in the care of Mrs. Phelps. They were all dressed in a uni- 
form expressly prepared for the occasion by that lady. 

The first fair of the Southwestern District Fair Association since 
1861 was held this year at Springfield, October 16th, 17th, 18th, and 
19th. It was fairly successful. 

October 31st a teachers' institute convened at Springfield. 

April 4th the first number of the Springfield Leader, a Democratic 
paper, was issued by O. S. Fahnestock & Co. The paper was an 
eight-column folio, and announced that politically it would uphold the 
principles of conservative Democracy. One of the proprietors, Mr. 
Fahnestock, had been in the Federal service during the war ; another, 
Mr. D. C. Kennedy, the present proprietor, had been a Confederate 
soldier. 

Deaths. — May 29th Mrs. Ophelia Perkins, aged 33, wifeof Capt. J. 
B. Perkins, and daughter of J. M. Rountree. — January 19th, Judge 
John Murray. — October 15th, David Appleby, aged 79. 

TRAGEDIES OF 1867 KILLING OF JAMES SIMPSON BY KINDRED ROSE. 

About the 28th of February a quarrel occurred in a blacksmith shop 
in Springfield between two old men, James Simpson and Kindred 
Rose. Both men were old citizens of the county. Rose came here in 
1831. There are no fools like old fools, and the two men allowed 
their ill-temper to get beyond all proper bounds. Simpson had been 
drinking but was not much intoxicated. He began taunting Rose 
about having "gone South " in 1861. Rose replied in a contemptu- 
ous manner regarding the Federal government, when Simpson caught 
up a pair of tongs and exclaimed, •' You shan't talk that way to me." 
Rose seized a bar of iron and struck Simpson on the side of the head, 
knocking him down. Other parties interfered and the fight stopped. 

Simpson's wound was examined by Doctors Robberson, Cecil, and 



508 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Murphy, and pronounced not dangerous at all. Simpson, with two 
or three friends, went to the Lyon House (now the Southern) took 
a drink, and started home. Soon after starting he fell into a stupor 
and alarming symptoms set in. The wagon was stopped and 
Simpson taken into the house of Mrs. McFarland. He continued to 
grow worse from hour to hour and died the next morninof. 

At first Mr. Rose was taken before the city recorder and fined $10 
and costs for assault and battery. On Simpson's death, however, 
Rose was re-arrested waived examination and was ])ound over in the 
sum of $10,000. Upon his trial he was acquitted on the ground of 
self-defense. Hon. John S. Phelps was his counsel. 

KILLING OF PERRY LEWIS BY SAMUEL MASSEY. 

On the night of March 27, in Springfield, a young man named Perry 
Lewis was shot through the heart by Samuel Massey and instantly 
killed. It was stated that Massey, Lewis, John Gott, and Joseph 
Danforth, being friends and associates, were "on a spree," and 
about 11 o'clock at night went to a brothel in the northwestern suburbs. 
There they met with a stage driver, named Green, and a quarrel soon 
sprang up between him on the one side and Massey and Lewis on the 
other. All three had drawn their coats to fight, when Massey drew 
a pistol and snapped it at Green. In making a second eff'ort to fire 
Lewis caught the weapon to prevent the shooting and in attempting to 
wrest it from Massey's hands it was exploded, with the fatal result to 
Lewis. This was the substance of the testimony before the coroner's 

MURDER OF JUDGE H. C. CHRISTIAN. 

At about 9 p. M. of Friday evening. May 24, Judge H. C. Christian, 
of Springfield, was shot and instantly killed, at his place of business, 
by some parties then unknown. 

The deceased, in company with one Buck, was keeping a market- 
house on the corner of Mill and Boon vi lie streets. Two unknown 
persons entered his establishment, engaged in conversation with him, 
and, seizing a favorable opportunity, deliberately shot him through 
the head with a navy revolver killing him instantly. The ball entered 
the left temple, passed through the brain in an oblique direction, 
striking a bone opposite the right ear and ranged downward and 
lodged. It was extracted by Drs. Jenks and Chambers. The 
murderers then left the house and started on a run around the corner 
up Mill street a short distance, where they were met by Patrick Daly 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 509 

who ordered them to halt ; one immediately halted and fired a shot at 
Daly, but missed his mark. Daly, being unarmed, failed to arrest 
them. He, in company with one or two others, went to the market- 
house and found Mr. Christian lying dead behind his counter, his 
pocket book lying on the floor beside him, and a one dollar green- 
back on his knee. 

Within an hour after the murder parties started out in all directions 
in pursuit. A reward of $500 was offered for their arrest, one-half by 
the mayor of the city, one-half by the sheriff. A plausible theory 
was that he had been followed from Texas (his old home) by enemies 
who had sworn to take his life. He had received a letter two weeks 
previous warning him that his life would be taken. The murderers 
were pursued and one of them, Jacob Thompson, was captured next 
morning, west of town. The prisoner was brought to town in charge 
of Col. Geiger, and the other was seen near where Thompson was 
captured, but he escaped. On the way to town Thompson tried to bribe 
Col. Geiger to release him, but of course did not succeed. After 
being brought to town the prisoner was recognized by Patrick Daly 
and others. 

The prisoner was examined before Justices Vangeuder and Mat- 
thews and was defended by Hon. John S. Phelps, and prosecuted by 
Circuit Attorney Creighton, assisted by Col. Geiger and J. W. D. L. 
F. Mack. He was committed to jail to await the action of the 
grand jury. 

June 21, at 5 p. m., Thompson escaped from jail. He had broken 
his irons with a brick, and his cell door had been left open. Knowl- 
edge of Thompson's escape caused feelings of the strongest indigna- 
tion among the citizens. The singular manner in which the escape 
was made caused suspicions of the gravest character to be freely ex- 
pressed against the jailor, who was removed next morning by the 
sheriff. 

After making his escape Thompson started east. About six miles 
from town he stole a horse from Geo. Croson. Croson and others 
started in pursuit the next morning about 9. They traced him 
through to Marshtield and from there to within five miles of Houston, 
Texas county, about one hundred miles from Springfield, when he 
was captured in a blacksmith shop, where he was getting the stolen 
horse shod. He mounted his horse and made a desperate effort to 
escape, but was fired at by his pursuers and shot in the shoulder and 
thigh. His captors were not aware, until informed by the prisoner, 



510 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

that he was the individual that had escaped from jail, but supposed he 
was only guilty of stealing; the horse in his possession. After captur- 
ing him they hired a two-horse wagon and brought him to Springfield, 
arriving at noon next day. He was conveyed to the jail and placed 
in confinement. 

Oct. 24, Thompson escaped from jail with a colored man, and was 
never thereafter re-apprehended. It is reported that he was after- 
ward hung for a murder in Texas, 

Judge Christian had resided in Texas before the war and on account 
of his Union sentiments was forced to leave in 1862. He and his two 
sons entered the Federal service, and upon the close of the war he 
was appointed a provost marshal in Texas. It was for some acts of 
his while in the execution of his oflSce that he was followed and killed. 

SUICIDES A SINGULAR METHOD OF SELF-MURDER. 

September 24th, a man named Andrews, living near Fair Grove» 
separated two of the lower rails of a panel of fence sufficient to per- 
mit his head to pass through, and then fastened them in this position 
with an ax, the back of the blade resting on the lower rail while the 
whole weight of the fence rested oti the edge of the ax. The trap be- 
ing in readiness, he placed his neck in position, and then, with his 
own hand, withdrew the ax and let the fence fall on his neck. He 
was soon choked to death. 

About Christmas, a man named Robinson, living in Center town- 
ship, seven miles west of Springfield, shot himself through the head 
with a revolver, and died instantly. The cause was not made known. 

BOARD OF IMMIGRATION. 

In October (the 10th) the organization of the Greene County Board 
of Immigration was eifected under the direction of State Senator 
Goebel, who visited Springfield for the purpose, and delivered an in- 
teresting address. The board was composed at first of 22 members, 
and did much to induce immigration to this county. Hon. S. H. 
Boyd was a leading member. 

LOCATION OF THE NATIONAL CEMETERY. 

About the 10th of July Mr. Wm. Goodyear, the agent of the gov- 
ernment for collecting the remains of the Federal soldiers buried in 
Southwestern Missouri, came to Springfield to oversee the work of 
removing them to the cemetery grounds, which had been purchased 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. ■ 511 

near Springfield. Work was immedititelj begun, and the dead were 
collected and buried as fast as possible. 

In the month of September, Adj. Gen. Lorenzo Thomas, then on a 
tour of inspection of the national cemeteries, had visited Springfield, 
coming up by stage from Fayetteville, and fully approved the ar- 
rangements here. 



1868 STATISTICS. 

From the assessor's books for this year it is learned that the num- 
ber of full sections of laud in the county was 469 ; number of frac- 
tional sections, IGl ; number of acres in the total superficial area, 
438,424.43 ; number of acres not subject to taxation, 187,877.43 ; to- 
tal valuation of real estate, $2,519,988; total valuation of personal 
property, $2,063,100. Total assessed value of property in Spring- 
field, $980,876; number of polls, 362. 

The records show that this year the population of the county was 
12,792, as follows : White males, 6,068 ; white females, 5,826 ; total 
whites, 11,894. Colored males, 512; females, 487 ; total colored, 
999. Number of deaf and dumb in the county, 6 ; blind, 5 ; insane, 
16. Number of horses, 6,596; mules, 1,405; cattle, 13,184; sheep, 
23,626; hogs, 34,835. Number of bushels of wheat, 96,320; corn, 
732,291; oats, 158,214; rye, 2,039. Number of pounds of tobacco, 
17,168; wool, 45,615. Number of gallons of molasses made in the 
county, 34,124; of wine, 41; of whisky, 75. Number of tons of 
hay, 2,454. 

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1868. 

This was the first Presidentifvl year since the war, and although the 
canvass was largely one-sided, it was intensely interesting in Greene 
county at times. The Radical Republicans, owing to the num- 
ber of Democrats disfranchised, were in a large majority, and were 
early in the fight. February 20th they had a meeting at the court- 
house in Springfield, presided over by James Abbott. Delegates 
were appointed to the State Convention, as follows : S. W. Headlee, 
H. G. Mullings, L. A. Rountree, Maj. R. J. McElhany, and Dr. T. J. 
Bailey. The following resolution was adopted : — 

Resolved, That our delegates to the Republican National Conven- 
tion, to be holden in Chicago on the 20th day of May next, be in- 
structed to use all honorable means to have the vote of Missouri cast 
for that pure patriot-soldier, and statesman, Ulysses S. Grant, for our 



512 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

candidate for President of the United States, and that our delegates 
at the convention in Jefferson City, on the 22d inst., be instructed to 
use all honorable means to the same end. 

A Republican club was formed at Springfield, Feb. 22, with James 
Abbott, as president, and J. R. Milner and Capt. Case, as secretaries. 
Upon the receipt of the news of the nomination of Grant and Colfax, 
a ratification meeting was held, and August 22, a " Grant and Colfax 
pole," 145 feet in length, was raised in the center of the public square. 

July 27th, the Republican Congressional Convention for this dis- 
trict was held at Springfield. A resolution opposing the payment of 
the 5-20 bonds in greenbacks, a project then known as " the Pendle- 
ton plan," and a part of the national Democratic platform, was 
adopted, with but feeble dissent. The candidates before the conven- 
tion were Col. J. J. Gravelly (for re-election) of Cedar county, Col. 
S. H. Boyd, of this county, and John R. Kelso. Gravelly had writ- 
ten a letter favoring the taxation of government bonds and in other 
ways had shown a dislike for the financial part of the RepulJiean 
platform — in truth, believed in the righteousness of the *• Pendleton 
plan." Boyd was for paying the bonds in hard money — gold, or its 
equivalent. Boyd was nominated by the following vote : Kelso, 5 ; 
Gravelly, 18 ; Boyd, 48. 

Speeches were made by Judge Fyan and others in indorsement of 
all the Republican candidates before the people and inviting the 
voters to come up to their support. Judge Fyan called upon the 
members of the convention to pledge themselves as a body and to each 
other individually to stand by the registering officers and see the reg- 
istration law enforced in its letter and spirit, and to meet half way 
any armed resistance thereto on the i)art of " rebels and their 
friends." (Applause.) 

The same day at the senatorial convention, Hon. S. W. Headlee, of 
this county, was renominated by acclamation. 

The Democrats, though with full knowledge that they were in a 
hopeless minority, not only in the county, but in the district and 
throughout the State, were plucky and made a fairly good campaign. 
July 11th, at night, they held a meeting in Springfield ratifv'ing the 
nomination of Seymour and Blair. A bonfire was lit, which the mar- 
shal of the town, a Radical, tried to have put out, but failed very sig- 
nally. Nearly two weeks later they held a spirited meeting in the 
court-house, which was addressed by Hon. John S. Phelps and Hon. 
J. H. Show. 



HISTORY OF GREENE CQUNTY. 



513 



On the 20th of October, notwithstanding the early elections in that 
month had demonstrated the certainty of their defeat, they raised a 
'« Seymonr and Blair pole " side by side with the Republican pole at 
Springfield, amid great enthusiasm. 

In the summer the Democratic Congressional Convention was held 
at Springfield, and Capt. C. B. McAfee, an ex-Federal soldier, hith- 
erto mentioned, was nominated for Congress. Capt. McAfee made a 
thorough canvass of the district, speaking even in Melville, Dade 
county, where the Republicans had declared no Democrat should be 
allowed to speak. 

During the campaign Democratic speeches were made in the county 
by Gen. C. W. Blair, of Ft. Scott, and the Republicans were ad- 
dressed by Gov. McClurg, Carl Schurz, Emil Preetorius, and Rev. A. 
C. George, besides their own home orators. Though the bitterness 
of the war had not entirely died out, and there were criminations and 
recriminations by both sides, there was a fair condition of good feel- 
ing between the two parties during the campaign. The followiuf^ was 
the result of the November election in this county : 

ABSTRACT OF THE VOTE AT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1868. 





PRBSI- 
DENT. 


GOVKR- 
NOR. 


CONGRESS- 
MAN. 


STATE 
SEN'T'R 


REPRESENTA- 
TIVES. 


SHER- 
IFF. 


TREA8 - 
URBR. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


i 

v. 


o 

S 


S 


a. 

V 

a 
Bh 

11 
16 
37 
95 
62 
C4 
16 
69 
66 

357 

793 


•8 
§> 

05 

69 
68 
79 

107 
28 
73 
91 

150 
91 

366 

1122 


St 

< 

11 

16 
37 
95 
64 
62 
15 
67 
64 
332 

763 


d 

4 
1 
6 
5 

8 

27 

'"s 

2 
13 

74 


1 

82 

69 

94 

113 

43 

105 

95 

158 

100 

400 

1259 


d 

o 

11 

16 
36 
94 
63 
62 
15 
64 
63 
331 

755 


1 

g 
S 

81 

72 


3 

.a 

3 

« 

12 
16 


81 

s 

1 




a 
1 

B 

0, 

76 
72 
69 
102 
23 
82 
91 
153 
100 
396 

1164 


12 
16 
41 
86 
80 
56 
16 
69 
64 
332 

772 


i 

81 

72 

91 

112 

44 

101 

94 

164 

102 

401 

1262 


s 

•a 
< 



Clay 


84 

72 

96 

117 

44 

107 

98 

167 

104 

414 


11 

16 
37 
90 


83 

72 
95 

119. 




Pond Creek 




.... 


11 


Center 


80 
108 


24 
93 




Boone 






HI 


Wilson 


63l 44 
58 102 


35 


"ii 


94 


Cass 


61 


85 

'i45 
99 


61 

"'75 

65 


Taylor 


"95 


"ii 


bl 


Robberson 


66 

63 

323 


163 

99 

374 

1239 


16 


Jackson 






66 


Campbell 


385 
668 


350 
463 


33? 


Total 


1303 




517 


318 








Ibl 



Republicans in italic. The total registration for this election was 
2,318 ; that oast was 2,044. The total vote on other candidates was 
as follows: Circuit judge, R. W. Fyan, 1,276; J. S. Waddill, 707. 
Circuit attorney, J. M. Patterson, 1,261; Quiun, 755. Probate 
judge, W. F. Geiger, 927, no opposition. County judges, Benj. 
Kite, 1,246; R. P. Matthews, 1,249; J. R. Earnest, 652. Supt. 
common schools, J. R. Milner, 616; F H. Warren, 295. Surveyor, 
I. N. Jones, 1,216 ; Chesley Cannefax, 733. 
33 



514 HISTORY OF OREENK COUNTY. 

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS IN 1868. 

Newspapers. — March 12th, Wm. J. Teed again became part pro- 
prietor of the Patriot. March 14th, A. F. Ingram issued the first 
number of a paper called the Weekly Gazette. July 3, Lindley Bros. 
issued an advertising sheet called the Real Estate Herald. In Sep- 
tember O. S. Fahnestock retired from the Leader, having disposed 
of his interest to D. C. Kennedy. Nov. 28, the proprietors of the 
Patriot purchased Ingram's Gazette, and the two offices were con- 
solidated. 

Celebrations. — Decoration Day was observed at Springfield for 
the first time, this year. An imposing procession was formed, with 
Hon. W. F. Geiger as chief marshal. Speeches were delivered by 
Cols. S. H. Boyd and W. E. Gilmore. The colored population on 
August 4tb celebrated emancipation in the West Indies by a meeting 
in a grove north of town. They were addressed by Col. Gilmore^ 
Hon. James Baker, Capt. Budd, and Capt. Colby. 

The Railroad. — July 4th ground was broken and work begun on 
the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, in this county, in presence of several 
distinguished persons, among whom was Gov. Thos. C. Fletcher, 
always a strong friend to the enterprise, and who for some time past 
had been personally interested in its construction. 

Horticultural Society. — August 17th the Greene County Horticul- 
tural Society was organized, with C. F. Leavitt as president, and B. 
F. Lee, as secretary. A fair was held the ensuing fall. 



1869 ITEMS. 



Five Sunday schools were organized in the county in the month of 
February, by Rev. W. J. Hay don. 

The number of school children in the county in 1869 was 7,640; 
the amount of school money was $7,706.92 ; the increase in the num- 
ber of children over 1868 was 431. 

The first fair of the Greene County Horticultural Society Avas held 
Sept. 17th and 18th, of this year. The president was F. F. Fine, 
and the secretary C. F. S. Thomas. 

In April there was a special election for circuit judge and circuit 
attorney. The candidates were W. F. Geiger and H.J. Lindenbower, 
for judge, and J. M. Patterson and J. M. Grammar, for attorney. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 515 

In this county the vote stood: Geiger, 598; Lindenbower, 501. 
For attorney, Patterson, 455 ; Grammar, 2.^8. In November J. H. 
Show (Democrat) ran between H. J. Curtice and J. A. Mack (Re- 
publicans) for judge of the probate aud common pleas court, and 
was elected, the vote standing : Show, 362 ; Curtice, 348 ; Mack, 161. 
For county justice G. M. McElhannon (Republican) received 420 
votes and J. R. Earnest 350. 

Deaths. — April 17th, Dr. T. J. Bailey, aged 67 (see biography 
elsewhere). April 8th, Nathaniel Massey. Dec. 11th, Judge John 
A. Mack, aged 62; born in Pittsylvania county, Va., Jan. 8, 1807; 
lived in Maury county, Tenn., from 1811 to 1852, when he came to 
this county ; was circuit attorney during the war ; a member of the 
constitutional convention of 1865 ; probate and common pleas judge 
of this county from 1863 till his death. Republican in politics. 

THE MEMPHIS, SPRINGFIELD AND KANSAS CITY R. R. 

This year the most interesting topic of discussion before the people of 
Greene county was in regard to the building of the Kansas City and 
Memphis railroad, um Springfield. Having one railroad almost com- 
pleted to the county, it was of vast importance that another should be 
secured. The old fogies, to be sure, were opposed to this as to every 
other project for the public weal, likely to cost themselves a nickle, 
but the men of enterprise and push made earnest efforts, not only to 
secure the successful inauguration of the proposed new railroad, but 
its speedy completion. 

In their zeal the friends of another railroad went to extremes, but 
they erred on the wrong side and there was no harm done. In Sep- 
tember the county court made an order that at the November election 
the people should vote on the question whether or not the county 
should take $400,000 stock in railroads, viz. : In the Fort Scott, 
Springfield & Memphis railroad, $180,000, and in the Kansas City, 
Springfield & Memphis railroad, $120,000. The sense of the people 
was against the subscription, the vote standing, for, 368 ; against, 
486 ; but it is said that if all the disfranchised could have voted the 
proposition would have been carried, bad as the policy of subscribing 
bonds on the part of a county in aid of any public enterprise is — and 
was. 

EDITORS IN COUNCIL. 

October 1st the editors and publishers of Southwest Missouri met 
in convention at Springfield. In the evening a banquet was given at 



516 HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 

the Lyon House. A heavy rain kept many invited guests away, and 
there were ])ut few ladies present. At 10 o'clock about 50 members 
of the convention and those holding invitations sat down to the table 
in the dining-room of the hotel. Hon. John S. Phelps presided and 
announced the regular toasts of the evening, which were responded to 
by Col. Wm. E. Gilmore and others. The banquet broke up about 
2 a. m. A ball was contemplated and arranged for, but had to be 
given up, by reason of the storm. The convention itself was held in 
the Patriot office. Col. James Dumars, of the Bolivar Free Press, 
presided, and H. H. Judson, of the Granby Independent, was 
secretary. 

STATISTICS . 

The assessor's books for the year 1869 show that the value of taxa- 
ble property for that year was as follows : — 

Fropei-ty. Number. Valuation. 

Acres of real estate, 293,716 $2,970,719 

Capital stock of corporation companies 124,000 

Horses, 6,938 369,482 

Mules, 1,550 119,064 

Neat cattle, 14,436 182,397 

Sheep, 24,848 42,057 

Hogs, 35,628 68,304 

All other personal property, 1,565,727 

Total, . $5,431,750 

The number of persons assessed was 3,539. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFEDERATE BURIAL ASSOCIATION.' 

On the 23d of November, 1869, a meeting was held at the office of 
Capt. Geo. ]\I. Jones, in Springfield, to take steps for the formation 
of an association whose purpose was to remove the remains of the dead 
Confederate soldiers in and about Springfield, to a permanent ceme- 
tery near the town. Mr. Benj. U. Massey was chairman and Mr. D. 
C. Kennedy secretary of the meeting. A committee, consisting of 
Capt. Jones and Messrs. Massey and Kennedy, was appointed to re- 
port names for a permanent organization of such an association at a 
subsequent meeting. 

Tliis meeting convened at the court-house on the evening of Novem- 
ber 27, and was called to order by Benj. U. Massey. Mr. W. J. Hay- 
don made the following report on jiermanent organization : President, 
Capt. Geo. M. Jones; vice-presidents, J. T. Morton, Col. K. W. 
Crawford, and Elder Kirk Baxter ; treasurer, Dr. C. K. Dyer ; sec- 

1 The idea of the formation of this association was first suggested by Mrs. Lula Kennedy, 
in a communication to the Platte City (Mo.) Landmark. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 517 

retaiy, W. J. Hayclon ; executive committee, J. T. Appier, Rev. Wra. 
Protsman, J. C. Cravens, Geo. M. Jones, and W. J. Haydon ; finan- 
cial committee, T. J. Gates, A. G. Leedjs J. M. Doling, J. M. Smith, 
D. L. Fnlbright, J. Y. Fnlhright, B. U. Massey, D. C. Kennedy, F. 
Frazier, Dr. L. Hansford, Colonel John Price, Col. E. Y. Mitchell, 
and F. E,. Porter. On motion, the following ladies were added to 
the financial committee, and the president authorized to add other 
names at pleasure — such persons as were willing to assist: Mrs. J. 
L. French, Mrs. J. E. Phelps, Mrs. J. S. Phelps, Mrs. W. H. Wilson, 
Mrs. W. H. Graves, Mrs. A. E. Andrews, Mrs. F. R. Smith, Mrs. 
W. M. Protsman, Mrs. J. Chesnut, Mrs. W. C. Hornbeak, Mrs. C. K. 
Dyer, Mrs. M. C. Haydon, Mrs. M. W. Bowen, Mrs. Cecil, Mrs. 
Saml. Alexander, Mrs. Rush C. Owen, Mrs. Geo. M. Jones, Mrs. J. 
B. Dexter, Mrs. C. A. Leack, Mrs. A. A. Shutt, Mrs. W. J. McDan- 
iel, Mrs. Chas. Sheppard, Mrs. Henr}^ Sheppard, Mrs. D. C. Kennedy, 
Mrs. J. R. AVaddill, Mrs. Joe Farrier, Mrs. John Wood, Mrs. J. C. 
Gardner, Mrs. J. T. Appier, Mrs. Joe Weaver, Miss Annie Leedy, 
Miss Weaver, Miss Vinton, Miss Boxley, Miss Wear, Miss Gates, 
Miss Matteson, Miss Waddill, Miss Sallie Smith, Miss Virgie Parish, 
Miss Evans, Miss Fristo, Miss Martin, and Miss Elliott. The follow- 
ing memorial was then read by Mr, Massey, as a suitable heading for 
subscription lists, and adopted : — 

In and around the city of Springfield, and on the battlefield of 
Wilson's Creek, in exposed graves, are the remains of a large number 
of Confederate soldiers, who were killed in the various battles and 
skirmishes that occurred in this vicinity. In many places their flesh- 
less bones can be seen above the earth — a reproach to the humanity 
and civilization of our people. In all countries, civilized or barbarous, 
the remains of those slain in battle are humanely interred ; whether 
Turk or Greek, friend or foe, all are honored with a decent burial. 
In order to procure a proper graveyard for the re-interment of these 
dead, this association has been formed, and appeals to the humanity, 
Christianity and generosity of all good people to assist in carrying out 
this object. 

Brief speeches were then made by Messrs. Graves, Mitchell, and 
Kennedy, after which subscription lists were circulated among the 
audience, and $304.00 subscribed. A motion was made and adopted, 
that a festival be given for the benefit of this object, on Thursday, 
December 16th, 1869, and the following were appointed as a commit- 
tee of arrangements : Messrs. Appier, White, and Gates, and Mes- 
dames Protsman, Alexander, Bowren, Lack, and Shutt. 



518 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The committee appointed to devise ways and means for the gettiiio- 
up of a grand entertainment, for the purpose of re-interring the Con- 
federate dead, in and around the city of Springfield, reported the fol- 
lowing working comniitiee : North Springfield — Mis. Hart Wilson, 
Mrs. Dr. Robherson, Mrs. Hornbeak, Mrs. J. Leedy, Miss Sallie 
Gates, Miss Sue Wear. Southeast Springfield — Mrs. Dexter, Mrs. 
Carson, Mrs. J, French, Mrs. Dr. Cecil. Southwest Springfield — 
Mrs. Sam. Alexander, Mrs. H. J. Lindenbower, Mrs. Haydon, Mrs. 
Dr. Cox. Mrs. Lack, Miss V. Parisli. Country north — Mrs. Dan- 
forth, Thos. Gates. Country southeast — Miss Goza, Miss Vandyke. 
Country southwest — Mrs. Bowren. Country east — Mrs. Rush C. 
Owen. Country ivest — Mrs. J. E. Phelps. 

By the efforts of the workers about $2,200 were raised — some iu 
St. Louis and North Missouri — but the larger portion was raised in 
Springfield and vicinity. Three and a half acres of ground was at 
once purchased, three miles south of the city, — adjoining the Federal 
cemetery on the north, and Hazelwood cemetery on the south — 
which was fenced and decorated in accordance with the financial con- 
dition of the association, and into which were interred the remains of 
238 Confederate soldiers from Wilson's Creek, and 263 from in and 
around Springfield, making a total in all of 501 interments. Of these 
only a few are known ; among them Col. R. H. Weightman, Col. Geo. 
W. Allen, Cols. Foster, Austin, and Ben Brown, all of whom fell at 
Wilson's Creek. These graves are marked ; the others with a few ex- 
ceptions are unknown. 

The funds — all of which were voluntary contributions — were used 
with a great deal of care and economy by those managing the associa- 
tion, and thus a good work accomplished. The association has 
a constitution and by-laws, and a board of trustees, composed of J. 
M. Doling, J. C. Cravens, and D. C. Kennedy. 

This cemetery is the only distinctive Confederate cemetery in Mis- 
souri, and the ex-Confederates, at their reunion in Sedalia, in 1882, 
adopted it as their special charge and intend to adorn it in such a 
manner as to make it worthy of the dead heroes and loving citizens 
who figured in the lost cause. The natural situation is beautiful, 
and with the funds at the command of the association, it could be 
beautified so as to look equally as well as the Federal cemetery 
adjoining. It is to be hoped that this improvement will soon be 
made. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 519 

TRAGEDIES OF THE YEAR 1869 KILLING OF WILLIS WYNN BY WM. BIRT. 

July 22, of this year, some young men were bathing in Sac river, 
in the vicinity of Gray's mill, about nine miles from Springlield. 
Two of them were named Willis Wjam and Wm. Birt. The former 
was a son of R. M. Wynn, a justice of the peace of Jackson township. 
Birt had come into the country from Arkansas a few months previous- 
ly. Each of the two was about 18 years of age. While the bathers 
were sporting in the water Wynn " ducked" Birt. This made Birt 
angry and a quarrel followed after the parties came on the shore. 
Each drew his knife, but their companions interfered, and they then 
agreed to fight it out, " list and skull. " It seems that while W^ynn 
laid aside his knife, Birt kept his. Wynn knocked Birt down and 
jumped upon him. There was a struggle on the ground, which was 
ended by Birt's stabbing Wynn three times, once in the region of the 
heart. Wynn. died within a few minutes. 

Birt was arrested the same evening and the next day brought to 
Springfield, where, upon examination before the mayor, he was held 
to bail in the sum of $5,000. At the August term of the circuit 
court he was tried and found guilty of murder in the first degree. 
But the youth of the defendant and some mitigating circumstances 
connected with the killing of A^oung Wynn, created a sympathy for 
Birt, and a pretty general belief that the verdict was too severe, and 
that a few years' confinement in the penitentiary would be sufficient 
for all the purposes, of justice, was shared by the judge and he 
gmnted a new trial in Noveml)er, when the jury, with substantially 
the same testimony, although with somewhat different instructions, 
found the defendant " not guilty " of any offense, whatever ! 

MURDER OF JOHN MARSHALL. 

About the 26th of November a man, named John Marshall, was 
brutally murdered in a saloon in the eastern part of the county, near 
the line of the railroad, by two men named James Haggerty and 
Thomas Carroll. All of the parties were railroaders, and the mur- 
der was the result of a drunken quarrel over a small sum of money. 
Haggarty was arrested at once and confined in jail and Carroll was 
apprehended a few days later. In June, 1870, Haggerty pleaded 
guilty to manslaughter in the second degree and was sentenced to 
four years in the penitentiary. 



620 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

FATAL ACCIDENT TO ARNOLD HELTON. 

On the 10th of November a fatal accident occurred to Mr. Arnold 
Helton, a citizen of the western part of the county and who was on 
his way home from Springfield. Mr, Helton had started home on a 
load of lumber. He had been drinking freel}'^ and was considerably 
under the influence of liquor. Silas Ray, one of his neighbors, was 
riding with him. They were near Fulbright's spring when Mr. Hel- 
ton fell from the wagon and was run over by the wheel passing over 
his breast, crushing him so that he died in about half an hour. Mr. 
Helton was a man of considerable property and not in the habit of 
drinkino;. 



CHAPTER XV. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1870 TO 1875. 

1870 — Miscellaneous Tragedies — The Kansas City and Memphis Railroad Subscription — 
Completion of the South Pacific Kailroad to Springfield — Celebration of the Event — 
The Political Campaign of 1870 — The Conventions and the Canvass — The "Possum" 
Policy — The Libernls^ Universal Amnesty and Impartial Suffrage — Defeat of the 
Radicals at the November Election and Enfranchisement of all the "Rebels" — Killing 
of "Ev" Hollingsworth — Items. 1871 — Miscellany — Murder of Judge Linden- 
bower — The Armstrong-Baughman Tragedy — The Crime and Lynching ot "Bud" 
Isbell — The Railroad Bonds. 1872 — Items— Special Election— The Presidential 
Election — Greeley "Crow" for the Democrats — Official Vote. 1873 — Dedication of 
the Baile}- Monument — Miscellaneous — Lynching of Green Buis at Walnut Grove — 
The Grange and the Grangers — The Panic. 1874 — The "Tadpole" Campaign. 

1870 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Homicide. — On New Year's Day an affray occurred in the " Hum- 
boldt Saloon" in Springfield, which resulted in the death of one Owen 
Monday at the hands of Michael Connery. Both men had been drink- 
ing, and the affray resulted from a former quarrel. Connery stabbed 
Monday four times about the head and neck. Not long thereafter 
Connery pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was given five years in 
the penitentiary. Monday lived four oi- five days, and before his 
death bequeathed about $500 to the Catholics of Springfield to be ex- 
pended in the purciiase of cemetery grounds, and a small sum was 
given to go towards erecting a residence for the priest. During the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 521 

war Monday was in charge of the telegraph line between Springfield 
and Rolla. Coniierj (or Conway) was a saddler and in the employ 
of Mc Adams & Co. 

JRobbeiy. — About the 20th of February a soldier's widow living in 
Taylor township was rolj])ed of her pension money amounting to 
$350, by two villains wlio piled brush at her door and threatened to 
burn down her house unless she gave them the money, which she had 
hidden in an old house near by. They had revolvers and were dis- 
guised hy having their faces blackened. They also threatened to 
murder the lady if she did not give them her money. 

Suicide. — On the 21st of September John R. Kelso, jr., a boy 14 
years of age and a son of Hon. John R. Kelso, ex-M. C, committed 
suicide by shooting himself with a pistol, and his body was found in a 
ravine close by his father's house, not far from Springfield. It seemed 
from the statements of the famil}'^, that the boy had killed himself be- 
cause his sister had discovered that he was using tobacco, a habit 
which his father had forbidden him to practice, and which he had 
promised to abandon. 

A Colored Jury. — The first colored jury ever sworn and im- 
paneled in Greene county was convened before Esq. Beiderllnden, of 
Springfield, in June 1870. The -case was that of Mary Button vs. 
John Jones, and was a controversy for the possession of a house. 

A Horrible Deed. — About the 1st of June it was reported that 
one R. G. Andrews committed a nameless crime, his victim being a 
Mrs. Dummer, OO years of age, who lived in old Fort No. 1, near 
Springfield. He was said to have met Mrs. Dummer on her way to 
the depot and accomplished his purpose by threats of murder. 

Deaths. — June 15th, Benjamin Shockley, aged 73. — Sept. 12th, 
in Springfield, Mrs. C. W. Baker, wife of Judge James Baker, 

THE KANSAS CITY AND MEMPHIS RAILROAD. 

There was great interest taken in this county this year, in regard to 
the proposed building of a railroad from Kansas City to Memphis, 
Tenn., via Springfield. The people were almost universally in 
favor of the project, and numerous meetings in its aid were held. On 
the last day of May numeroush'- signed petitions were presented to 
the county court, asking that body to subscribe $400,000 stock in the 
Kansas City and Memphis Railroad, on certain conditions set forth in 
the petitions, one of which conditions was to submit the question to a 
vote of the tax-payers. At that time everybody seemed in favor of 



522 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the subscription, and nobody against it. After deliberating on the 
matter for two days, the court, in full session, Judges Benj. Kite, G. 
M. McElhannon and R. P. Matthews being present, made the sub- 
scription on the conditions set forth. It is this subscription that is 
still in litigation between the county and the bondholders. 

In October, the court modified and changed its order of subscrip- 
tion. Among other things, L. H. Murray was appointed to act as the 
county's agent in the matter of transferring the bonds to the Hanni- 
bal and St. Jo. Railroad Company — really the other party in inter- 
est, but represented by the ♦' K. C. and M. R. R.," a corporation 
within a corporation, ♦♦ a wheel within a wheel." S. G. Appleby and 
M. K. Smith were appointed assistant commissioners to act with Mur- 
ray, a majority of the three to constitute a quorum, and to be under 
the especial instructions of the court. The following is a copy of the 
order of the court, making the subscription: — 

Ordered hy the court in full session, That the county of Greene, in 
the State of Missouri, take and does hereby subscribe four thousand 
shares of the denomination of one hundred dollars each, amounting 
in the aggregate to four hundred thousand dollars, to the capital 
stock of the Kansas City and Memphis Railroad Company ; provided, 
however, that said stock is taken and subscribed upon the following 
express conditions, viz. : — 

First. The said stock, amounting to the sum of four hundred 
thousand dollars, shall be paid in the coupon bonds of the county of 
Greene, maturing in twenty years after the date thereof, bearing 
interest, payable semi-annually, at the rate of seven per cent per 
annum, both principal and interest payable at the Bank of Commerce 
in the city of New York ; said bonds to be signed by the presiding 
justice of this court, and attested by the clerk, under the seal of the 
court, and the coupons attached to be attested or signed by the clerk. 

/Second. None of said bonds shall be signed, issued or delivered 
until the road-bed of said railroad shall be completed, — that is to 
say, the grading, })ridging and masonry thereon, — to the northern 
line of Greene county. And when the county court shall be fully 
satisfied and officially informed of the completion of the road-bed, as 
aforesaid, to the county line aforesaid, the presiding justice of this 
court snail sign, issue and deliver to said company, through its legally 
organized agents, bonds as aforesaid, amounting to one hundred 
thousand dollars. And when said company shall complete the road- 
bed of said road to the city of Springfield, as aforesaid, then said 
company shall secure the further sum of one hundred thousand dol- 
lars, in said bonds. And when said company shall complete their 
road-bed as aforesaid southwardly from Springfield to the county line, 
in the direction of Memphis, then the said company shall receive the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 523 

further sura of one hundred thousand dollars, of said bonds, to be issued 
and delivered as aforesaid. When said compan}^ shall have their cars 
running to the city of Springfield, then said company shall receive 
the balance of said bonds, amounting to one hundred thousand dol- 
lars, issued and delivered as aforesaid. 

Third. It is furtiier expressly stipulated that the depot of said road 
shall be located and established within one-half mile of the court- 
house or public square of Springfield ; provided that the city or citi- 
zens of Springfield shall secure and place at the disposal of said 
company sufficient and suitable grounds for the purpose of a depot 
and depot yards, for said company. 

The bonds herein provided for shall be delivered by the duly au- 
thorized commissioners or agent, to be hereafter appointed by this 
court, and simultaneously with the delivery of said bonds, or any 
portion thereof, by said company, there shall be issued and delivered 
to said company, to the commissioner aforesaid, a corresponding 
amount of the paid up stock of said company to Greene county. 

It is said that the original draft of the order was written by Hon. 
T. A. Sherwood, now one of the judges of the Supreme Court. 

COMPLETION OF THE PACIFIC RAILROAD TO SPRINGFIELD. 

For some time the work of constructing the Southwest branch of 
the old Atlantic and Pacific Railroad through Greene county had been 
in progress, and the locomotive drawing the construction train had 
been slowly creeping forward. At last, on the 21st of April, the iron 
horse reached a point where now North Springfield is, halted, as if to 
gather his Avind, and snorted violently and in triumph that the jour- 
ney which he had been twenty years in making was at last finished, 
and the long-hoped for Pacific road (at this writing called the St. 
Louis and San Francisco) had its terminus at Springfield. 

This was the same road for which a tax of $20,000 had been levied 
and paid by this county in 1856, but at the commencement of the war 
the road was only- completed as far as RoUa, and as the original com- 
pany were unable to fulfil their contract and complete the road, it fell 
into the hands of the State authorities, from whom, in 1866, it was 
purchased by John C. Fremont for $1,300,000. 

But this sale to Gen. Fremont did not result in the completion of 
the road to Springfield. The first installment of $325,000 was 
promptly paid, and the road was completed as far as Little Piney ; but 
when the second payment fell due, Fremont was unable to meet it, 
and the road again reverted back to the State. 

During all these years, staging and hauling goods in wagons from 



524 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Rolla, were among the inconveniences from which the county suffered. 
The overland stage route to California had been continued through up 
to 1861, but after the war was never re-established. There was, 
however, a continuous line of stages to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and 
the telegraph line to that place was still continued. Up to the close 
of the war the telegraph was controlled b}^ Federal authority, but in 

1867, as before stated, it was purchased by a private coihpany of citi- 
zens of Springfield. 

Soon after Fremont's failure and the relinquishment of his claim to 
the railroad, New York and Boston capitalists began to be interested 
in the building of a number of roads in the South and West, and, in 

1868, a company of Eastern men purchased this line and soon cona- 
pleted it through this State, to Vinita, in the Indian Territory. 

During the war when Col. S. H. Boyd was in Congress, he visited 
President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton, and got their consent that 
the Federal government should complete the road from Rolla to 
Springfield, as a *' war measure," to be used chiefly in the transpor- 
tation of troops and supplies until the war should end, wlien it was 
expected that the citizens would gladly take it ofl" the hands of the 
government. The project was defeated, however, by Gen. Curtis who 
represented to the authorities at Washington that the cost of con- 
structing, maintaining, and garrisoning the road would largely exceed 
the benefits likely to be derived therefrom by the government ; and 
these representations were perhaps true, although it might have 
served a good purpose at the time of the Price raid in transporting 
troops to the Southwestern part of the State to head ofl' the Confed- 
erates when they retreated. 

GRAND OPENING OF THE PACIFIC RAILROAD. 

Soon after the completion of the railroad to Springfield, it was ar- 
ranged to have a grand opening of the same. An excursion was 
gotten up, many notables invited, the day fixed, and early on Tuesday 
morning. May 3, 1870, citizens from the town and country began to 
gather at the depot to witness the arrival of the excursion train from 
St. Louis, and participate in the opening ceremonies. Among them 
were many who had never seen a locomotive or a railroad car. They 
had lived long lives on the verge of civilization, and were now for the 
first time to be overtaken by the locomotive, and catch a glimpse of 
its wonderful proportions. Of course, the hour for the arrival of 
the train was waited for with intense interest. All were interested 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 525 

ill beholding the novel sight of a train of passenger oars approaching 
Springfield, and when the long train came in sight, there was great 
cheering from the assembled mnltitiides, mingled with the loud bel- 
lowings of the huge guns which gave the grand salute. The cars were 
beautiful ones, and the locomotives were tastefully decorated with nu- 
merous small flags, flowers and wreaths of evero-reen. The siofht was 
a grand one, and will long be remembered by all who witnessed it. 

By some mistake on the part of the railroad authorities to notify the 
citizens when the train would arrive, no carriages were in waiting to 
convey the guests over to "Old Town," and the party, numbering 
about 400, among whom were a number of ladies, had to trudge 
the entire distance on foot. The journey was a hot and dusty one, 
but at length all reached the public square, where at about two o'clock 
the crowd assembled around a stand erected in front of the court- 
house to listen to the reception speeches and responses. Upon the 
stand were the Governor, Lieut. Governor, Secretary of State, 
S[)eaker of the House of Representatives, and many other distin- 
guished citizens of the State, besides the president and managing di- 
rector of the road. 

On moticm of Hon. S. H. Boyd, Governor McClurg was elected to 
preside, and D. C. Kennedy and H. E. Havens, chosen secretaries. 
On motion the following gentlemen were appointed vice presidents : 
Hon. R. T. VanHorn, Hon. T. C. Fletcher, Hon. J. S. Phelps, Lieut. 
Gov. Stanard, Hon. S. W. Headlee, Hon. L. A. Rountree, Hon. D. 
S. Jewett, Hon. John Hogan, Hon. L. R. Shyrock and R. W. Jame- 
son. 

Prayer was offered by Rev. A. Greenman. Hon. John S. Phelps 
was introduced by the chairman, and delivered a welcoming speech. 
Francis B. Hayes, president of the road, was introduced, and re- 
sponded to the address of Mr. Phelps, 

Ex-Governor Thos. C. Fletcher was next introduced, and addressed 
the jneeting at considera))le length in eloquent and appropriate re- 
marks. 

A rain storm coming up, the meeting adjourned to the City Hall, 
where addresses were made by Chauncey L Filley, of St. Louis, John 

C. Orrick, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governor Mc- 
Clurg, Hon. R. T. Van Horn of Kansas City, L. R. Shryock, Hon. 

D. T. Jewett, Hon. E. O. Stanard, and Hon. John Hogan, of St. 
Louis ; and J. Milton Turner, of Jefferson City, all of whom spoke of 
the great importance and superiority of this route to the Pacific, and 



526 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

congratulated the people of t he Southwest upon the opening of the 
road to Springfield. 

After speeches by Hon. S. H. Boyd, Mr. Pope and Senator Headlee 
the meeting adjourned. Many of the visitors returned by the 6 
o'clock train, but a large number remained over and attended a ball 
in the evening at the City Hall. 

By the 19th of May trains were running between St. Louis and 
Springfield on regular time, and every day about one hundred 
cars, including those containing railroad supplies, were received and 
handled at the latter point. Many a man and woman, too, of mature 
years, saw at Springfield this year, for the first time, a locomotive 
and train of cars. Many a trip of some miles was made purposely to 
see "the steam kyars." 

THE POLITICAL CANVASS AND ELECTION OP 1870. 

No more important or exciting political contest ever came off in 
Greene county, not even in Presidential years, than that in the year 
1870. The contest was between the regular Republicans or *' Radi- 
cals " on the one side and the Liberal Republicans and Democrats on 
the other, and extended throughout the State. 

The questions of universal amnesty and enfranchisement, of the re- 
peal of the Missouri iron-clad oath for voters, jurymen, ministers, law- 
yers, teachers, etc., were rapidly sowing the seeds of discord and dis- 
integration in the Republican party in the State, dividing it into two 
"wings " as they were called. Radical and Liberal ; the former main- 
taining the extreme and the latter the more magnanimous policy in 
regard to those who by word or deed, or both, had had complicity 
with the rebellion. 

THE RADICAL CONGRESSIONAL CONVENTION IN SPRINGFIELD. 

July 25th the Republican Congressional Convention for this dis- 
trict (then the 4th) met at Springfield. Col. Dale, of Neosho, pre- 
sided. The candidates before the convention were H. E. Havens, of 
Greene, and S. W. Sennett, of Jasper. Hon. S. H. Boyd was voted 
for in the convention, but had withdrawn his name as a candidate. 
Mr. Havens was nominated by a large majority. 

Speeches were made by Col. J. J. Gravelly and others. Gravelly's 
speech was very " Liberal, " so much so that some of the delegates 
termed it a good Democratic speech, and Capt. White, of Barry, 
called out to the Colonel : " How much do the Democrats pay you for 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 527 

speaking for them?" The convention was Radical to the core, and 
the following were among the resolutions adopted : — 

7. The obligation of the nation to its brave defenders during the 
late war for national existence, is of the most sacred and bindinof 
character, and we favor a liberal payment of bounties and pensions 
to disabled soldiers, and to the widows and orphans of the gallant 
dead. 

8. That respecting the unity and harmony of the Radical party 
throughout the State, we pledge ourselves to act in accord with the 
action and platform of the coming Radical State Convention. 

12. The question of enfranchising rebels, as presented by the pro- 
posed suffrage amendment to our State constitution, should not be 
considered a test of fidelity to the Radical party, and we recognize 
the right of an}'^ citizen to act upon it according to the dictates of his 
own judgment. 

THE REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION OF 1870. 

For some time the breach between the two factions of the Re- 
publican party in this county had been widening, and when the county 
convention convened on August 22d, to select delegates to the State 
convention, there was, to borrow a slang expression, " music in the 
air." Both factions were represented in the convention, although the 
Radicals were largely in the majority. The wily Democrats kept 
aloof, knowing that their hopes of success depended entirely on the 
distraction, disruption and division of the Republicans, and a 
union with the Liberal wing, which favored the enfranchising of so 
many men who would vote the Democratic ticket if allowed to vote 
at all. 

The convention was called to order by "Alphabet" Mack, and 
Maj. L. P. Downing presided. Matters went smoothly enough until 
the committee appointed to select delegates to the State convention 
reported. Mr. Rice, on behalf of a majority of the committee, re- 
ported the following for delegates : — 

Pond Creek township, Hugh Boyd; Clay, H. H. Kershner ; 
Taylor, F. E. Watterson ; Jackson, A. J. Potter ; Cass, N. H. McGill ; 
Boone, J. Longcrier ; Center, R. D. Nicholson; Robberson, S. W. 
Headlee ; Campbell, J. P. Ellis, W. F. Geiger, J. H. Rector (colored) 
and Edgar Pitts (colored) — all Radicals. 

Thereupon Gen. Mullings, representing the minority of the com- 
mittee composed of himself, W. L. Mack, and J. J. Campbell, 



528 HISTOIIV OF GREENE COUNTY. 

presented a report reconimeudiiig the insertion in the room of any of 
the six names presented by the mnjority of the following names : H. 
G. MuUings, S. N. Ingram, W. L. Mack, E. A. Andrews, H. J. Lin- 
denbower, and M. H. Williams. 

Immediately the "music " struck up. MuUings advocated a divi- 
sion of the delegation, and said if this were not done he would not be 
bound by the action of the convention. Mr. Creighton led the fight 
for the Radicals. He declared that the delegation was already divided, 
as five of those whose names were reported were known to be in favor 
of the suffrage amendments to be submitted at the ensuing election, 
and he believed that the majority should rule, and not be dictated to 
])y a factious minority. A noisy discussion followed, and Jit last on 
motion, the townships were called on the adoption of the amendment, 
and the vote stood as follows: ayes 7 ; noes 21. Mr. Rountree then 
moved the adoption of the majority report. The vote was taken by 
townships, and stood as follows : ayes 21 ; noes 7. 

MuUings then attempted to have a resolution passed giving certain 
instructions to the delegation. On this resolution he spoke at some 
length, being frequently interrupted. To this resolution at last 
Creighton offered an amendement pending the consideration of 
which the convention adjourned amid great confusion and excite- 
ment. 

Knowing that the trouble would be increased tenfold by an attempt 
to nominate county officers in a convention, the Republican party 
managers left the selection to a primary election, which was held 
September 17th and resulted in the choice of the following 
ticket : — 

For representative 1st district, F. E. Watterson ; for representa- 
tive 2d district, R. D. O. Nicholson ; clerk of the circuit court, R. 
A. C. Mack; clerk of the count}'^ court, Al. Demuth ; clerk of the 
probate and common pleas court, J. W. McCullah ; recorder, Chas. 
Lisenby ; sheriflf, A. J. Potter; treasurer, A. F. Ingram; county 
court justice, N. B. Turner; assessor, S. R. Waddill ; school super- 
intendent, C. W. Crawford ; coroner, R. P. Burns ; surveyor, I. N. 
Jones. 

The Liberals bestirred themselves. On the 22d of September they 
had a grand jubilee at Springfield, at which B. Gratz Brown, was the 
principal speaker, followed by Col. W. E. Gilmore. At the Repub- 
lican State Convention at Jefferson, August 31st, there had been an 




HON. JOHN DAY. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 529 

open disruption of the party. Headed b}^ Carl Schurz, 250 of the 
delegates withdrew from the regular convention, formed another, and 
nominated a full State ticket headed l)y B. Gratz Brown for Governor 
and Col. Wm. E. Gilmore, of this county, for Lieutenant Governor. 
Owing to the shortness of time he had lived in the State, Gilmore 
was disqualified for the place, and Col. J. J. Gravelly was substi- 
tuted. 

The Liberal Republican Congressional convention for this district 
was held in Springfield, Sept. 23. Col. Wm. E. Gilmore was nomin- 
ated for Congress, and thus, as in 1868, both candidates for Congress 
were from Greene county. The resolutions adopted b}'^ the con- 
vention were these : — 

Be it resolved by the Liberal Republican party of the 4th Congres- 
sional District in convention assembled : — 

1st. That we heartily indorse the platform of principles adopted by 
the Liberal Republican party of the State which nominated B. Gratz 
Brown, of Missouri, and pledge our mutual support to such platform 
of principles and the candidates nominated by said convention. 

2d. That we are earnestly in favor of a reduction of the present 
tariff rates on sugar, coffee, tea, salt, iron, and all other articles of 
common consumption among the people. 

The third resolution favored the equalization of bounties bill, to 
pay to each soldier $8.33 for ever}^ month he served in the Union army 
during the war. 

The Liberals held their county convention September 26th. Maj. 
R. J. McElhany presided and W. R. Gorton was secretary. The 
following county ticket was nominated : Representative of the 2d dis- 
trict, H. G. Mullings ; representative of the 1st district, J. H. 
Langston ; clerk of the circuit court, S. N. Ingram ; county clerk, B. 
F. Partridge; sheriff, James Long; recorder, A. Vangeuder ; county 
justice, George W. Brittain ; treasurer, Jared E. Smith ; school super- 
intendent, J.J. Bunch; surveyor, I. N. Jones. 

The Democrats — the wily Democrats — made no regular nomina- 
tions, but suggested names to be voted for to fill three or four offices, 
and although the Liberals had nominated a full ticket, except for pro- 
bate clerk, it was understood that the candidates for sheriff, circuit 
clerk, and county judge were not to be voted for, a trade having been 
consummated with the Democrats, by the terms of which they (the 
Democrats) were to support the Liberal ticket entire, State, Congres- 
sional and county, except in the case of the four offices named and to 
34 



530 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

fill these the Liberals — or a large majority of them — agreed to vote 
for E. D. Ott for probate clerk, M. J. Hubble for circuit clerk, C. 
B. Owen for sherift', and Ralph Walker for county judge. Both 
Democrats and Liberals seemed to think half a loaf better than no 
bread . 

The Democrats worked their "possum policy" very adroitly. 
Leading Democrats made no speeches, but greatly assisted the Liberals. 
Judge R. W. Fyan, Col. J. J. Gravelly, Col. Gilmore and others 
stumped the county, and November 3, Carl Schurz spoke in Spring- 
field. Hons. H. E. Havens and J. W. Sennett represented the regular 
Republicans, and were assisted by the local talent. October 27th 
Senator Chas. D. Drake spoke at Springfield in aid of the regular 
Republican ticket, headed by J. W. McClnrg for Governor. 

The Legislature the previous winter had submitted certain amend- 
ments to the people, three of which had for their object the repealing 
of the provisions of the "Drake Constitution " establishing the " oath 
of loyalty " for jurors and voters, and abolishing certain disqualifica- 
tions on account of race, color, or [)revious condition of servitude or 
on account of former acts of disloyalty. For these amendments all 
of the Liberals and Democrats and a majority of the regular Republi- 
cans of this county were expected to vote. But many Republicans 
were still opposed to allowing " rebels" and "rebel sympathizers" 
to vote, hold office, or sit on juries, as the vote in thijs county will 
show. 

The Liberals headed their tickets with the motto, " Love is Stronger 
than Hate." and the burthen of their speeches was opposition to " the 
principles of eternal hate." They made reference to the fact that 
while President Grant had an ex-Confederate officer, Col. A. T. 
Akerman, in his Cabinet, out in Missouri a poor ignorant, perhaps 
deluded, rebel could not even vote. 

As the November election, 1870, forms an important epoch in the 
history of Missouri, marking the period at which the Republicans, for 
eight years the dominant party, surrendered their power, which they 
have not since been able to regain, — the vote of Greene county is 
herewith given by townships, on the three notable constitutional 
amendments and for the principal officers : — 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 531 

CANVASS OF THE VOTE AT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1870. 



TOWNSHIPS. 



GOVERNOR. 



CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND 
MENTS. 



Cass 

Clay '.'.'.'.'.," 

Center !!!!!!.'! 

Jackson !..!.'!.*.'.*.' 

Robberson 

Taylor '.'.'.'." 

Pond Creek .!!!!!!! 

Wilson [ 

Boone, let District.....!." 

2d " ; 

Campbell, North Division. 
Campbell, South Division. 



Total 1042 



64 
31 
73 
84 
65 
56 
64 
27 
70 
47 
251 
210 



37 

58 

55 

134 

33 

16 

92 

43 

70 

350 

254 



Second. 



Fonrth 



93 
41 

78 
68 
1381 
38; 
18 1 
99 
49 1 
761 
423 
355 



^ ;§ 



Fifth. 



CONGRESS 



REPRESENTA- 
TIVES. 



IstDist 



TOWNSHIPS. 



1210 15771 337 1 1456 i 514 1424 463 



55 
23 

58 
79 
58 
55 
62 
25 
63 
46 
218 
172 



914 



70 

40 

62 

55 

128 

34 

17 

89 

47 

69 

376 

271 



2d Dist. 



^ S* 



261 40 



55 



26 

17 

95 L 



355 

274! 



65 



58 
43 
118 



CLERK 
CIRC'T C'T.' 



1261 578 807 1 339 1 405 



CLERK 
CO. COURT, 



Cass 

Clay \\\\[ 

Center 

Jackson '.'.'.'.', 

Robberson 

Taylor :;;••• ^^ 

Pond Creek ot 

Wilson ■• 28 

Boone, 1st District....!! 51 

" 2d " .... 47 

Campbell, North Div. .. . 312 

" South " .... 229 



73 

31 

56 

50 

120 

27 

10 

93 

43 

68 

231 

197 



59 
24 
68 
80 
60 
.54 
62 
30 
76 
55 
213 
254 



73 
39 

58 
52 
122 
.33 
16 
85 
37 
62 
2S0 
194 



TREASURER CO. JUDGE.3 



63 
28 
67 
88 
70 
59 
61 
13 
69 
45 
226 
199 



69 
41 
61 
51 

117 
27 
13 

108 
23 
69 

227 

210 



58 
25 
70 
80 
61 
56 
64 
25 
68 
46 
248 
206 



SCHOOL 
SUPT. 



74 

42 

60 

54 

137 

32 

16 

97 

41 

68 

352 

249 



55 
28 
62 
80 
57 
57 
51 
23 
65 
19 
211 
183 



73 
37 
55 
45 
136 
21 



05 



.311 
230 



58 
27 
73 
80 
58 
56 
64 
24 
65 
51 
256 
233 



11351 10511 988! 10161 10071 12191 891 1 1133 1 1045 



74 

40 

57 

55 

133 

33 

16 

97 

48 

62 

341 

223 



1179 



The result of the election was the choice of for representatives, J. 
W. Langston and Hosea Miillings, Liberals ; R. A. C. Mack, Radical, 
clerk of the circuit court; Al. Demuth, Radical, clerk of the county 
court ; El, D. Ott, Democratic Liberal, clerk of the probate and com- 
mon pleas court; Chas. B. Owen, Democratic Liberal, sheriff- Jared 
E. Smith, Liberal, treasurer; Ralph Walker, Democratic Liberal, 



^ S. N. Ingram received 167 votes for circuit clerk. 

* James Long received 271 votes for sheriff. 

' G. W. Brittain received 200 votes for county justice. 



532 HISTORY OF GRIOENE COUNTY. 

county court justice ; J. T. Walker, Liberal, county assessor; J. Jay 
Bunch, Liberal, superintendent of schools. 

The 2d constitutional amendment abolished the " oath of loyalty " 
for jurors ; the 4th abolished the " 6ath of loyalty" for voters ; the 
5th removed certain disqualifications on account of " race, color, or 
previous condition of servitude," and on account of " former acts of 
disloyalty." 

In the State the amendments carried by overwhelming majorities. 
Brown was elected over McClurg by a majority of 41,038. Li this 
congressional district. Havens, regular Republican, defeated Gilmore 
by a large majority. 

MURDER OF A. HOLLING8WORTH BY O. B. REED. 

On the 22d of April, 1870, A. Hollingsworth, an old citizen of this 
county, 74 years of age, and formerly marshal of Springfield, and 
county jailer — well known as " Uncle Ev.," — was killed a few miles 
south of Springfield, by another old man named O. B. Reed, of 
Christian county. It seemed that Reed had been to town with a 
load of lumber, and became intoxicated. He then started home, 
having a bottle of whisky in his pocket. He was next seen lying in 
the road a few miles from town by some one who passed on to Mr. 
HoUingsworth's house, a short distance, and informed him that a 
drunken man was lying in a helpless condition and ought to be taken 
care of. Mr. Hollingsworth repaired to the spot, where he found 
Reed entirely helpless, having apparently fallen from the wagon, and 
his team tangled in the brush and his wagon broken. Mr. Hollings- 
worth took a coffee pot from the wagon and filled it with water at 
the branch near by, and proceeded to bathe the head and wrists of 
Reed. He was thus enfjaged when Mr. W. H. Patterson, who wit- 
nessed the remainder of the affair, rode up on horseback. The ef- 
fect of the cold water revived Reed so that he rose on his elbow, and 
began to abuse Hollingsworth, asking him if he wanted to fight, etc. 
Mr. Hollingsworth paid little attention to him and proceeded to pour 
the water on Reed's head, when the latter sprang to his feet, drew a 
knife and attempted to stab Hollingsworth, the latter retreating 
slowly for a distance of about thirty yards, closely pursued by Reed, 
who finally caught Hollingsworth with his left hand and struck him 
five times with the knife. When Mr. Patterson discovered that Reed 
was using a knife, he immediately jumped from his horse, caught 
him and tried to take the knife from him. Failing in this, he jerked 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 533 

him down, placed his foot upon his wrist and, with a stone, broke 
the blade of the knife. Patterson then assisted HoUingsworth to get 
upon his horse. Reed, in the meantime, attempted another assault, 
when Patterson threw him in a branch where he left him. 

Dr. Barrett was sent for to attend HoUingsworth and at first it 
was hoped his life might be saved. He, however, died the second 
day afterward. He was aged about 74, unusually stout and vigor- 
ous. The two were strangers to each other and no cause of quarrel 
existed between them. Reed was an old gray-headed man, feeble 
in appearance, with every indication of being inoffensive and harm- 
less. He said he had no recollection of anything that passed after he 
left town until in the night when he awoke and found himself in a 
strano;e room under guard. 

On preliminary examination before Justice Hubbard, Reed was 
committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury. He was af- 
terwards tried and sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the pen- 
itentiary, but was soon pardoned by the Governor. 

ITEMS. 

In February, 1870, an abstract of the taxable property of the 
county, taken from the assessor's books, showed a total valuation of 
$6,241,648. 

On the 2l8t of April the colored people celebrated the ratification 
of the 15th amendment by a grand mass meeting, procession, etc., in 
Springfield. J. H. Rector was president of the day. Addresses 
were delivered by Rector, Rev. Reed, and J. Milton Turner, colored, 
and by W. D. Hubbard, Col. Gilmore, and Col. Mack, white. 
A few days later, however. Rector was expelled from the city omni- 
bus by reason of his color. 

May 14th the first man was killed by the cars at North Springfield . 
His name was said to be Patrick Borland, and many thought his 
death a case of suicide. 

The town of Ash Grove was incorporated February 2d, of this 
year, and North Springfield was incorporated July 12th. 



1871 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Early in January a meeting of citizens of the county was held at 
Springfield for the purpose of organizing an anti-horse-thief society, 



534 HISTORY OF GUEENE COUNTY. 

to protect farmers and others from the depredations of horse thieves. 
Wm. Massej was chosen chairman and C. F. Leavitt acted as secre- 
tary. Geo. Lawrence, John Young, and C. F. Leavitt were appointed 
a committee to draft a plan of organization. 

In May, Ash Grove and North Springfield were re-incorporated by 
the county court. Both towns had improved largely the first year of 
their oflicial existence, and were still improving. 

In the fall of the year there was a long and excessive drouth in the 
county. No rain fell from about the first of August until October 
8th. 

John Hursh died in November, and December 16th Hon. John W. 
Hancock, who, prior to the war, was a well known politician, in this 
county and Southwest Missouri, died at his home in Paris, Texas. 
Col. Hancock was long a citizen of Greene county, and is fre- 
quently mentioned elsewhere in these pages. 

•' UNDER THE ROSES THE BLUE. " 

Decoration Day of this year was observed by a procession to the 
National cemetery, an address by Dr. Thos. U. Flanner, and the dec- 
oration of the graves of the soldiers by the young ladies. In the pro- 
cession there were tableau cars and other interesting features. 

"UNDER THE LILIES THE GRAY." 

June 21st the graves of the Confederate dead near Springfield were 
decorated very beautifully and very bountifully. There was no pro- 
cession, however. An oration was delivered by Col. R. H. Musser, of 
Brunswick. Gens. Marmaduke and Shelby were expected to be pres- 
ent, butthe}^ failed to come. In the evening a reception was given at 
the City Hall. Addresses were delivered by Hon. Thos. C. Reynolds, 
ex-Lieutenant Governor of the State, and Hon. John S. Phelps, and 
letters from a number of prominent ex-Confederates, including Jeft". 
Davis, were read. 

MURDER OF JUDGE H. J. LINDENBOWER. 

January 24th, 1871, one Wm. Cannefax shot and killed Judge 
Harrison J. Lindenbower in a saloon near the court-house, in Spring- 
field. The murder was in broad daylight and in the presence of wit- 
nesses, from whose statements this account has been derived. The 
judge was either seated upon or resting one foot on a barrel talking to 
another gentleman, when Cannefax approached him and asked: 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 535 

*' Well, what are you goino; to do about that land?" Lindenbower 
replied, " O, you go and see your lawyer and lot him attend to it for 
you. " Immediately Cannefax stepped behind Lindenbower and 
opened on him with his revolver, shooting three times. At the first 
fire Lindenbower sprang up and cried out in great agony and ran 
wildly about the room a few seconds, when he fell and expired. 

As stated to the writer, Cannefax' s enmity towards Lindenbower 
was occasioned by the following circumstances. During the war 
Benj. Cannefax, an uncle of William, went South, and abandoned his 
home in this county. He was somewhat involved and during his ab- 
sence suit was brought against him by his creditors, judgment rendered 
against him by default, and his land, a fine farm, south of Springfield, 
was levied upon and sold. Judge Lindenbower was the purchaser or 
one of the purchasers. Afterwards William Cannefax came forward 
and claimed as rightfully his a portion of the land purchased by Lin- 
denbower, alleging that he, Cannefax, had conveyed it to his uncle 
some time before in order that certain creditors might not seize it, but 
that the sale had been, and was so understood to be, a sham sale. 
Cannefax urged Lindenbower to let him have his portion of the land 
back again, but Lindenbower refused to give up his title unless the 
matter was properly adjudicated in the courts. This irritated Canne- 
fax, and led to the commission of the crime before described. 

Judsfe Lindenbower was a native of Ohio, and at the time of his 
death was only about 35 years of age. He had been a resident of 
Springfield since 1858. He was a lawyer by profession, a Republican 
in politics, and his public career is mentioned on other pages of this 
history. He was a shrewd speculator and was in a fair way to amass 
a competence when he was killed. Cannefax occupied a humble po- 
sition in the community, and was a small farmer. He was of middle 
age, and was an old citizen of Greene county, his father, Joseph Can- 
nefax, being one of the first settlers. 

Cannefax was arrested, indicted for murder in the first degree, and 
committed to jail. He secured a change of venue to Taney county, 
but the )iext June he and three other prisoners broke jail at Spring- 
field and made their escape. In July, 1874, he returned, was re-arrested 
by Sheriff Potter after quite a struggle and arraigned, and his trial com- 
ing on at Forsyth, on the advice of his counsel, J. C. Cravens, Esq., 
he pleaded guilty to the charge of murder in the second degree and 
was sentenced to the penitentiary for life. 

The murder of Judge Lindenbower horrified and greatly incensed 



536 HISTORY OF GREENIC COUNTY. 

the people. He was a man of prominence and high character and there 
seemed to be no sort of extennation or palliation for his untimely 
taking off. His reputation as a sharp trader was well known, and 
there were those who said that he sometimes drove a hard bargain, 
but always a fair one, and this seems to have been all that was ever 
said in his disfavor. 

' Two days after his death the bar of Greene county met to do honor 
to the memory of Judge Lindenbower. John S. Phelps presided and 
J. C. Cravens was secretar3\ Resolutions were unanimously adopted 
setting forth that Lindenbower had been " basely murdered in the 
prime of his manhood and usefulness, " and declaring that in life he 
had been " an able and honorable member of our profession, an affa- 
ble and courteous gentleman, a trustworthy friend, and an estimable 
citizen." The following attorneys were selected as pall-bearers: 
Hons. John S. Phelps, John S. Waddill, J. H. Show, W. F. Geiger, 
Thos. A. Sherwood, C. F. Leavitt, J. R. Milner, O. H. Travers. 

THE ARMSTRONG-BAUGHMAN TRAGEDY. 

July 20th Constable Jacob Baughman, of Campbell township, went 
to the eastern part of the county to arrest a man named John Arm- 
strong, who lived near Strafford. Baughman took with him R. M. 
Jones and his son Henry, both of whom lived in the neighborhood, 
and were not on friendly terms with Armstrong. The party arrived 
at Armstrong's about daybreak, Armstrong had been sick for some 
days, and was lying on the floor. Baughman punched the prostrate 
man with his cane and told him to get up and go to Springfield with him. 
Armstrong replied by ordering the entire party to leave his house. 

One of the Jones' presented a pistol, which was caught by a Mrs. 
Pritchard, a sister-in-law of Armstrong's, residing in the house with 
him. A confused struggle between all of the parties followed, during 
which Armstrong and Baughman were shot, both ftitally. Armstrong 
was shot by Henry Jones, who fired a charge of buck-shot into his 
victim's body, killing him instantly. It was not certain at the time 
who shot Baughman, but there were those who believed R. M. Jones 
did it accidentally, while he was struggling with Mrs. Pritchard. 
• Baughman died next day. The Jones were arrested and admitted to 
bail. 

THE CRIME AND HANGING OF " BUD " ISBELL. 

On the 19th of June in this year (1871), a 3'oung negro, aged about 
21, named Isbell, commonly called " Bud " Isbell, went to the house 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 537 

of Peter A. Christian, a laborer, who lived near the old fort in Spring- 
field, and asked Mrs. Christian for a drink of water. Mrs. C. was 
alone and handing the negro a cup, she directed him to the well nearby. 
The negro returned from the well in a few moments, and confronting 
Mrs. Christian, knowing that she Avas alone and unprotected, made to 
her an outrageous proposal. The lady refused, but being a small and 
frail woman, and no help being near, she was wholly at the brute's 
mercy, and of course he rendered her none. The tale is best told 
briefly. 

As soon as possible Mrs. Christian gave an alarm, but the negro 
had fled. A reward was ofiered for his apprehension, parties 
went in pursuit, and telegrams were sent to other points. Five days 
later, or Saturday, June 19th, two men from Newton county, came 
into Springfield with Isbell, whom they had captured near Newtonia. 
He was taken into the presence of Mrs. Christian and conclusively 
identified. He was then brought to the public square, and an excited 
crowd soon gathered about him. After a noisy and violent discus- 
sion for half an hour, the crowd decided to hang the black-skinned 
and black-hearted ravisher, and he was speedily trotted oflf to the 
northwest across '* Jordan," and to near the spot where, twelve years 
before. Mart. Danforth was hung for a similar offense. Arriving at a 
suitable tree the negro was placed on a horse. Then one end of a 
rope was fastened about his neck, and the other tied to the limb of a 
tree. The horse was then led away, and "Bud" dropped so low 
that his feet touched the ground, and he had to be lifted up and the 
rope shortened, before he would swing clear. After hanging a short 
time some one in the crowd fired a shot into him, and he was soon 
aftera corpse. After he was dead the crowd dispersed. The coroner 
soon arrived and took charge of the remains. The jur}^ returned a 
verdict that the deceased had come to his death by being both hung 
and shot by three men (whom the}-- named), assisted by many others. 

There was no effort on the part of the officers of the law to inter- 
fere with the lynching. It was stated that the sheriflT of the county 
and the mayor and marshal of the city were on the public square 
when the crowd was considering what action to take in the premises. At 
the place of hanging, Maj. R. B. Chappel addressed the crowd, ad- 
vising the members thereof to make full and careful investigation of 
the prisoner's guilt before proceeding to extremes, and if it should be 
determined that he was guilty and ought to be hung, then let him be 
taken out of town, and so disposed of. But the major's motives were 



538 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

misconstrued, and several revolvers were drawn on him with the ad- 
juration to " dry up." 

Isbell seemed little concerned. As stated, he was al)Out 21 years 
of age and was ignorant and brutal. There was no doubt of his guilt 
in the particular case mentioned, and he was accused of having per- 
petrated the same crime on a young colored girl a short time previ- 
ously. 

THE KANSAS CITY AND MEMPHIS R. R. BONDS. 

During the year 1871 there was no end of controversy and squabble 
over the bonds ($400,000 in amount) issued a year before by the 
county in aid of the Kansas City and Memphis Railroad. The order 
was rescinded, re-rescinded, certain bonds burned, then reissued, etc., 
commissioners appointed, and a great deal of legislation and action 
performed by the county court. The said bonds are still in existence, 
as is the controversy, and when the one will become extinct and the 
other will terminate cannot just now be foretold. 



1872 MISCELLANEOUS. 

In January Jackson township was divided into two voting precincts. 
In May Center township was similarly divided, and in June Walnut 
Grove township was formed out of the northern portion of Boone, 
and at the same session of the county court a portion of Center was 
attached to Boone. 

The assessor's books this year showed 3,963 names, and 9,146 
tracts of land and town lots. The total taxable property was $7,022,- 
309. The consolidated tax delinquent book showed 3,125 tracts and 
town lots delinquent. In November the number of registered voters 
in the county was 4,369. 

In November and December nearly every horse in the county was 
afflicted with epizootic, and oxen were largely used, even in Spring- 
field, for draft animals. 

Deaths in 1872. — January 6th, Harvey Massey, aged 43. — July 
17th, Capt. R. B. Owen. — July 18th, J. C. Culbertson. — September 
20th, John W. Danforth. — November 19th, A. O. Fairchild, aged 64. 

ELECTIONS IN 1872 SPECIAL ELECTION IN MAY ON TOWNSHIP ORGAN- 
IZATION. 

In April a petition signed by S. H. Boyd and 100 others was pre- 
sented to the county court to submit to a vote of the people, for 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 539 

their adoption or rejection, the question of whether or not Greene 
county should adopt the township organization plan of county gov- 
ernment. The petition was granted, and a special election ordered to 
decide the question on the 21st of May. This election resulted in an 
overwhelming defeat of the proposition, the vote standing : For town- 
ship organization, 327 ; against, 1,350. 

THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1872. 

This being a presidential year, and everybody being allowed to vote 
that had ever been entitled to the privilege, Greene county was stirred 
with excitement from border to border. The nomination of Grant 
and Wilson was acceptable to the great mass of the Republicans, and 
they were enthusiastic for him. The liberal Republicans at Cincin- 
nati, in May, nominated Horace Greeley and B. Gratz Brown, the lat- 
ter Missouri's Governor. The Democrats of the Union indorsed these 
noininations at Baltimore, although many urged the '• possum policy," 
so successfully tried by the Democrats in this State in 1870, and 
counseled that no nominations be made at all. • 

The canvass in this county was warm and exciting. Both parties 
held meetings and pole-raisings, and there was all of the pomp and 
circumstance, the fuss and fustian, and the fifing and drumming com- 
mon to political campaigns when the vote is rather close and the 
party lines shart>ly drawn. As usual, Greene county was rep- 
resented amonof the candidates to be voted for. Two of the candidates 
for Supreme Judge, John P. Ellis and Thos. A. Sherwood, the one a 
Republican, the other a Democrat, were from this county, as were 
the nominees for Congress, Hon. H. E. Havens, the Republican, and 
Hon. C. B. McAfee, the Democratic candidate. 

Not all of the Democrats could be induced to vote for Horace Greeley. 
His bitter denunciation of them and their party for years and years 
could not so soon be forgotten and so easily forgiven as that they 
could recognize him as a proper Democratic candidate for President. 
A great many voted for him under protest ; a great many " hurrahed " 
for him faintly, and a great many tried to, but the " hurrah," 
like Macbeth's "amen," stuck in the throat, and never came out. 
Many Democrats would not go to the polls, and some who went 
would vote for nothing but county officers, while others voted 
what was called the "straight" Democratic ticket, headed by 
Charles O'Conor for President, and John Q. Adams, Jr., for Vice 
President. 



540 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



The following is an abstract of the vote in this county, by townships, 
on the more important offices, at the November election, 1872 : — 

NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1872. 



TOWNSHIPS. 



Boone 

Campbell, North Division. 
South " 

Caes 

Center, 1st District 

2d " 

Clay 

Jackson, 1st Distriet 

2d " 

Pond Creek 

Robberson 

Taylor 

Walnut Grove 

Wilson 



PRES. ELECTOK8. 



131 


156 


524 


470 


8« 


317 


135 


79 


41 


91 


64 


28 


89 


36 


70 


69 


84 


63 


113 


35 


19« 


149 


136 


33 


79 


42 


77 


97 



GOVERNOR. 



127 

520 

345 

135 

40 

62 

86 

70 

86 

111 

199 

134 

77 

76 



162 

482 

329 

88 

95 

32 

39 

72 

64 

37 

149 

47 

45 

102 



K 



124 

516 

338 

133 

36 

62 

86 

70 

78 

109 

175 

132 

64 

70 



167 
484 
339 
93 
98 
33 
41 
72 
69 
37 
159 
47 
52 
111 



STATE 
SENATOR. 



109 

539 

332 

131 

39 

62 

82 

68 

82 

109 

181 

132 

76 

74 



180 
459 
336 
93 
96 
32 
35 
71 
67 
37 
158 
46 
45 
105 



142 

454 

313 

125 

35 

59 

81 

71 

96 

110 

178 

136 

77 

54 



149 

558 

366 

99 

102 

37 

46 

72 

61 

44 

172 

47 

42 

126 



Total 2082 1665 



37 2068 1743 I 1993 1802 I 2016 1760 1931 1921 



Ten votes were cast for E. E. Blakey for sheriff. 

The aggregate vote for the other county officers was as follows : — 

Representative. — S. W. Headlee (Republican), 1,996; John Y. 
Fulbright (Democratic and Liberal), 1,798. 

Collector. — James Abbott (Rep.), 1,965 ; L. A. Newton (Dem. and 
Lib.), 1,779 ; A. M. Julian, 78. 

County Judge. — M. J. Rountree (Rep.), 1,933; J. J. Campbell 
(Dem. and Lib.), 1,894. 

Treasurer. — A. F. Ingram (Rep.), 2,062; Henrv Scholton (Dem. 
and Lib.), 1,753. 

Prosecuting Attorney . — J . T. Rice (Rep.). 1,984; J. R. Waddill 
(Dem. and Lib.), 1,817. 

School Superintendent. — O. S. Reed (Rep. ), 2,063 ; N. L. Maiden 
(Dem. and. Lib.), 1,741. 

Public Administrator. — S. H. Julian (Rep.), 1,940; R. Earnest 
(Dem. and. Lib.), 1,815. 

/Sm-veyor. — J. L. McCraw (Rep.), 1,990; H. M. Parish (Dem. 
and Lib.), 1,845. 

In the State Grant's vote was 119,196; Greeley's, 151,434; 
O'Conor's, 2,429. 

For Governor, Silas Woodson (Dem.), received 156,714 to 
122,272 for John B. Henderson (Rep.). 



' Democrats in italics. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 541 

Havens' majority over McAfee for Congress in this district, then 
the 6th, was 362. 



1873 MISCELLANEOUS . 

Decoration Day — Dedication of the Bailey Monument. — On the 
30th of May, of this year, extraordinary preparations were made and 
carried out in the proper observance of Decoration Day. The fine 
monument provided for in the will of Dr. T. J. Bailey, to be built in 
honor of the Union soldiers killed at the battle of Springfield, Jan- 
uary 8, 1863, was to be dedicated and was already in place. There 
was a long procession from Springfield to the National Cemetery, a 
tableau car, carriages, containing flowers in great profusion, visitors 
from abroad in considerable numbers, etc. Arriving at the cemetery 
addresses were delivered by Judge W. F. Geiger and others, when the 
veil covering the monument was removed by Miss Belle Robertson. 
An able dedicatory address was delivered by ex-Gov. Thos. C. 
Fletcher. 

Confederate Decoration Day. — June 12th the graves in the Con- 
federate Cemetery were dedicated with appropriate services. A large 
concourse of people was present. Col. Celsus Price, of St. Louis, 
a son of Gen. Sterling Price, was orator of the day. 

Sentenced for Life. — At the June term of the circuit court Ed. 
Til ley was sentenced to life imprisonment in the penitentiary and Ned. 
Bryant given fifteen years \n the same institution for stabbing and 
killing Joseph McGee (colored) at a dance in North Springfield, 
some time previously. 

Robbery. — In the month of June a case of robbery occurred three 
miles west of Springfield, remarkable for its singular character and 
its remarkable mode and method. Mr. Wm. R. Robbertson was at 
work in his field when he was approached by his brother-in-law, one 
Mitchell, who had been absent from the county for some time, and 
who now rode up and, presenting a revolver, demanded Mr. R.'s 
money. Robbertson gave up what money he had, amounting to 
about $50. Mitchell ordered him to go to the house and get more 
and when Mr. Robbertson said he had no more, Mitchell called him a 
liar and shot and wounded him pretty severely. Mitchell escaped. 

Murder of Davis. — December 7th, of this year, G. W. Davis, of 
Christian county, was murdered by Sam Orr and Allen Cox. Orr 



542 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was iifterward hung at Mt. Vernon. Cox went to the penitentiary ; 
Jim Orr and R. K. Hart were tried as accessories and acquitted. 

LYNCHING AT WALNUT GROVE GREENBERRY BUIS HUNG BY THE 

VIGILANTES. 

July 7, 1873, one Greenberry Buis was hung by the vigilantes near 
Walnut Grove. It seemed that Buis had married a daughter of Mr. 
Jas. Brinn, a respectable citizen of this county, with whom he lived for 
some time. In 1872 they moved to Cass county, where Buis was ar- 
rested for stealing horses, and sent to the penitentiary. In the mean- 
time, his wife's father had taken her to his home again, which she 
had left against his desire to marry the unfortunate man. The Gov- 
ernor pardoned Buis, who returned to the vicinity of Walnut Grove, 
where he had some relatives. Of course his wife returned to him. 
Although he had been out of the penitentiary about a month, he and 
a brother-in-law. Wood by name, were accused of stealing sheep and 
selling them to the butchers of Springfield and in Polk county. 
They were arrested and Buis escaped, while Wood was sent to Her- 
mitage jail, in Hickory county. 

Buis was arrested in Barry, and was being conveyed to Polk county 
for trial. He requested the guards to allow him to remain one night 
with his wife, and they accordingly stopped with her on the fatal 
night. About 9 o'clock a body of about twenty-five armed men rode 
up, took the prisoner out and hung him to a tree. The guards knew 
not the men, and were powerless to prevent the terrible deed. The 
man hung, within a quarter of a mile of his home, until the next 
evening at 4 o'clock, when the inquest was held and the body cut 
down. 

THE PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. 

In the year 1873 the first lodges of this order were established in 
tliie county. June 23d, Mr. T. R. Allen, of St. Louis county, came 
to Springfield and organized the first Grange in Southwest Missouri, 
called Springfield Grange. The following were the first members : — 
Dr. A. W. McPherson, master; J. W. D. L. F. Mack, lecturer; 
J. B. Lawson, gate-keeper; J. J. Weaver, treasurer; C. Cannefux, 
chaplain ; Henry Scholten, steward ; R. P. Matthews, assistant 
steward ; Miss Bettie Weaver, secretary ; Mrs. M. C. L. Cannefax, 
lady assistant secretary ; Mrs. J. A. Lawson, Flora ; Miss Lizzie 
McPherson, Ceres ; Miss Ella J. Cannefax, Pomona ; S. H. Owens, 
Joel Philips, J. A. McConnell, B. W. McCormick, W. H. Kershner, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 543 

L. B. Austin, H. R. Langston, R. B. Porter, Henry Westmorland, 
Mrs. M. G. Weaver, Mrs. M. J. McCormick, Mrs. L. E. Kershner, 
Mrs. J. H. Show. 

The same evening of the organization of Springfield Grange, Mr. 
Allen went a few miles west of town and there organized another. 
After a time, A. W. McPherson was appointed district deputy, and 
himself organized and set to work several granges in this county until 
at one time the total number was about twenty. 

September 5th, 1873, the Patrons, or Grangers, held their first 
picnic at the Newbill farm, two miles west of Springfield. The pic- 
nic was given under the auspices of Grand Prairie Grange. Addresses 
were delivered, and there was an enjoyable time for all that 
attended. Other picnics were held at different times, while the order 
flourished in this county. A notable one was at Weaver's Grove, 
west of Springfield, June 2d, 1875. Speeches were here made by I. 
8. Haseltine, J. W. Mack, J. H. Show and J. H. Creighton. 

After a time a county council was organized at Springfield, and 
from time to time delegates were sent to the State Grange. In 1873, 
A. W. McPherson was the delegate ; in 1875, Hon. J. H. Show. At 
one time, in 1876 or '77, A. W. McPherson was county agent for the 
grangers of this county, and bought a great quantity of seeds, etc., 
for them, but was forced to give up his position on account of the 
hard work involved and poor pay received. 

November 18, 1875, the district grange held a special meeting in 
the Odd Fellows' Hall, at Springfield, for the purpose of ascertain- 
ing the amount of stock that had been subscribed to a ''co-operative 
store," in response to circulars. Only five granges had responded. 
Rocky Point grange had taken one share ($100), Kickapoo grange, 
two shares ; Pleasant Springs, two ; Wesley Chapel, one share ; 
Hunt's, one. Springfield and O' Sullivan granges refused to sub- 
scribe. Other o;rano;es had not received the circulars in time for 
action. 

Afterwards a " grange store " was conducted on South street, in 
Springfield, by a firm already in business, but its life was short and 
its business insignificant. The grangers would buy where they 
pleased — if they could buy cheap, and get credit. 

DISTRICT GRANGES. 

In December following the organization of the first granges in 
Greene county a district grange or council was organized at Spring- 



544 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



field. The following copy of its proceedings has been kindly fur- 
nished by Mrs. N. M. McKibben, the former secretary and well known 
efficient lady worker in the order : — 

Springfield, Mo., December 4, 1873. 

The Patrons of Husbandry met for the purpose of completing an 
organization under the name of the District Council, composed of 
Greene and adjoining counties, adopted a constitution, appointed 
committees, and elected officers. 

The following subordinate granges were represented through their 
deleirates : — 



Orange. 


No. 


Delegate, 


County. 


Springfield. 
Walnut Spring. 


380 


K. P. Mathews. 


Greene. 


711 


A. J. Vaughn. 


" 


Yeakley. 


712 


J. C. Mason. 


" 


Wesley Chapel. 


718 


M. D. McCroskey. 


Christian. 


Yalle}- Prairie. 


1112 


B. D. Smith. 


Polk. 


Grove Grange. 


572 


Wm. G. Wells. 


" 


Ash Grove. 


864 


A. M. Appleby. 


Greene. 


Kenton. 


708 


H, W. Mvers. 


Christian. 


Ozark. 


499 


H. H. Mullings. 


" 


Morrisville. 


575 


H. McBond. 


Polk. 


Mathews. 


1091 


N. B. Turner. 


Greene. 


Central. 


1114 


H. S. Carrier. 


Polk. 


Tullah Rural. 


"914 


John Kemp. 
F. M. Watson. 




Cave Spring. 


Greene. 


Woods. 


1113 


T. H. Rathbone. 


" 


Taylor Township. 


714 


W. J. Bosson. 


<< 


Walnut Grove. 


869 


E. Wilson. 


•• 


Three Mound. 




0. D. Gunn. 


i< 


Grand Prairie. 


"927 


J. Y. Fulbright. 


«' 


Kickapoo. 


827 


W. B. Anderson. 


" 


Ozark. 


707 


T. T. Gideon. 


Christian. 


Pearson Creek. 


913 


A. E. Duff. 


Greene. 


Pleasant Divide. 


909 


H. A. Neaves and wife. 


" 


Pickerel. 


900 


C. W. Garoutte. 


" 


Brookline. • 


826 


T. M. Gibson. 


. 



COMMITTEES. 

Executive Committee. — Jno. Y. Fulbright, W. B. Anderson, T. 
A. Reed, D. M. Cowan, Jno. Carson. 

Finance Committee. —J. W. D. L. F. Mack, L. T. Watson, J. H. 
Show. 

Printing. — Chesley Cannefax, Henry Scholten, Jno. Evans. 

Officers of Council. — Master, M. J. Rountree ; overseer, H. G. 
Mullings ; steward, T. H. Rathbone ; assistant steward, J. B. Law- 
son ; secretary, R. P. Mathews ; treasurer, A. M. Appleby ; gate 
keeper, T. M. Watson, 

January 7, 1875, the District Council adopted a revised constitution, 
which did not change its object, but because its center of operation 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 545 

was at Springfield it cliaiiired its name to S pring field District Grange. 
The District Council, at the time of its organization, was composed 
of over sixty subordinate granges, from the counties of Greene, 
Christian, Polk, Taney, and Cass [?], But as the object of the 
Patrons of Husbandry became more generally disseminated, each of 
these counties, except Christian, had its own count}' organization of 
the Patrons of Husbandry, and such granges of Springfield District 
Grange as were located in these counties, withdrew, and attached 
themselves to their own county organization, so that the granges 
composing Springfield District Grange were confined principally to 
Greene county. 

January 5, 1883, Springfield District Grange adopted a revised 
constitution which did not change the object of the district council 
co-operation, but considering it more appropriate, it changed its 
name to Greene County District Grange. 

EFFECT OF THE PANIC OF 1873. 

The panic of 1873 had a more damaging effect upon Greene county 
than on many other communities in Missouri. *' Hard times " set in 
in the fall and continued until late in the^following year. Money 
was scarce, the rates of interest exorbitant and usurious, while prop- 
erty of all sorts and kinds depreciated ver}^ seriously. Lands in the 
county were indeed "dirt cheap" and lots and houses in Springfield 
sold for one-half of their former value. North Springfield was badly in- 
jured. Many persons disposed of their property at a sacrifice *and left 
the county. 

CREATION OF BROOKLINE TOWNSHIP. 

In this year Brookline township was formed. The order of the county 
court defining its boundaries, made January 23, was us follows : — 
^'■Brookline Townslilp — Commencing at the northeast corner of sec- 
tion 1, tp. 28, range 23 ; thence south to the southeast corner of sec- 
tion 25 ; thence Avest to the southeast corner of section 30 ; thence 
north to the northwest corner of section (5 ; thence east to the north- 
east corner of section 1, the place of beginning — all in township 28^ 
ranofe 23." 



1874 ELECTIONS THE " TADPOLE " CAMPAIGN. 

During the political canvass of 1874 the opposition to the Demo- 
cratic party in Missouri took on the name of ''People's party," or 
35 



546 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

** Reform party," but was termed by the Democrats ♦' the Tadpole 
party," because some of its members, the Democracy said, were old 
Democrats gradually changing to Republicans, as a tadpole changes 
to a frog. The " People's party " at its State convention, composed 
chiefly of Republicans, and held in Jefferson City, Sept. 3d, nomina- 
ted a full State ticket, headed by Hon. William Gentry, of Pettis 
county, for Governor, and Hon. S. W. Headlee, of this county, for 
Lieutenant governor. 

The Democratic convention, held August 26, nominated Cha^. H. 
Hardin, of Audrain, for Governor,^ and Col. Norman J. Colman, of 
St. Louis, for Lieutenant Governor. The November election in this 
county resulted as follows : — 

For Governor. — Gentry, 18G0 ; Hardin,"^ 1,604. 

For Congressman. — C. W. Thrasher (of Greene), 1,705; Chas. 
H. Morgan, 1,722. 

For Representative. — (Onlv one chosen) L. A. Rountree, 1,297 ; 
L. H. Murray, 1,778 ; H. Fletcher, 394. 

For Circuit Judge. — W. F. Geiger, 1,564 ; J. C. Cravens, 1,513 ; 
J. W. D. L. F. Mack, 304. 

For Sheriff. — A. J. Potter, 1,671 ; C. B. Given, 1,825. 

For County Clerk. — G. A. C. Wooley, 1,025 ; A. Demuth, 810 ; 
J. D. Van Bibber, 1,593. 

For Constitutional Convention. — Yes, 842; No, 1,983. 

In January the Legislature had submitted to the people of Missouri 
the question of whether or not a constitutional convention should be 
called, the question to be decided at the November election. In the 
State the proposition was carried by only 283 majority, the vote 
standing: for a convention, 111,299; against, 111,016. 



1 By one-sixth of a vote over the number of votes necessfiry to a choice (159), and by 
three votes over his competitor, Gen. F. M. Cockrill, now U. S. Senator, — the vote stand- 
ing, Hardin, 159 1-6; Cockrill, 156 5-6. . 

^ Democrats in italics. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 547 

CHAPTER XVI. 
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1875. 

1875 — Miscellaneous — Bond Meetings, Chinch Bugs, Floods, Crimes, Casualties, etc. 
1876 — Celebrations — The Big Flood — The Political Campaign — Reception of Col. 
Phelps — A Greene County Man Elected Governor — Representative Districts — Cen- 
sus. 1877 — Suicide of Saml. Fulbright — Murder of Bion Mason — School Statistics — 
During the Great Strike. 1878 — Miscellaneous — The Murphy Movement — Meeting 
of the Missouri Press Association — The Grange — Anti-Bond Meeting — The First 
Train Over the "Gulf" Railroad — The County Bond Litigation — The Green- 
backers — Elections. 1879 — Miscellaneous — Transfer of the Springfield and Memphis 
Railroad to the Kansas City, Fort Smith and Gulf Company — Killing of Alonzo Fagg — 
Killing of H. C. Roberts, i^.?^'— Miscellaneous Matters — The Great Cyclone— The 
Political Canvass — The November Election — Census Reports. 1881 — First Train 
From Kansas City — Indignant Temperance People — Annual Conference — The 
Drouth — Assassination of President Garfield — Memorial Services — School Statistics, 
etc., etc. 

187 5 MISCELLANEOUS . 

Bond Meeting. — June 14th there was a hirge public meethig at the 
court-house in Springfield, to consider the railroad bond question. 
The county, in its efforts to escape the payment of its bonds, had been 
defeated, and the county court had refused to appeal the case. Many 
members of this meeting were among those whose names were signed 
to petitions asking the county court to issue the bonds in the first in- 
stance, and now they wished the county to refuse to pay them, for 
the reason that they claimed the court had no power to issue them, 
after being induced to do so by their own prayers and petitions. 
Hon. S. W. Headlee presided. A committee on resolutions com- 
posed of T. A Reed, Ira S. Haseltine, Sol. Cotner, T. J. Whitlock, 
and H. C. Young, the latter one of the attorneys for the county in the 
suit decided against it, reported a resolution asking the county court 
to appeal the bond case of Heidekoper vs. Greene county. After 
speeches pro and con by Young, Nathan Bray, Garoutte, Haseltine, 
and Odell, the resolution passed by nine majority. 

Chinch Bugs. — This season the chinch bugs were very destructive 
to the crops of this county, and this also was the "grasshopper 
year," when such great damage was done in Johnson, Henry, and other 
counties to the northwest of this. To abate this latter pest. Governor 
Hardin ordered June 1st to be held as a day of fasting and prayer by 
the people of the State, and the day was duly observed in Spring- 
field. Later in the same month a concert was given at Springfield for 



548 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

the benefit of the grasshopper sufferers, and a nice little sum was re- 
alized. 

Stabbing Affray. — June 1st Amos Cooper, in an aff'ray with R.C. 
Taylor, then the superintendent of the National Cemetery, stabbed 
the latter very badly, so badly, in fact, that his life was despaired of 
for a time. The affray occurred in Annie Boyer's house of ill-fame, 
in the southwest part of Springfield. 

Died. — J. S. Garoutte died suddenly at his residence in this county, 
May 31st, aged 84. He fell while walking across the floor, and im- 
mediately expired. Mr. Garoutte was one of the oldest settlers in the 
county, having lived here since 1837. 

Taxes. — The amount of taxes levied this year was as follows : 

State revenue tax ....... $10,414.10 

State interest fund tax 13,017.68 

Couiitv revenue tax ...... 19,999.11 

County poor tax . 9,998.98 

Railroad tax 24,990.98 

School tax . . . . . . . . 30,666.14 



Total $109,086.99 

The vote on the new constitution (the present), at the November 
election was very light, only about 800 votes being cast. The ma- 
jority for the constitution was over 400. 

THE STOKM OF JUNE, 1875. 

On tlje 25th of June,. of this 3'ear, an extraordinary rain storm vis- 
ited this count}'. Every little stream became a river, and the creeks 
were out of their banks and causing great destruction of property. 
Wilson's creek in Springfield was 100 yards wide. The wagon fac- 
tory, the foundry, the gas factor}^, Eversol's mill, Schmook's mill, 
Raithel's lumberyard, and other buildings and establishments along 
the creek were flooded and injured, and a store building of Mr. 
Schmook's was washed down the stream. The damage in Siiring- 
tield was at least $5,000. Two large flouring mills on Sac river, the 
property of Messrs. Hackney and Evans, were washed away. The 
storm was general throughout Southwest Missouri. So many bridges 
and culverts were washed out on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad 
that the company asked the county courts to give time for the pay- 
ment of taxes, without interest. 

January 26th the election for delegates to the Constitutional Con- 
vention came off. In this district (Senatorial), the candidates were 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 549 

C. B. McAfee and K. W. Fyan, Democrats, and S. H. Boyd and 
Noah H. Hampton, Republicans. The election resulted in the choice 
of McAfee and Fyan. The latter gentleman (Fyan), was classed in 
the convention as a ♦' Liberal." 



1876 THE CENTENNIAL YEAR. 

Celebrations. — A grand 4th of July celebration was held at Spring- 
field this year. The exercises were had on the Drury College 
grounds, which were crowded with the large attendance. Rev. E. B. 
Cake read the Declaration of Independence and addresses were deliv- 
ered by W'. W. Ellis, J. W. Mack, Charles Crawford, and Dabney C. 
Dade. A lengthy and interesting historical sketch of Greene county 
was read by Col. S. H. Boyd. 

On the 5th of August an old settlers' meeting was held in Weaver's 
Gr^ve, two miles west of Springfield. There was a large crowd. Mr. 
Junius T. Campbell, the first merchant in Greene county was the 
president, and Hon. D. C. Dade was secretary. Upon request of the 
president a large number of citizens enrolled themselves as members 
of the Old Settlers' Association. Speeches were made and reminis- 
censes related by John Y. Fulbright, E. M. Campbell, Z. M. Roun- 
tree, S. W. Headlee, F. T. Frazier, J. J. Weaver, and S. H. Julian. 

THE FLOODS OF 1876. 

There was a general prevalence of floods in Southwest Missouri 
this year. Over in Douglas county, in June, the waters were so high 
and rose so rapidly that many persons living along small creeks were 
overtaken by them and drowned. Some twelve persons living on Dry, 
Fox, and Bryant creeks, in that county, lost their lives in this manner, 
and there was great destruction of property. In this county the 
most damage was done about the middle of July along Sac river bot- 
tom. Hale's, Hackney's, and Appleby's mills were more or less in- 
jured, and grain stored in them destroyed, while thv>usands of rails 
and acres of growing crops in the bottom lands were washed away. 

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1876. 

The Democrats had nominated Tilden and Hendricks, the Republi- 
cans Hayes and Wheeler when the political campaiirn of this year in 
this county fairly opened. July 19th Greene county's honored and 
honorable citizen, Hon. John S. Phelps, was nominated by the Dem- 



550 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ocrats for Governor, and then the interest in the contest was height- 
ened. The Repnblican candidate for Congress, Hon. H. E. Havens, 
was also a Greene connty man, and as usual in political contests 
Greene county was well to the fore. 

Upon learning that Col. Phelps had been nominated for Governor, 
the citizens of Springfield, almost without respect to party, arranged 
to give him a befitting reception on his return home from the conven- 
tion. July 22, on the arrival of the ♦' Frisco " train at North Spring- 
field a large concourse of people were there assembled to welcome 
their fellow-citizen and to congratulate him on his certain prospect of 
elevation to the highest ofiice within the gift of Missouri. A large 
procession escorted the Colonel to " old town." It was headed by 
the brass band and then came the *' Hickory Nut Rangers," a Demo- 
cratic campaign organization, the Springfield fire company, and 
hundreds of other citizens. 

At night Springfield was illuminated, there was a great display of 
fire-works, and an immense public meeting was held in Market square. 
Speeches were delivered from the bell tower by Col. Bray, Major J. C. 
Cravens, Mr. McGowan, of Jasper county. Col. Phelps himself, and 
others. There was the greatest enthusiasm, and even Republicans, 
who did not intend voting for him, were warm in their congratula- 
tions of their distinguished neighbor and friend. In his brief speech 
Col. Phelps said he proposed if elected not to be a partisan Governor. 
He should extend protection to all alike, without regard to their pol- 
itics, race, or color. He regarded the negro the same as the white 
man before the law, and should see that justice was done to the high- 
est and lowest in the land. 

The Republicans ratified the nomination of Hayes and Wheeler by 
a large mass meeting, June 24th. ' Hon. S. H. Boyd was the principal 
speaker. September 15th they held another meeting and went in 
torchlight procession over to North Springfield, and had a large 
meeting there. The Democrats held numerous meetings also during 
the campaign, and made what in political parlance is called a hard 
fight. 

The candidates for Congress in this district were Hon. Chas. H. 
Morgan (Democrat), of Barton, and Hon. H. E. Havens (Republi- 
can), of this county. For representatives from this county the Re- 
publicans nominated S. W. Headlee for the eastern district and Jared 
E. Smith for the western. The Democratic candidates were Sam 
Woods in the eastern and F. T. Frazier in the western. For sherifi", 
A. J. Potter was the Republican and H. R. Skeen the Democratic 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



551 



nominee. For treasurer, A. F. Ingram (Republican), and W. G. 
Porter (Democrat). At the November election the following was the 
vote by townships on President, Governor, congressman, representa- 
tives, and sherifl'. 

NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1876. 



TOWNSHIPS. 



PRESIDENT. 



GOVERNOR. 



CONGRESS. 



REPRESENTATIVES. 



W. Vist. E. Dist. 



Campbell, 1st Precinct.. 
Campbell, 2d Precinct.. 
Campbell, 3d Precinct. . 
Campbell, 4th Precinct. 

Clay 

North Springfield 

Washington 

Taylor 

Jackson, Strafford 

Jackson, Fair Grove 

Franklin 

Robberson 

Cass 

Walnut Grove 

Boone 

■ West Center 

East Center 

Brookline 

Wilson Creek 

Pond Creek 



202 
192 
306 
198 
56 
112 
53 
6fi 
46 
117 

...; 102 

11 79 
10 153 
2 76 



172 
35 
98 

140 
80 
32 



203 163 



260 19 
164' 8 



29 



75 



11 



Total 2316 2566 134 2315 2577 92 2347 2509 100 1045 1130 1121 1175 1422 2236 2672 63 



Democrats in small capitals ; Republicans in Italic; Greenbackers in Roman. 

The vote on other offices was: For collector, A. H. Wilson 2,415, 
L. A. Newton 2,228 ; for treasurer, A. F. Ingram 2,435, W. G. 
Porter 2,175 ; for county judge, Benj. Kite 2,479, Sampson Bass 
2,169 ; for county attorney, W. D. Hubbard 2,340, J. R. Waddill 
2,317 ; assessor, D. W. Tf^rner 2,338, J. G. DalLison 2,220; sur- 
veyor, /. iV. Jones 2,458, H. M. Parrish 2,210 ; public administrator, 
S. H. Julian 2,423, I. Wilson 2,185 ; coroner, Anthony Fisher 
2, 307, Dr. Van Hoose 2,220. Charley Morgan's majority over Havens 
in this congressional district was 747. The district (then the 6th) 
was composed of the following counties: Barry, Barton, Cedar, 
Christian, Dade, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Polk, 
Stone, Taney, Vernon, and Webster. 

representative DISTRICTS. 

In July the county court, agreeable to the provisions of the new 
constitution, divided the county into two representative districts, the 



552 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



eastern and western. The following is a copy of the order of the 
court making the division : — 

Whereas, under the present Constitution of the State of Missouri, 
it is made the duty of the court to divide this county into two repre- 
eentative districts, and under which each of such districts will be en- 
titled to one representative in the House of Representatives of this 
State from and after the general election, to be held in November, 
1876., It is, therefore, ordered and decreed by this court that Greene 
county be, and it is hereby, divided in accordance with the require- 
ments of said Constitution, and for the purpose and object as bel'ore- 
mentioned the division shall ])e as follows, to wit; All that territory 
embraced within the present limits of the following townships shall 
be known as the western representative district of Greene county, 
viz. : Robberson, Cass, Walnut Grove, Boone, Center, Pond Creek 
and all that portion of Campbell township embraced within the pre- 
sent limits of the third and fourth precincts of said Campbell town- 
ship, as defined by an order of record of this court on the 11th day of 
January, 1873, in Record Book C, page 268. 

All that territory embraced within the present limits of the follow- 
ing townships shall be known as the eastern representative district 
of Greene county, viz. : Buookline, Wilson, Clay, Washington, Taylor, 
Jackson, Franklin, and all that portion of Campbell township em- 
braced within the limits of the first and second precincts of said 
Campbell township, and including the town of North Springfield, as 
defined in said order ot record of January 11th, 1873. 

THE CENSUS OF 1876 POPULATION. 





WHITE MALES. 


WHITE FEMALES. 


TOTAL WHITES. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


S 
Q 

o3 


o 
■a 

i 




s 
s 
■« 

S 

C-1 


a 


1 

1^ 


i 


CO 

S 


•il 


Campbell 


.377 
711 
216 
228 

97 
232 
185 
248 
183 
164 

81 
159 
102 
109 
120 
151 


158 

319 
51 

104 
45 

104 
67 
88 
78 
84 
33 
67 
44 
51 
38 
64 


1 222 

2,'l83 
513 
829 
349 
882 
585 
919 
638 
655 
311 
567 
416 
373 
395 
486 


365 
856 
192 
229 

93 
229 
178 
237 
187 
180 

83 
173 

85 
113 
111 
128 


164 
227 
35 
91 
48 
105 
51 
78 
84 
76 
44 
63 
43 
41 
30 
56 


1,211 
2,269 
492 
770 
359 
881 
577 
893 
580 
590 
297 
555 
385 
353 
383 
434 


2,433 

4,452 

1,005 

1,599 

70S 

1,763 

1,162 

1,812 

1,218 

1,245 

608 

1,122 

801 

726 

778 

920 


837 
1,280 
274 
521 
229 
632 
375 
575 
380 
386 
213 
351 
284 
189 
266 
372 


1,459 


City of Springfield 

North Springfield 


2,973 
669 


Cass 


959 


Clay 


424 


Center 


1,060 


Brookline 


697 


Boone 


1,097 


Franklin 


5.55 


Jackson 


557 


Pond Creek 


244 




673 




480 




435 


Wilson 


466 


Taylor 


471 






Total 


3,363 


1,395 


11,323 


3,439 


1,236 


11,029 


22,352 


7,064 


13,219 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

POPULATION — Continued. 



553 





COLORED MALES. 


COLORED 


FEMALES. 


TOTAI 


COLORED. 




TOWNSHIPS. 


IN 

1 

1 

00 


in 

1 
S 

s 

i 


o 

s 
e 

1* 




CI 

00 


1 

e 


li 
o 

1 






CO 

li 

5" 


IS 

e 

o a 






4 

29 
4 

8 


40 

156 

4 

11 
2 
1 
1 
8 

15 
2 


17 
62 
3 
4 
2 

2 
9 
4 


176 1 

528 

21 

55 

15 

2 

1 

47 

84 

16 


8 

40 

1 

3 

1 

i 

5 
4 

2 


50 
242 

15 
1 

1 


25 

78 

9 

3 


191 

673 

12 

55 

10 

2 

1 

49 

65 

16 


367 

1,201 

33 

110 

25 

4 

2 

96 

149 

32 


139 

356 

9 

39 

10 


92 

280 

9 

10 

10 


2,800 


City of Springfield.... 
North Springfield.... 


1 5,653 
1 1,038 
i 1,709 


Clay 








1 1 ,767 










1,164 
1 1,908 




13 
10 
4 


14 

22 

2 


5 
5 
3 


30 
38 
10 


10 
5 

1 




1,367 




1 1,277 


Pond Creek 


608 






6 

5 

18 
13 


3 
1 
2 

8 
S 


25 

6 

17 

61 

58 


2 

i 

6 


7 
2 
3 
21 
17 


5 

1 
4 
6 

7 


25 
8 
20 
44 
58 


50 
14 
37 
105 
116 


16 
5 
30 
33 
33 


5 
5 
4 
41 
6 


1,172 




1 
1 

3 

7 


815 


Walnut Grove 


763 

883 


Taylor 


1,036 






Total 


83 


282 


125 


1,112 


74 


404 


151 


1,229 


2,341 


728 


478 


24,693 



LIVE STOCK AND PRODUCTS. 







LIVE 


STOCK. 




PRODUCTS. 


TOWNSHIPS. 




1 


2 

2 
1 

1 
2 

2 

2 

"i 

13 


8 

7 

"7 
10 
2 

5 
"5 


1 




1 


i 


1 
s 



4 


s 





1 


1 


i 




816 
612 
57 
679 
238 
579 
387 
554 
509 
586 
254 
483 
248 
286 
266 
281 

6835 


281 
55 
4 
256 
162 
231 
159 
265 
230 
195 
54 
146 
169 
77 
182 
176 

2642 


1289 

736 

74 

1338 
455 

1142 
648 
839 
675 
904 
344 
767 
344 
551 
661 
510 


1150 
35 

'"iisi 
535 

1318 
1189 
1006 
998 
1570 
538 
1075 
468 
587 
815 
709 


3633 
928 
171 
2845 
1094 
1841 
1356 
3069 
2(123 
2322 
694 
2137 
1437 
1662 
1707 
1791 


26168 


211765 


1107 


500 


7112 


2200 


1886 


3040 


City of Springfield 
North Springfield. 
Cass 




















32610 

10828 

42120 

17140 

36718 

10048 

6886 

9720 

8610 

5219 

5181 

20737 

7550 


138185 
58260 

140255 
77050 

129325 
70860 
61304 
49730 
62030 
48015 
41862 

100450 
54823 


7515 

2100 
11000 
2150 
5516 
5841 
11466 
550 
4790 
2835 
2803 
2060 
4130 


645 

"566 

550 
253 
335 

525 

151 

'349 


3265 
9400 
3000 
2000 
1550 

14715 

18425 
1000 
7250 

32350 
8150 
4000 

38715 


2314 
1070 
2336 
2357 
2012 
1175 
2279 
1076 
2140 
1074 
1210 
1630 
1395 


865 
246 
1262 
385 
523 
427 
287 
487 
519 
220 
126 
447 
327 


3298 


Clay 


600 


Center 

Brookline 


2000 

500 

2187 




2858 




2754 


Pond Creek 

Robberson 

Washington 

Walnut Grove 


500 
2021 

475 
1105 

450 




2124 






Total 


36 


11277 


13150 


28710 


229529 


1243914 


73833 


3808 150932 


24298 


8007 


23912 



1877 SUICIDE OF SAMUEL FULBRIQHT. 

March 20th Samuel Fulbiight, an okl and well known citizen of 
Greene county, living just west of Springfield, committed suicide, to 
the astonishment and horror of his friends and the general regret of 
the community. A short time previously he had lost by death his 



554 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

devoted wife, to whom he was much attached, and after she had 
passed away he was extremely low-spirited and seemed broken- 
hearted. For a few days before his decease he had been slightly ill. 

On the evening of his death Mr. Fulbright caused search to be made 
by sundry members of his household, for a vial of strychnine, which 
had been in the house for some time, saying he wanted the poison to 
administer to his hogs as a remedy for some disease. It was not 
found at the time, but after the other members of the family had re- 
tired, Mr. Fulbright procured it himself, and took a fatal dose, leav- 
ing the vial and spoon on the table by his bedside. After the poison 
had begun to take effect, his little boy was awakened by his father's 
struggles, and the family was aroused and some of the neighbors 
called on. Dr. Means was sent for, but the deadly drug had done its 
work, and Mr. Fulbright expired about midnight. When the neigh- 
bors came in he was yet in condition to admit that he had taken the 
fatal dose with suicidal intent, as he was tired of life and wanted to 
join his wife in a better world. 

Coroner Fisher held an inquest over the body of Mr, Fulbright, 
and the verdict of the jury — J. B. Lawson, C. H. Evans, J. H. Cay- 
nor, S. Stone, G. W. Fricke and J. J. Weaver — was in accordance 
with the foregoing statements. 

As before stated, Samuel Fulbright was one of the early pioneers 
of Greene county, being a member of the Fulbright family whose 
members were among the first settlers. In August, 1854, he was 
elected sheriff of the county, and one of his very first official acts was 
to hang old Willis Washam for the murder of his step-sou ; but the 
silly story that this act had anything to do with his self-slaughter was 
as false as it is unreasonable and preposterous. (The reader will find 
full particulars of the Washam case in another chapter). 

BURNED TO DEATH. 

On the 3d of April a little girl, four years of age, a granddaughter 
of Allen Mitchell, was burned to death in a clearing near North 
Springfield. Her clothing caught fire from the smouldering embers 
of a brush heap and she was fatally burned before the flames could be 
extinguished. * 

MURDER OF BION MASON BY CHARLES LEIGHTON. 

About the 1st of January, 1877, a young man named Bion Mason 
was killed by a companion, named Charles Leighton, at a low dance 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



555 



in the suburbs of Springfield. The two young men, it is said, had no 
previous enmity toward each other, but, on the night mentioned, were 
engaged in drinking and other revelry of a questionable character. 
Being half crazed with whisky, a quarrel arose between them over a 
trivial matter — a position in a quadrille — the favor of a siren — or 
some such thing. A broil took place upstairs in the building where 
the dance was held, but the young men were separated before either 
was hurt. Mason then went down stairs whither he was followed by 
Leighton, who shot him through the heart. 

Leighton was arrested, indicted, and, on being arraigned, pleaded 
guilty to the charge of murder and was sentenced to the penitentiary 
for life. 

KILLED BY LIGHTNING. 

August 25th a young man named Wm. Carter, aged about 17, a 
son of a widow living on Clear creek, while driving his team along 
Jefi'erson street, in Springfield, nearly opposite Drury College, was 
struck by lightning and instantly killed. The mule team was knocked 
down, but soon recovered. The casualty was witnessed by several 
badly frightened ladies. The remains of the unfortunate young man 
were taken to Kassler & Paxson's, undertakers, where an inquest was 
held and a verdict rendered according to the facts above set forth. 

SCHOOL STATISTICS. 

According to the report of School Commissioner M. H. Williams, 
the number of white persons of school age (between 6 and 20) in the 
county this year was 8,047, as follows : Males, 4,030 ; females, 4,017. 
Number of colored persons of school age, males, 435 ; females, 509 ; 
total, 944. 

Number of white scholars attending the public schools during the 
year — males, 2,493; females, 2,640; total, 5,133. Colored- 
males, 250; females, 280, total, 530. 

Number of teachers employed in the county during the year — 
male, 62; female, 51; total 113. Average salaries per month — 
males, $38 ; females, $27. Amount paid for teachers' wages during 
the year, $12,690. Number of white schools in operation, 105 ; 
colored, 6. Number of school houses in the county, 105. 

DURING THE GREAT STRIKE, 

Of July, 1877, while there were daily received exciting news from 
St. Louis and other places, nothing of consequence occurred in this 



556 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

county. The railroad men held a meeting in North Springfield, re- 
solved in favor of a restoration of wages to a former standard, and 
appointed a committee to confer with the railroad authorities to that 
end, but deprecated violence of any sort. A number of the members of 
the meeting withdrew and organized anew on the outside. Every- 
thing passed off quietly. 

DEATHS IN 1877. 

April 27, in Springfield, Louisa Caroline Turner, wife of D. W. 
Turner and a daughter of John Ropes, one of the pioneer ministers of 
the M. E. Church in Missouri. Mrs. Turner was one of the first 
native white children in Greene county, having been born in 1833. 
She left an infant, two weeks old. 

June 16, Hon. Chesley Cannefax, of apoplexy, aged 69. He was 
born in Campbell county, Virginia, September 1, 1808. He came to 
this county with his father in 1831, and was the second sheriff after its 
organization. Mr. Cannefax's public services are fully mentioned on 
other pages of this history. He was the last member that petitioned 
for the establishment of the first Masonic lodge of Springfield. Dur- 
ing the civil war he was a Union man, and for some years was a 
justice of the peace. At the time of his death he was master of the 
Springfield grange. 

July 19, Prof. Geo. H. Ashley, the first chosen professor of Drury 
college. 



1878 MISCELLANEOUS. 

In January Alfred Adams (colored) was appointed coroner, in the 
room of Anthony Fisher, who had removed to Douglas county. 
Adams was voted for by County Judges M. J. Rountree and Benj. 
Kite. The other county judge, J. T. Morton, voted for Dr. Van 
Hoose. Adams was the first colored man to hold a county ofiice in 
this county, and his first services were to hold an inquest over the 
body of Joe McKinney, killed by Calvin Eldridge. 

The Murphy temperance movement struck Greene county in Jan- 
uary of this year and lasted until in March. There was considerable 
interest manifested. Very many meetings were held in Springfield, 
Ash Grove, and other places. Those signing the pledge wore a red 
ribbon as a token of their identity with the great reform movement 
then sweeping the country. At Springfield over 3,500 persons took 
the pledge ; and several hundred dollars were raised for the good of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 557 

the cause. At Ash Grove 600 names were obtained and $1,100 
raised. By March 1st the following number of names were reported 
from other localities in the county. From McCrary's school house, 
124; from Kickapoo, do., 120; Ross's do., 120; Rock Springs, do., 
132; Hopedale, do., 26; Bellview, do., 76; Ward's, do., 139; 
Bill's, do., 100; Walnut Grove, 150; Pisgah, 122; Republic, 126; 
total, 1,135. 

During the prevalence of yellow fever at Memphis, Holly Springs, 
Grenada, and elsewhere in the South this summer Greene county sent 
down over $700 in aid of the sufferers. More than $600 were sent 
from Springfield alone. 

MEETING OF THE MISSOURI PRESS ASSOCIATION IN SPRINGFIELD. 

May 21st the Missouri Press Association convened in annual session 
at Springfield. About 150 editors, members of the association, and 
50 ladies from abroad were in attendance. The citizens met them at 
the Frisco depot and escorted them into town in carriages. A formal 
reception was given in the opera house. Mayor H. F. Fellows and 
Hon. John S. Phelps made reception speeches, which were responded 
to by Col. J. E. Hutton, of the Mexico Intelligencer, who was the 
president of the association at that time. Other addresses before the 
association were delivered I)y J. B. McCullagh of the St. Louis Globe- 
Democrat \ Col. T. S. Case, of Kansas City; and T. W. Park, of the 
Platte City Landmark (the latter a humorous address, subject 
"Babies"). 

The session lasted three days, beginning on Tuesday. Wednesday 
was devoted to business. In the evening there was a ball in the 
opera house hall, which had been profusely and appropriately decor- 
ated. A banquet was spread in the Odd Fellows Hall, and 200 guests 
sat down. Hon. John S. Phelps presided. Numerous toasts were 
proposed and responded to, and a poem was read by J. H. Turner, of 
the Carrollton Record. Thursday there was a railroad excursion to 
Ash Grove and return, and then, after passing highly complimentary 
resolutions to the citizens of Springfield for their great generosity and 
kind treatment, the association adjourned. 

THE GRANGE. 

This year the Grange organization, or order of Patron's of Hus- 
bandry, flourished more than in any other year of its existence. Its 
county secretary, Mrs. N. M. McKibben, was active in pushing for- 



558 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ward its interests, in publishing its proceedings, and in various other 
ways keeping it in the public view. Numerous meetings were held, 
several picnics given, and various other assemblages of the order 
were had. But in this year, alao, the Grange went into politics. 
The doctrines of the Greenback party were indorsed in the meetings, 
and other questions of party politics became topics of discussion. 
The majority of the Grangers were Greeenbackers. 

DEATHS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN 1878. 

February 15th, Junius T. Campbell died. Mr. Campbell is men- 
tioned on other pages of this work as the first merchant in Spring- 
field, the first postmaster, etc. He was a native of Tennessee and 
came to Greene county in 1830. 

Mrs. Mary E. Phelps, wife of Hon. John S. Phelps, died January 
25th, of pneumonia. A biographical sketch of this noted and noble 
lady appears elsewhere. 

Judge Wm. B. Farmer, died in May. He was born in Robertson 
county, Tenn., Sept. 20, 1811. He came to Greene county in 1840. 

April 7th, Joseph H. Goodin, died in Cass township, near Cave 
Spring, at the age of 80. Mr. Goodin came to Greene county in 
1842. He was one of the 42 Republicans that voted for Lincoln in. 
1860. 

ANTI-BOND MEETING IN SPRINGFIELD. 

This year the opposition to the collection of taxes for the payment 
of either principal or interest of the county's railroad bonds took the 
form of a large public meeting, held at Springfield, May 21st, under 
the auspices of the National Greenback party. Numerous suits had 
been instituted against parties who had refused to pay their railroad 
taxes, pending the decision of what were regarded as test cases in the 
Supreme Court. The beginninnj of these suits had caused great dis- 
satisfaction. 

The Greenback party had openly declared its hostility toward the 
payment of the county's bonds, and to it were soon gathered, as to 
King David when he went up to the cave of Adullam, — '* every one 
that was in distress, every one that was in debt, and every one that 
was discontented," At the meeting in Springfield, speeches were 
made by W. B. Garontte, F. J. Underwood, Ira S. Haseltine, and 
John McCabe. The Adullamites were numerous and enthusiastic. 

Resolutions were adopted, with cheers, protesting against the fur- 
ther collection of railroad taxes ; that the bonds of the county. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 559 

amounting to $123,000, which had never been issued or sold should 
be destroyed, and that Judge Geiger should allow some ^^ impartial 
judge " to sit in his place in the trial of any and all railroad cases. 

While the meeting was in progress in the hall two young men 
named Cunningham, who were outside, were arrested by a policeman 
and incarcerated in the calaboose. A few minutes later their father 
obtained from the marshal an order for their release, and at the head 
of a wild crowd went down College street to the calaboose, and extri- 
cating his sons, with threats of tearing down the building if the door 
was not opened "d — d quick," a sentiment that the crowd ap- 
plauded. 

THE FIRST TRAIN OVER THE SPRINGFIELD AND WESTERN RAILROAD. 

In the spring of this year track-laying began from Springfield west- 
ward on the Springfield & Western Missouri railroad, now called the 
Gulf road. Iron was brought over the Frisco road to Junction City 
and from thence the work proceeded. As Mr. Escott, in his " History 
of Springfield," says, this was the first railroad track ever laid within 
the limits of Springfield, and the first road that could really be claim- 
ed by this city ; so it is not strange that more than an ordinary degree 
of interest was felt by the citizens in the laying of the last few rails, 
which should connect the city with the great net-work of railroads of 
the country. 

About 3 p. m., on the 20th day of May, 1878, the people of 
Springfield were startled by the prolonged whistling of the engines in 
the wagon factory and the iron works, and by the ringing of the alarm 
bell in the bell tower in the center of the public square. Nearly all 
at first thought it was a fire alarm, but in a few moments word was 
passed from one to the other that it was the signal announcing the 
approach of the first regular train on the Springfield & Western Mis- 
souri railroad. 

This discovery, however, did not check, but rather added to the 
excitement which prevailed upon the streets, and hundreds of people — 
men, women and children, white and black, old and young — were 
seen hastening toward the depot, or gathering in groups along the 
brow of the hill which commands a view of the track. When the 
whistles began to blow in town they were answered by the shrill 
whistle of the " Thomas A. Scott," the locomotive which was bringing 
ill the train, and a halt was made near the bridge over Wilson creek 
to give the crowd sufficient time to secure suitable places of observa- 



•^f)0 IIISTOriY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

tion. Four or five hundred of the more eager and enthusiastic "citi- 
zens and small hojs " went up the road to meet and welcome the 
train. 

For a few year>< the train only ran as far as Ash Grove, and it was 
not until in the fall of 1882 that trains ran through to Kansas City, 
and the track was extended eastward from Springfield towards its final 
terminus, Memphis, Tennessee. 

THK COUNTY BOND LITIGATION. 

In this year fairly began that long period of litigation over the 
railroad bonds of the county issued in aid of the Springfield & West- 
ern railroad, with other aliases. In November Judges Kite and Dil- 
Ini-d, of the county court (Judge Roiuitree dissenting) employed 
Messrs. Thrasher & Young, attorneys, of Springfield, to assist the 
prosecuting attorne}^ in defending the county in a suit brought against 
it by J. Weil, one of the holders of the county's bonds. The com- 
pensation of Messrs. Thrasher & Young was to be $5,000, " and in 
addition to said $5,000 the additional sum of five per cent on all sums 
they may relieve and save the county from paying, whether it be bonds 
or unissued subscriptions, and pay said five per cent when any part 
of said subscription of bonds may be defeated," as well as all of 
certain traveling expenses. 

There was great dissatisfaction at the employment of additional 
counsel on the terms named, and the judges were roundly denounced 
for their action. But the contract was made and signed and the 
attorneys went to work. 

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1878. 

The political fight this year in Greene count}'^ was a three-sided one, 
and no longer only between the Democrats and Republicans. The 
Greenback party had come to the fore with its demand for the abo- 
lition of national banks ; that the general government alone should 
issue the money of the country, which money should be of sufficient 
volume to meet the demands of all regular and legitimate Imsiness ; 
that the bonds of the country should be retired as rapidly as possible 
and no more issued, and taking a liberal stand generall}^ in favor of 
what it called " the masses of the people and against their oppressors, 
the gold-grabbers and Shy locks of the country. " 

In 1S7G the vote in this county for Peter Cooper, the first Green- 
back candidate for President, was insignificant; in 1877 the number 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 561 

of Greeiibackers had increased somewhat ; in 1878 they were very 
formidable, and, taking a bold stand against the payment of the 
county's railroad bonds, attracted to their ranks numbers of men, who 
were not wholly in sympathy with their financial theories generally. 
All three of the parties had full State, district, and county tickets 
in the field, supported by their respective stump orators and news- 
papers, and the canvass was of considerable interest. Greene county, 
as has been customary, had a Congressional candidate in the person 
of Hon. J. R. Waddill, the Democratic nominee. The follo"wing was 
the general result of the November election in the county : It will be 
seen that the successful candidates on the county ticket were pretty 
evenly divided in numbers among the three parties. 

For Supreme Judge. — Alex. F. Denny (Republican), 1496; E. 
H. Norton (Democrat), 1957; E. L. Gilstrap (Greenbacker), 
1385. 

Conqress. — S. R. Waddill (D.), 1456 ; C. G. Burton (R.), 1434 ; 
M. H.'Ritchey (G.), 1922. 

State Senator.— 3. B. Perkins (D.), 1421; H. E. Havens (R), 
1171; H. F. Fellows (G.;, 1996. 

Representatives — Eastern District. — J. H. Show (D. ), 436 ; S. W. 
Headlee (R.), 900; M. V. Ingram (G.), 1039. Western Dis- 
trict. —D. C. Dade (G.),865; Wm. Denby (R.), 662; C. F. 
Leavitt (D.), 750. 

The following officers were elected: Representatives, M. V. Ingram 
and D. C. Dade, Greenbackers ; county judges, Benj. Kite and Chas. 
Likens (Rs.), and R. Dillard, (G.) ; sheriff, A. J. Potter (R.); 
collector, A. H. Wilson (R.) ; circuit clerk, J. R. Ferguson (R.) ; 
Recorder, Jesse Kelley (R.); treasurer, A. F. Ingram (R.); pros- 
ecuting attorne}^ O. H. Travers (D. ) ; county clerk, J. D. Van- 
Bibber (D.); probate clerk, E. D. Ott (D.); coroner. Dr. Z. 
Van Hoose (D.) ; assessor, M. O. Bedell (D.). 



1879 MISCELLANEOUS. 

January 1st, Paul Crender, a German, committed suicide by shoot- 
ing himself through the brain. The tragedy ha[)pened at the house 
of Mrs. Walters, on Bopnville street, in Springfield. 

May 1st, a young man named Leroy Berry, a son of James A. 
Berry, living eight miles northeast of Springfield, was accidentally 
killed. He was engaged in hauling logs In comins: down a hill the 
36 



562 HISTORY OF GIIEKNE COUNTY. 

wagon came apart, tlie young man fell and a log and one wheel of the 
wagon were dragged over him. His father ran to him and picked hhii 
up, but life was extinct. 

Decoration Day was well observed at the National Cemetery this 
year. A profusion of flowers was provided and the soldiers' graves 
bountifully strewn. There was singing by a (juartette of male voices ; 
a prayer by Kev. Bushong, and an address by Capt. W. D. Hub- 
bard. 

The current expenses of the county this year amounted to $23,- 
635.51. 

Deaths. — March 18th, Judge Nathan Bray, a prominent lawj^er of 
Springfield, died. Judge Bray Avas a native of Ohio, born in 1827, and 
^ came to Springfield in 1871. — August 11, Wirt Ellis, a promising 
young lawyer of Springfield, died at St. Paul, Minn. — Dec. 18th, 
Col. Henry Sheppard died at New Orleans, aged 58. Col. Sheppard 
was a native of New Jersey, and had been a resident of Springfield 
since 1844. (See biography elsewhere.) 

TRANSFER OF THE SPRINGFIELD AND WESTERN RAILROAD TO THE 
KANSAS CITY, FORT SCOTT AND GULF. 

About the 1st of June, 1879, negotiations were completed for the 
transfer of the Springfield & Western Missouri railroad, then running 
from Sprnigfield to Ash Grove, to the Kansas City, Fort Scott & 
Gulf Railroad company. It was known that the latter corporation 
would arrange for the speedy completion of the road from Ash Grove 
to Fort Scott, and thus effect railway communication between Spring- 
field and Greene county and Kansas City without change of cars, a 
consummation much desired and long striven for b}^ the people of the 
county. 

As soon as it was known in Springfield that the railroad negotiations 
were closed, there was great rejoicing. The booming of Mr. Sam ' 
Odell's artillery summoned the peo])le together. A huge bonfire was 
kindled ; rockets were sent up from the bell tower ; speeches were 
made by several prominent citizens ; music was rendered by the col- 
ored cornet band, and there were great cheering, congratulations, etc. 
Springfield was now sure of another first-class railway, destined to 
connect Memphis and Kansas City — to bring into communication the 
land of magnolias and orange blossoms with the region of prairie 
roses and corn-flowers — and Springfield would be, by all odds, the 
most important town between the two great termini of the important 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 563 

thoroughfare. Cause enough for joy and exultation, and for self-con- 
gratulation on the part of those who had labored so long and so zeal- 
ously for this result. 

TRAGEDIES OF 1879 KILLING OF ALONZO FAGG BY SAMUEL MEANS. 

April 1:9th a young man named Alonzo Fagg was fatally stabbed by 
another young man named Samuel Means, both of Springfield, and 
both of highly respectable families. From the testimony, as pub- 
lished, of Will N. Smith, it would seem that there was no immediate 
quarrel between the parties, but that both were under the influence of 
liquor. The aftair happened late at night, on South street, in Spring- 
field. Fagg and Smith were going home, when Means came up out 
of an alley and assaulted Fagg, chasing him a short distance and 
coming up with him inflicted the fatal wounds. Fagg w^as carried 
into Kirby's saloon and died in a few minutes. Means was arrested 
and lodged in jail. At the ensuing November term of court he was 
tried and to the general surprise of the community was acquitted. 
There was much imfavorable comment upon the manner in which the 
case was managed and upon the jur}'^ that rendered the verdict. 

MURDER OF H. C. ROBERTS BY JOHN VAUGHAN. 

About one month after Sam Means had been acquitted, or on December 
26, 1879, one John Vaughan, recently from Texas, shot and killed 
H. C. Roberts, a saloon-keeper, in North Springfield. The killiiig 
was wholly unprovoked, and was committed, as most murders are, 
while the perpetrator was drunk. Vaughan exhibited his revolver in 
Roberts' saloon while quarreling with one Appleby. Roberts called 
his attention to the law regarding the carrying of deadly weapons. 
Immediately afterward, while closing his door, Roberts was shot. 
Vaucrhan then presented his revolver at Appleby, who beat a hasty 
retreat bv the rear door. Then Vaughan lit his pipe and left the 
saloon. Out of doors he shot at a negro woman, but missed her. He 
was arrested, lodged in jail and held to await the action of the grand 

Vauofhan was indicted and at the June term, 1880, of the circuit 
court put on trial. The jury failed to agree, standing ten for acquittal 
on the ground of insanity, one for murder in the second degree, and 
one for murder in the first degree. At a subsequent trial he was 
acquitted on the ground of insanity. 



564 HISTORY OF GKEKNE COUNTY. 



1880 — MISCELLANEOUS. 



About the 1st of Janiuuy the Southwestern Missouri Teachers' As- 
sociation convened in Springfield and continued in session some days. 
Quite a number of teachers was in attendance. 

On the 28th of February certain public spirited citizens of Spring- 
field held a meeting to select delegates to represent Greene county 
at the meeting of the State Board of Immigration at St. Louis. 
Mayor McAdoo was chairman. Delegates were appointed and then 
an association was regularl}'^ formed for the building and improvement 
of a public' road from Springfield to Harrison, Arkansas. The latter 
project was designed, of course, to facilitate communication with our 
Rackensack neighbors, and to draw their trade to Springfield. It 
engaged the attention of the merchants and business men for sometime. 

On the 27th of September the wife of Col. James Dumars, of 
Springfield, fell down a cellar and was fatally injured. The stairway 
leading from a room in the dwelling house into the cellar had been 
removed to allow of some repairs. Mrs. Dumars unthoughtedly 
stepped into the opening where the stairs had been, with the dread- 
ful result. 

Died. — Sept. 13th, Hon. John S. Waddill, whose name appears 
so frequently in former pages of this history. Judge Waddill was a 
native of East Tennessee, born in 1805. He came to Greene county 
in 1835, and first bought a farm at the mouth of Wilson's creek, but 
the next year came to Springfield, which was his home till his death. 
In December, Hon. Joseph J. Weaver, another old citizen of the 
county. 

THE CYCLONE OF 1880. 

Sunday evening, April 18, 1880, a violent and very destructive 
cyclone visited Southwest Missouri, destroying not only thousands of 
dollars' worth of property, but scores of human lives. The town of 
Marshfield was prostrated and more than (10 persons killed. A dozen 
more lives were lost in other parts of Webster county. The people 
of Springfield, the physicians and many ladies went up to the stricken 
city as soon as they heard of the fearful cahimity that had befallen it, 
and ministered to the victims for several days. 

In Barry, Stone, and Christian counties, the same storm did con- 
siderable damage, and a great man}'^ persons were injured. There 
seemed to be two cyclones, one of which went through the northern 
part of Christian and eastward through Texas county, and the other, 



HISTORY OF GKKENE COUNTY. 565 

which Avas seemingly organized near Ozark, passed up the James, 
through this county, and on to Marshfield. 

The house of J. L. McCraw, sr., in Taylor township, had the roof 
blown off, and on the same farm 120 acres of valuable timber was 
blown down, 200 bearing fruit trees destroyed, fences blown away, 
and other property injured. The house of J. L. McCraw, jr., was 
blown down and some stock killed. 

Volney Galbraith's house was blown down. Mrs. E. Turner's 
house was unroofed and her farm generally devastated. The houses 
of W. A. Gault, and his son-in-law, N. Ellis, were blown down and 
several farm animals killed. Mr. Gault had his shoulder mashed and 
several of his ribs broken. Mrs. Gault's leg was broken. Three or 
four children were hurt. 

Other results of the cyclone were more serious. The residence of 
Thos. Kershner was blown down, his farm devasted, he and his wife 
were badly hurt, and his little son was killed. Maj. Gallaway's house, 
in Clay township, was prostrated, the farm damaged, and Mrs. Galla- 
way was killed. T. J. Scott's house, in Clay township, was blown to 
pieces, his son Walter and his daughter Mary were both killed out- 
right ; he was mortally injured, dying afterwards; his daughter 
" Donny " lost a leg. Miss Nichols, residing at Kershner's, was 
injured. 

Mrs. Elizabeth R. Thompson, widow of James M. Thompson (who 
was murdered in October, 1864), was killed. She and ten other 
persons were at her home, in Clay township. The cyclone blew out 
the side of the house, letting the upper floor above fall on her. The 
other inmates were saved by the upper floor being held up by a bed- 
stead on the opposite side of the room from the position occupied by 
Mrs. Thompson. Her son Abner lived in the house with her at the 
time, but neither he nor the other inmates were seriously hurt. 

S. N. Ingram's mill, on the James, was blown down. James 
Roberts had an arm broken. The widow Simpson's fiirm was mined. 
A Mr. Lee (known as "Sheep" Lee), who lived on the Hampton 
place, lost 1000 bushels of wheat, which was scattered over the 
country, and 3,000 pounds of bacon, which was distributed over con- 
siderable territory, and Mr. Lee himself was badly injured. 

Other incidents of the fearful force and destructive eflects of the 
storm are omitted for want of space. There are few more notable 
events in the history of Greene county than that of the great cyclone 
of 1880. 



566 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



THE POLITICAL CANVASS IN 1880. 



The candidates for President and Vice President most prominently 
before the people this year were James A. Garfield and Chester A. 
Arthur, of the Republicans; Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock and Wm. 
H. English, of the Democrats ; Gen. James B. Weaver and B. J. 
Chambers, of tlic National Greenbackers. In this Congressional dis- 
trict there were at first three candidates for Congress — Hon. R. C. 
McBeth, of Henry county. Republican; Hon. J. R. Waddill, of 
Greene, Democrat, for re-election, and Hon. Ira S. Haseitine, also of 
Greene, Greenbacker. 

Two years before the contest had been triangular and Waddill had 
been elected by a large plurality. The combined Republican and 
Greenback vote in the district, however, largely exceeded the Dem- 
ocratic. Should tlie opposition to the Democratic party, therefore, 
be able to unite on a candidate, his election was certain. Many Re- 
publicans and many Greenbackers, too, opposed a coalition, and such 
a combination could be effected only with difficulty. But the party 
managers brought it about. Acting, it is said, on orders from 
W^ashington, the Republicans, after vainly endeavoring to induce the 
Greenbackers to come over to their candidate, procured a letter to be 
written by Mr. McBeth withdrawing from the contest, and leaving 
the Republican voters free to vote for Haseitine (a former Republi- 
can) if they should so choose. 

Not all of the Republicans could be made to vote for Mr. Hasei- 
tine. Col. D. C. Leach's paper at Springfield, the Patriot-Adver- 
tiser, opposed him, as did many Republicans and a few Green- 
backers. The result of the contest, which was very close and very 
exciting, was the election of Mr. Haseitine by a small majority over 
Mr. Waddill — a result which some Democrats still claim could have 
been avoided by the latter. 

During the canvass there were meetings and pole-raisings at 
Springfield, Brookline and at other points in the county, and some 
prominent speakers visited us. The Republican candidate for Gov- 
ernor, Hon. D. P. Dyer, spoke in October to what his party papers 
called a '* rousing " meeting. The Democrats were in good spirits 
until after the October elections in Ohio and Indiana, and felt confi- 
dent of electing Gen. Hancock, but when Ohio and Indiana both 
went Republican at their State elections, they became confused, dis- 
pirited, and panicky, and their defeat in November, while a matter of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



567 



great chagrin and mortification, was not altogether unexpected to 
them. The Greenbackers held numerous meetings, and numbering 
some 1,200 voters were important factors in the fight, it being ap- 
parent that they held the balance of power, at least. The Green- 
back candidate for Lieutenant Governor this year was Homer F. Fel- 
lows, of Greene county. It was amusing to witness the eflforts of the 
Republican and Democratic party managers to " capture " Green- 
back voters, and also to observe Garfield men trying to induce Dem- 
ocrats to vote the Greenback ticket, and Hancock men trying to 
induce Republicans to do the same ! 

The Republicans were generally successful this year in Greene 
county, the following being an abstract of the votes cast at the 
November elections : — 

NOVEMBER ELECTION, 1880. 





PRESIDEKT. 


GOVERNOR. 


CONGRESS. 


CIRCUIT JUDGE. 


TOWNSHIPS. 








p 






fcj 












o 
o 

< 


1 


> 


05 


1= 


?. 


s 




2 


> 




rs 
OS 




H 


O 


is- 


O 


1^ 


« 


tl5 


o 


S 


Q 


Boone ; 


194 


174 


82 


194 


175 


83 


207 


229 


189 


168 


101 


Brookline, 1st Precinct 


88 


90 


53 


88 


90 


53 


104 


93 


81 


81 


67 


Brookline, 2d Precinct 


21 


79 


25 


20 


79 


26 


22 


48 


20 


77 


27 


Cass 


90 


143 


126 


90 


142 


124 


107 


207 


78 


145 


133 


Clay 


40 


64 


48 


40 


65 


47 


50 


75 


33 


51 


67 


Campbell, let Precinct 


152 


217 


106 


148 


219 


105 


194 


199 


133 


209 


139 


Campbell, 2d Precinct 


139 


239 


68 


138 


241 


68 


169 


165 


108 


242 


95 


Campbell, 3d Precinct 


248 


210 


97 


245 


210 


97 


277 


206 


203 


198 


150 


Campbell, 4tb Precinct 


167 


146 


63 


161 


147 


66 


198 


129 


141 


141 


82 


Campbell, N. Springfield... 


143 


94 


37 


142 


97 


35 


149 


107 


134 


80 


60 


Center, 1st Precinct 


98 


41 


16 


98 


40 


19 


118 


23 


91 


40 


27 




15 
52 
93 
73 


50 
20 
117 
37 


31 

9 

41 

69 


15 
52 

92 

72 


49 
20 
116 
36 


32 

9 

42 

71 


15 
54 

83 

72 


56 
22 
80 

77 


15 
51 
83 
74 


41 
20 
111 
30 


35 




10 




57 


Jackson, 1st Precinct 


76 


.Jackson, 2d Precinct 


27 


29 


66 


27 


28 


67 


32 


77 


25 


27 


68 




37 
61 
36 
43 
33 
62 


80 
102 
55 
88 
81 
42 


30 
67 
89 
44 
54 
66 


37 
60 
36 
43 
33 
60 


80 
101 
55 

88 
82 
41 


30 
69 
88 
44 
54 
69 


38 
60 
40 
50 
35 
69 


33 
126 
108 
95 
62 
82 


33 
59 
34 
38 
31 
50 


77 
100 
47 
86 
75 
38 


37 




72 


Taylor 


m 




49 




60 




81 






Total 


1,912 


2,198 


1,286 


1,891 


2,201 


1,298 


2,143 


2,299 


1,703 


2,084 


1,589 



Democrats in small capitals; Republicans in Italic; Greenbackers in Roman. 



5o8 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



VOTE ON COUNTY OFFICERS, NOVEMBER, 1880. 



TOWNSHIPS. 



PROSECUTING ATT'Y. 



CO. TREASURER. 



Boone 

Brookline, 1st Precinct. 
Brookline, 2d Precinct.. 

Cass 

Clay 

Campbell, 1st Precinct.. 
Campbell, 2d Precinct.. 
Campbell, 3d Precinct.. 
Campbell, 4th Precinct.. 
N. Springfield Precinct. 

Center, 1st Precinct 

Center, 2d Precinct 

Bois D'Aro Precinct 

Franklin 

Jackson, 1st Precinct. . . 

Jackson, 2d Precinct 

Pond Creek 

Robberson 

Taylor 

Walnut Grove 

Washington 

Wilson 



207 

92 

22 

i)2 

39 

153 

124 

234 

164 

149 

92 

15 

52 

89 

67 

26 

38 

58 

38 

36 

33 

60 



166 

86 

76 

133 

63 

208 

241 

201 

140 

79 

41 

49 

20 

104 

38 

26 

79 

104 

55 

75 

81 

41 



82 
50 
26 

126 
49 

106 
75 

108 
67 
44 
24 
32 
9 
47 
74 
67 
30 
66 
85 
60 
55 
68 



189 

88 

19 

76 

37 

125 

122 

231 

153 

136 

97 

15 

52 

64 

63 

18 

38 

50 

28 

41 

38 

54 



178 

93 

80 

152 

68 

237 

241 

202 

157 

87 

41 

49 

20 

114 

33 

18 

80 

no 

52 
92 
78 
44 



49 
26 

130 
45 

106 
81 

111 
65 
50 
20 
32 
9 
68 
78 
85 
30 
70 
98 
42 
53 
71 



236 
89 
27 

130 
46 

157 
98 

199 

146 
76 
26 
32 
49 
54 
70 
65 
40 
84 
86 
79 
53 
65 



178 

93 

97 

139 

92 

224 

258 

223 

164 

92 

46 

49 

21 

154 

52 

32 

94 

104 

65 

89 

83 

89 



Total , 



1,S 



2,106 



1,350 



1,734 



2,226 



1,401 



1,907 



2,438 



Democrats in small capitals ; Republicans in Italic; Greenbackers in Roman. 

The Republicans elected both Representatives to the State Legisla- 
ture, W. W. Langston and W. H. Wade. Haseltine's majority over 
Waddill in the district was 107, the vote standing, Haseltine, 22,787 ; 
Waddill, 22,680. Four Greenback Congressmen were elected in Mis- 
souri this year by fusion with Republicans, viz. : Ira S. Haseltine, 
Theron M. Rice, Joseph G. Burrows, and Nichohis Ford. 

CENSUS REPORTS OF 1880. 

The reports of the census enumerators of Greene county showed its 
population this year, in June, to be as follows : — 

Boone township, including the village of Ash Grove, 2,160; Ash 
Grove village, 500. Brookline township, including the following 
towns, 1,821 ; Brookline town, 143; Republic town, 81. Cami)l)ell 
township incUiding the following places, 10,775 ; North Springfield 
village, 997 ; Springfield city, 6,524 ; 1st ward, 1,426 ; 2d ward, 1,681 ; 
3d ward, 2,152 ; 4th ward, 1,265. Cass township, including the vil- 
lage of Cave Spring, 1,945 ; Cave Spring vilhige, 78. Centre town- 
ship, including the village of Bois D'Arc, 1,746 ; Bois D'Arc village, 
72. Clay township, 852. Franklin township, 1,464. Jackson town- 
ship, including the village of Fair Grove, 1,725 ; Fair Grove village, ^ 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 5(59 

72. Pond Creek township, 1,009. Robberson township, 1,299. Tay- 
k)r township, 896. Wahmt Grove township, inchiding the village of 
Walnnt Grove, 921 ; Walnnt Grove village, 264. Washington town- 
ship, 1,094. Wilson township, 1,110. Total, 28,817. 

The nnniber of males, all told, was 14,649; females, 14,168. 
The number of whites was 26,009; colored, 2,808; foreigners, 807. 

There were many complaints that this census was incomplete and 
inaccurate. 



1881 FIRST TRAIN THROUGH FROM KANSAS CITY. 

On the 25th of May of this year the first through train from Kansas 
City to Springfield arrived at the latter station. The special car com- 
posing the train had for passengers the general manager of the road, 
Mr. Geo. H. Nettleton, the general superintendent, Mr. L. W. Towne, 
and other officials, some newspaper correspondents, and a few invited 
guests. 

On the arrival of the train at Springfield bells were rung, cannon 
(anvils) fired, and an impromptu reception and jollification meeting 
combined were held at the Metropolitan Hotel. Speeches were made 
by General Manager Nettleton, Hon. J. R. Waddill, Mr. Sam. Odell, 
and one or two others. Regular freight and passenger trains from 
Kansas City to Springfield began running June 6th. The road began 
building eastward from Springfield in the early fall of this year. 

INDIGNANT TEMPERANCE PEOPLE. 

In June and July, 1881, there was considerable feeling among the 
temperance people in regard to the action of the county court in grant- 
ing certain liquor licenses. When applications for license were made 
the temperance people, through their attorneys, Mr. J. R. Vaughan 
and Mr. D. C. Dade, presented remonstrances and urged other reasons 
why the permits should not be granted. They claimed that the court, 
in flagrant violation of law, and against all considerations for the pub- 
lic weal, had pandered to the " whisky interest," to the great injury 
and shame of the community. Several indignation meetings were 
held in Springfield, Brookline, and perhaps elsewhere, strongly cen- 
suring the county court for its action. 

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. 

The annual conference of the M. E. Church South for this conference 
convened at Springfield September 28th of this year, and continued in 



570 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

session until October 3d. Bishop Pierce, of Georgia, presided. A 
large number of delegates were present, as were many eminent 
divines of the church from Missouri and from other States. The oc- 
casion was one of great interest to the Southern Methodists of South- 
western Missouri. 

THE DROUTH OF 1881. 

The drouth of the season of 1881 will not soon be forgotten by the 
farmers of Greene county, nor indeed of Missouri, Eastern Kansas, 
and Soutliern Illinois. In this county no rain fell from the middle of 
July until about the 10th of September. Corn shriveled up in the 
fields, and, taking the county through, was not half of an average crop. 
Fruit of all kinds was "short," and i)otatoes and other root crops 
were almost an entire failure. A few fields of early planted corn 
yielded tolerably, but there were very few of such fields. Greene county 
fared much better than many other localities in this State and in Illi- 
nois, where there was actual destitution, in many instances, and 
grievous want. 

Died. — June 8th, Martin Ingram, at his home, six miles from 
Springfield, aged 78. Mr. Ingram was a native of North Carolina, 
and came to Greene county in 1834. He was the lather of A. F. In- 
gram, ex-count}'^ treasurer. Mr. J. B. Townsend, another old settler 
and prominent citizen, died September 26th. 

ASSASSINATION AND DEATH OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD. 

Upon receipt of the news in this county of the assassination of 
President Garfield (July 2) there was the greatest indignation among 
all classes of people. And when he died, September 20th, there was 
universal regret and sorrow. The mayor of Springfield, Mr. James 
Abbott, at once called a public meeting, which was held at the court- 
house, and over which he presided. A committee, composed of Col. 
D. C. Leach, Geo. M. Jones, H. F. Fellows, and Judge W. F. Geiger, 
reported resolutions strongly denouncing the crime of Guiteau and 
deeply deploring its sad effects, and highl}^ eulogistic of the character 
of the dead President. Speeches were delivered by Hon. H. E. 
Havens, Hon. J. R. Waddill, Capt. Geo. M. Jones, O. H. Travers, 
and Rev. Mr. Berry. 

September 26th memorial services were held in the Christian church 
the M. E. South church, and in other churches of Springfield, includ- 
ing two colored. At the (Christian church there were the most im- 
portant services. President Garfield having been a member of that 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 571 

denomination. A lengthy and able memorial address was rendered by 
Col. D. C. Leach, and briefer speeches were made by President N. J. 
Morrison, J. R. Waddill, and D. P. Putnam. At the M. E. Church 
South the speakers were Revs. Marks and Bond, Hon. H. E. Havens, 
Maj. J. C. Cravens, and Capt. Geo. M. Jones, all of whom spoke 
very feelingly and with much earnestness and ability of the real worth 
of the distinguished dead and " the deep damnation of his taking off." 
Perhaps it ought to be borne in mind that Maj. Cravens and Capt. 
Jones were gallant Confederate soldiers during the civil war. 

Memorial serrices were also held in the churches of North Spring- 
field, and business was generally suspended in both towns. Many 
stores and other buildings were draped in mourning. 

SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR 1881. 

From the report of County Commissioner Jonathan Fairbanks, 
made in August, 1881, it is learned that at that time the total number 
of white persons in the county, between the ages of 6 and 20, were — 
males, 4,717; females, 4,295. Total number of white children enu- 
merated in the county, 9,012. Total number of colored children — 
males, 480; females, 483. Total, 963. Total children of school age 
enumerated 9,975. Number of white scholars attending the public 
schools during the year — males, 3,563; females, 3,223. Total, 
6,786. Number of colored scholars attending the public schools dur- 
ing the year — males, 287 ; females, 325. Total, 612. 

Number of teachers employed during the year — males, 77 ; fe- 
males, 59 ; males and females, 136. Average salaries of teachers per 
month — males, $33.60; females, $31,66 ; all $32.46. Amount paid 
for teachers' wages during the year, $22,289.95. 

Number of school houses in the county, 95 ; number rented, 3. 
Numberof scholars that may be seated in all the school houses, 7,399. 
Number of white schools in operation, 116 ; colored 13. Average 
cost per day for tuition for each child, 5 1-5 cents. Value of school 
property in the county, $68,053. Average rates per $100 levied for 
school purposes, 50 cents. Assessed valuation of property in the 
county, $5,237,711. Amount paid for fuel for schools during the 
year, $934.37. Amount paid for repairs or rent of school houses dur- 
ing the year, $1,346.19. Amount paid for apparatus and incidental 
expenses for the year, $2,575.69. Amount paid for the erection of 
school houses or purchasing of sites, $889.11. Amount expended in 
defraying past indebtedness. $8,202.18. Amount paid for salaries of 



572 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

district clerks, $483.74. Total receipts from all sources during the 
year, $50,776.00. Total expenditures for all purposes during the 
year, $36,747.92. 

Children of school age enumerated 1879, 9,648 ; 1880, 9,953 ; 1881 , 
9,975. The colored children enumerated were, 1879, 1,002; 1880, 
1,009 ; 1881, 963, showing a decrease in colored children of 46 in the 
past year. Of the white children enumerated in 1881, there were 422 
more males than females in the county. In the country districts, the 
males predominated, in the cities, the females. In Springfield there 
were of school age, 60 more females than males, and in North Spring- 
iield, 19. There were in the county, 340 more boys attending school 
than girls, and 18 more male teachers employed than females. 

There were in the county 30 summer schools averaging 29 pupils 
each, and 106 winter schools averaging 41 pupils each. The schools 
of the city of Springfield averaged 55 to the teacher. The above was 
the average daily attendance. Average length of summer schools, 67 
days; winter, 86 days. 

The assessed valuation for 1878 was $5,456,480.00; for 1879, 
$4,768,111.00, showing a depreciation of $688,369.00. The assessed 
valuation for 1880 was $5,237,711, showing an appreciation of $469,- 
600 over the previous years. 

Some of the school districts were reported to own property to the 
following amounts: — Springfield, $1,757,197; North Springfield, 
$229,279 ; Ash Grove, $117,426 ; Hazel Dell, district No. 3, township 
29, range 22, $98,971 ; Edmison school house, district No. 2, township 
29, range 21, $82,767 ; Oak Grove, district No. 4, township 29, 
range 21, $77,234; Fair Grove, district No. 2, township 31, range 
20, $70,251. There were in the county including above, fifteen dis- 
tricts worth over $50,000 ; twenty-six districts worth over $40,000 ; 
forty-six districts worth over $30,000 ; seventy-seven districts worth 
over $20,000 ; and there were in the county thirteen districts worth 
less than $20,000. One hundred districts are included in the report. 
The following districts made the smallest levies : District 3, town- 
ship 31, range 22, 6 cents on the $100; district 1, township 28, range 
22, 7 cents on the $100 ; district 2, township 28, range 23, 8 cents on 
the $100; district 2, township 28, range 20, 11 cents on the $100; 
district 4, township 30, range 23, 12 cents on the $100 ; district 2, 
township 30, range 20, 12 cents on the $100. Several districts levied 
as high as $1.40 on the $100, while one levied $1.50 to the $100. 




J^^6 Ju>-eUt€^c^ 



i 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 573 

CHAPTER XVII. 
GEOLOGY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

By Oeo. C. Swallow, L.L.D. 

Greene county, Missouri, is a favored county of a favored State. 
It is, " beautiful for situation, " 1,500 feet above the ocean, on the 
cool and sunny western slope of the Ozark highlands, and on the 
great highway from the central mart of the continent to the great 
southwest, the Pacific coast and Mexico. Every wave of the air 
comes laden with health, vigorous manhood and long life. 

The geological features of this ftivored county, are in full accord 
with its position and surroundings. Greene county is not destined to 
rival some of its neighbors in the production of lead, zinc and coal ; but 
it will surpass them all in corn, wheat, horses, cattle, sheep and 
swine, the magna bona that make civilized life the desired of all. 

THE ROCKS OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The rocks which appear on the surface in the various parts of the 
county, are varied and interesting. The Quaternary, the Car- 
boniferous, the Devonian, and the Silurian systems are all well repre- 
sented in Greene. 

To begin with the oldest of these rocks, the Magnesian Limestone 
Series of the Lower Silurian System, comes to the surface and forms 
the principal geological features of the northeastern part of the county. 
On the headwaters of White river in the east, and on the forks of the 
Sac in the north, and the Pomme de Terre in the northeast, the 
masnesian limestones of this geological age form the bluffs and prin- 
cipal features in the scenery of those interesting regions. 

These magnesian limestones are fully described in my report of 
1855, and it will be sufficient to repeat here that these are the great 
mineral bearing rocks of Missouri ; that they have furnished all the 
co[)per, cobalt and nickel and a large part of the iron, lead and 
zinc of the State, The very best building stones and marbles in the 
State are in these rocks. They also furnish rich materials for the soils 
of the country ; and besides a large proportion of the famous caves, 
wonderful springs and unparalleled underground streams of Southwest 
Missouri, are in these rocks. 



574 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

The Chemung Group of the Devonian System underlie considera- 
ble portions of the county along the branches ot the Sac, Pomme de 
Terre and White rivers, and in many places, they crop out and form 
the bluffs and beds of those streams. 

My report of 1855 gives a full description of these rocks and it is 
only necessary to say that the vermicular sandstone division of this 
group is best developed in Greene county, that it is argillaceous, fine 
ground and in regular strata. When first exposed it is soft and can 
be easily quarried and cut into desired forms for domestic and other 
purposes. 

Many of the farms are fenced with regular substantial walls of this 
rock. 

But the Subcarboniferous Limestones underlie the largest portion of 
the county. Tiiese limestones furnish an abundance of good durable 
building stone for all domestic purposes and for all public works. 
They also furnish an unlimited supply of the very best material for 
limes, mortars and cements. The vast deposits of lead and zinc in 
this region, are in these rocks, and these rich ores doubtless extend 
into Greene county in greater or less quantities. A more thorough 
exploration alone can settle this matter satisfactorily. 

Some Coal beds have been reported in Greene county ; but I am 
unable to speak authoritatively on the subject, since I have not seen 
them. It is safe, however, to say such beds can not cover any con- 
siderable areas, though they majHje very valuable for the immediate 
country around them. 

The Quaternary System includes all the loose materials resting on 
the consolidated strata. The clays and marls underlying the soils on 
the highland belong to the Chatnplain Period ; and they furnished 
most of the mineral ingredients of the soils, which rest upon them. 

The sands, clays, and marls of the bottoms and lowlands belong 
to the Recent Period ; and they furnished most of the mineral matter 
of the soils which rest upon these deposits. 

The orravels and boulders in the beds of the streams belong to the 
Pecent and precedmg PeiHods of the Quaternary System. 

ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY. 

The soils of Greene county are by far the most valuable of its geo- 
logical formations. The soils furnish all the food of all the plants 
and of all the animals human and brute. And besides, our clothing, 
dwellings, vehicles, machines, and implements are made in large 
part of materials grown from the soil. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 575 

The soils of the county are varied and rich and well adapted to the 
staple products of the county. Corn, wheat, oats, tobacco, cotton, 
sorghum, grasses, and all the fruits and ornamental plants of this lat- 
itude find a genial home in the productive soils of this favored 
region. 

The soils in the bottoms are exceedingly fertile, as shown by the 
large growth of native trees, vines, and grasses and by the luxuriant 
crops which they produce. Large areas of the upland soils are also 
very productive and are classed with the best soils of the State. 

Grand and Kickapoo prairies furnish good illustrations of this class 
of soils. 

Some portions, as the high ridges and the abrupt slopes to the bot- 
tom lands, have soils so full of flints as to be useless for ordinary 
cultivation. But these soils produce good timber and pasturage and 
are admirably adapted to the grape and other fruits. The farmers of 
Greene county have ever been well pleased with their warm and pro- 
ductive soils. 

One could scarcely wish for a more desirable lot in life than to be 
the possessor of one of the fine farms of this county, where, sur- 
rounded by all the pleasures and luxuries of farm life, he could enjoy 
the most genial and healthful climate on the continent ; where the 
springs and streams are as pure and limpid as Castalian fountains ; 
where the valleys are Arcadian and the skies are Italian. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



BIOGRAPHIES OF SOME OF THE PROMINENT CITIZENS IDENTI- 
FIED WITH THE HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

HON. JOHN S. PHELPS. 

The prominence, both State and national, of this most distinguished 
citizen of Greene county, may well serve as a reason wh}' this sketch 
is given at greater length than that of other citizens mentioned ; how- 
ever, even this is but the merest outline of a life whose long public 
service makes up a history which would require a volume in itself, if 
given in a manner anything like that merited by the distinguished sub- 
ject. John S. Phelps is the son of Elisha Phelps, and was born in 



57f) HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Simsbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, December 22, 1814. The 
father, Elish:i, was a lawyer of great prominence in that State, who 
served his fclU)w-citizens in the Legislature, in State offices, and three 
terms in the national Congress. Noah Phelps, father of Elisha and 
grandfather of John S., was a captain in the Revolution and a most 
successful scout and spy. He was one of the " committee of safety " 
that planed the capture of Ticonderoga. Like his son and grandson, 
he, too, served the people in legislative and other capacities of public 
Irnst. Mr. Phelps was reared in his birthplace, receiving bis educa- 
tion in the public schools and in Washington (now Trinity) college at 
Hartford, completing his course there in 1882. Subsequently, he 
studied law under his father for three years, and was admitted to the 
bar on the twenty-first anniversary of his birth. After two years of 
l)ractice in Hartford, he determined to come West and seek a better 
and wider field for an ambitious j'^oung lawyer. Acting with that 
wisdom and foresight which has ever characterized him in both public 
and private life, he chose the newly admitted State of Missouri, and 
in 1837, set foot upon her soil. It was necessary to be re-examined, 
before being enrolled as a member of the Missouri bar, and young 
Phelps went to Boonville, where Judge Tompkins of the Supreme 
Court had agreed to meet and examine him ; the judge, however, failed 
to come, and Mr. Phelps mounted a horse and proceeded to Jefferson 
City, where the judge resided. Here again was a disappointment, for 
he of the gown and peruke was some distance in the country at a saw 
mill where the seeker finally found him; but "all is well that ends 
well," and there, sitting on a log in the woods of Cole county, Mis- 
souri's future Governor was examined and licensed to practice in all 
courts of record, the license being written on a leaf torn from an old 
blue ledger, that being the only paper in the mill camp. Armed with 
this document, with his heart full of enthusiasm, this youth of twenty- 
three started for the great Southwest, locating at Springfield, then a 
mere hamlet, but rapidly becoming the trade center of a vast scope of 
country. He at once entered upon a lucrative practice, and rapidly 
rose to the head of the profession, practicing over a district of country 
extending from Warsaw on the north to Forsythe on the south, and 
from Waynesville on the east to Neosho on the west. He was soon 
recognized as the leading member of the bar in that section, for young 
as he was, his great legal attainments enabled him to cope success- 
fully with the most experienced lawyers ; and during the whole course 
of his professional career, never once did he violate the courtesies that 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 577 

should always exist between members of the legal fraternity. His 
public life began at an early age. In 1840 he was chosen to represent 
Greene county in the General Assembly of Missouri, and but little of 
his life has been spent in retirement since then. In 1844, he was 
elected to Congress, that being the last election under the then existing 
system of a general ticket ; and for eighteen consecutive years, served 
in the same high position of public trust. Any attempt at a full state- 
ment of his acts comprised in those years — his many valuable ser- 
vices — would far transcend the limits of this work; but the bare 
fact, that for twelve years he was a member of the committee on ways 
and means — always the most important committee of a legislative 
body — and part of the time its chairman, is, in itself, the best evi- 
dence of the esteem and confidence reposed in him on the part of his 
co-workers in Congress. A brief summary may here be given of some 
of the great questions of public interest then agitating the country, in 
each of which Mr. Phelps actively participated, always guided by those 
principles of unswerving Democracy which had lieen his from early 
boyhood: The Oregon Question; Establishment of an Independent 
Treasury System ; Revenue Tariff Question ; Mexican War, and 
territorial acquisition consequent thereon ; Admission of Cali- 
fornia ; Postage Reduction; Establishment of an Overland Mail 
Route (by coach) to California; Land Grants to Missouri for Rail 
Road Purposes ; Kansas-Nebraska Bill ; The Civil War, and a 
long series of other questions of greater or less interest, those 
enumerated being the most important. Only the briefest outline 
can here be given of Mr. Phelps' position on the weightiest 
of these grave questions ; but those desiring to post themselves 
more fulh'^ are referred to the Congressional Record extending 
over those periods of time. The acquisition of California and 
other territory west of the Rio Grande, led to an active discussion of 
the slavery question, when the proposition to admit California and 
establish territorial governments in other districts came up in Con- 
gress. Mr. Phelps favored the admission of California, for which 
Congress had provided no territorial government, and which had so 
rapidly filled up after the discovery of gold there in 1848. The 
thousands of people who flocked to that Eldorado, finding themselves 
without any law for protection, and having the spirit of self-govern- 
ment strong within them, proceeded to organize as a State government, 
adopting a constitution and sending Gwinn and Fremont as Senators. 
Her admission was strongly resisted in Congress, but Mr. Phelps 
37 



578 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

made a powerful speech in lavor thereof, and with the able assist- 
ance of others who favored it, succeeded in passing the bill adniitting 
California. When the slavery phase of the question was broached, 
he urged the non-intrevention policy, preferring to leave it to the 
people themselves to speak their will in this regard. He advocated 
postage reduction, and voted for the bill reducing it to three cents on 
prepaid and five cents on un[)aid letters. Any further reduction he 
thinks unwise, as the system is now on a good, self-sustaining basis. 
Mr. Phelps believed in a tarilf for revenue only, and voted for the 
tariif of 1846, a measure denounced by the protectionists as one 
fraught with destruction to the nianufacturin<i: interests of the coun- 
try. In about ten years thereafter, when a further reduction of du- 
ties was advocated and carried, the leading manufacturers of the 
country besought Congress not to interfere with the rates of du- 
ties established in 184(3. Mr. Phelps favored the measure granting 
bounty lands to soldiers and extending pre-emption privileges to 
actual settlers. He also favored the granting of lands by the general 
government to Missouri to aid in building a railroad from Hannibal to 
St. Joseph, and from St. Louis to the southwest corner of the State. 
In 1853, when Congress was discussing the l)uilding of a trans-conti- 
nental railway, Mr, Phelps favored the construction of a road on or 
near the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude, through the Indian 
country via Albuquerque to San Francisco, on which route the Atlan- 
tic and Pacific is now in part constructed. He was always opposed to 
national banks, and lost no opportunity to fight any and all measures 
favoring those vampire-like institutions. During his last term in 
Ccmgress, which was in Mr. Lincoln's first administration, he was part 
of the time in the field, the war being then in progress ; and he was 
appointed on the committee of ways and means before he had been 
sworn in as a member, a compliment never before tendered to any 
other citizen. While he advocated measures raising men and money 
to prosecute the war, he opposed the confiscation act as unconstitu- 
tional, and strongly opposed the practice of military arrests of pri- 
vate citizens and confining them without due process of law. He 
was still a member of Congress, as we have seen, when the war came 
on, and was opposed, both on principle and policy, to secession, and 
did all in his power under the constitution, to aid in suppressing the 
rebellion. In 1861, he raised a reginent, known as the " Phel[)s 
Regiment," which did valiant service for six months, and was com- 
manded by Col. Phelps in person at the memorable engagement at 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 579 

Pea Ridge, in which it suffered such heavy loss. Without solicitation 
on his part, Col. Phelps was appointed military governor of Arkansas, 
in 1862, which he accepted at the earnest request of his friends. Ill 
health, however, soon necessitated his return to St. Louis. In 1864 
he resumed the law practice at Springfield, his congressional career 
having closed in 1863. His party, the great Missouri Democracv, 
nominated him as their candidate, in 1868, for the office of Governor. 
Having been a Union soldier, he could the more safely make the 
canvass as the Democratic candidate. He went into the campaign 
claiming his constitutional right to discuss any and all political ques- 
tions, and he fearlessly did so. But the hated " Drake Constitution," 
to which Phelps was always opposed, had disfranchised so many citizens 
of the State that the Democrats — though greatly in the majority — 
failed to elect their man ; and a Governor, whom only a minority of 
the peo))le favored, was declared elected. The Phelps canvass, how- 
ever, had an inspiring and salutary effect on the party, and eight years 
afterwards he was nominated and elected Governor of Missouri by a 
larger majorit}' than any preceding Governor had ever received. He 
was the centennial (1876) candidate, and was the first to warm the gu- 
bernatorial chair under the long term — four years — provision of the 
the new constitution of 1875. No man has ever done greater honor 
to that highest State office than John S. Phelps, and no lady has ever 
done the honors of the Governor's mansion with more becom- 
ing grace than did his daughter, Mrs. Mary Montgomery. Had not 
the constitution fixed the one term limit on the Governor's office, there 
is no manner of question but that Gov. Phelps (had he been willing) 
would have again been called to that great civil trust. In the con- 
vention of 1876, no less a person than the Hon. George G. Vest — 
Missouri's greatest Senator since the days of Benton — was defeated 
by Governor Phelps for the Democratic nomination. It may here be 
said of Gov. Phelps, that notwithstanding the manj^ positions of offi- 
cial trust he has filled, yet, aside from the militarv, he has never held 
any office except by the votes of the people. Since the expiration of 
his gubernatorial term. Gov. Phelps has lived in greater retirement 
than for years previous, only occasionally giving legal advice in some 
very important cases. He has spent considerable time in travel, and 
in 1882, made a trip for pleasure and recreation to New Mexico, Ari- 
zona, and Chihuahua, Mexico. He also gave much of his time and 
attention to his invalid sister, Mrs. Eno, who never recovered from 
the illness with which she was taken down soon after her return from 



580 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Europe. Few men have greater conversatiouul powers, or enjoy 
more keenly the social mtercourse of friends, than does Missouri's ex- 
Governor, when in company of some of those that constitute his large 
circle of distinguished acquaintances from various parts of this broad 
land. Great, genial, magnanimous, as easy of approach as a child, and 
yet dignified withal, Gov. Phelps is just that style of a man that a 
whole peoi)le would love while they revere him, following his lead 
with that implicit confidence which is the surest criteron in pronounc- 
ing him a noble man as well as a great statesman. 

HON. T. A. SHERWOOD. 

Thomas Adiel Sherwood was born at Eatonton, in Putnam county, 
Georgia, June 2, 1834, where he spent his early life. His father. 
Rev. Adiel Sherwood, D.D., was a Baptist clergyman of great learn- 
ing and prominence, who was born and reared at Fort Edward, in the 
State of New York. The family were of English extraction. Dr. 
Thomas Sherwood, and Andrew, his brother, immigrated to this 
country during its colonial period, from Nottinghamshire, England, 
and settled in Connecticut. Dr. Thomas Sherwood was the grand- 
father of Major Adiel Sherwood, who served in the war of the Revo- 
lution under Gen. George Washington, and was present with him at 
Valley Forge, and in several of the battles of that memorable war. 
Major Adiel Sherwood was the father of Rev. Doctor Adiel Sherwood, 
and grandfather of the subject of this sketch. In 1852 Rev. Doctor 
Sherwood, for several years president of ShurtlefF College, and the 
author r)f several theological works, removed from Alton, Illinois, 
whither he had removed from Georgia, and settled at Cape Girardeau, 
in the State of Missouri, and with him came his son, Thomas Adiel, 
then a young man about 18 years of age. Young Sherwood had al- 
ready acquired a good education at Mercer University, Georgia, Avhich 
he completed at Shurtleft' College, Alton, Illinois. After leaving col- 
lege he studied law, occasionally teaching school, until he graduated 
at the Cincinnati, Ohio, Law School, April, 1857. 

At school and college he was a thorough and diligent student, and 
completely mastered whatever he attem[)ted to learn. After his grad- 
uation he received a license to practice law in Missouri, from the Hon. 
Harrison Hough (then Judge of the 10th judicial circuit), at Charles- 
ton, Mississippi county, in May, 1857. 

In Januaiy, 1858, Mr. Sherwood removed to Neosho, the county 
seat of Newton county, Missouri, where he located and practiced his 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 581 

profession until 1859, when he removed to Mount Vernon, Lawrence 
countAS Missouri, where he remained until 1863. 

On the 18th day of June, 1861, he married Mary Ellen Young, 
daughter of G. R. and N. Young. In December, 1863, Mr. Sher- 
wood moved to Springfield, Greene county, Missouri, where he re- 
sided until January, 1868, then removed to his farm about two and 
one-half miles southwest of that city, where he has since resided, 
although from August, 1876, to the fell of 1882, he and his family 
resided temporarily in St. Louis. 

While he was engaged in the practice of law at Springfield, his 
extensive business led him to visit the* circuit courts of most counties 
in Southwest Missouri, nearly all of which at that time could be 
reached only on horseback or by carriage. And many were the 
hardships endured, and diversified and sometimes amusing the occur- 
rences encountered, by the attorney of that day in this part of the 
State. 

Mr. Sherwood, although by nature of a retiring disposition, was 
soon recognized by his associates at the bar as a young man of un- 
usual ability and untiring industry. 

He was from the beginning eminently devoted to his profession, 
and sought not only to know the rules of law but the reason there- 
for. And his arguments were uniformly marked by unusual care and 
research, and by a skill and knowledge of the law rarely possessed by 
one of his experience. 

In 1872, Mr. Sherwood was nominated by the Missouri Democrats 
for Judge of the Supreme Court, to which office he was elected for 
ten years at the general election following. He presided as chief 
justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, from January 1, 1876, 
until the expiration of his first term of office January 1, 1883. 

In 1882, he was again nominated for the same ^josition and duly 
elected at the general election in that year, as his own successor, for 
a second term of ten years ; which office he now holds. In the per- 
formance of his official duties. Judge Sherwood has even more than 
sustained his reputation as a lawyer. Careful, learned, painstaking, 
and first of all, his published opinions have made a record which 
places him among the foremost jurists of the land. 

Judge Sherwood is progressive in his style of thought ; holding 
enlarged and liberal views on all subjects, and fully alive to the changes 
that are constantly taking place in the business methods and relations 
of men. In his hands we may be assured that our system of juris- 



582 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

prudence will ever keep pace Avith the growing necessities of the 
times, and the real progress of the country. Still in the prime and 
vigor of manhood, a man of real merit, devoid of ostentation, digni- 
fied in manner, possessing eminent legal learning, an iron will, and 
earnestly devoted to the faithful performance of the duties of the 
office which he holds. Judge Sherwood has fully realized the fondest 
expectations of his friends and fully merits the honors he has so fairly 
won. 

JOHN o'day, esq. 

Among those who have given Greene county its enviable reputation 
for possessing m^n of high character, large brain, and sterling worth 
and ability, is Mr. John O'Day, one of the leading members of the 
Greene county bar. Mr. O'Day was born in the city of Limerick, 
Ireland, November 18, 1843. He was brought in infancy with his 
father's family to America, his parents settling at first in the State 
of New York. When he was about 12 years of age the family 
removed to Juneau county, Wisconsin, where John was educated in 
the common schools and at an academy. Arriving at the years of 
maturity, and developing a remarkable talent for that profession, he 
engaged in the study of law, under Judge Windsor, of Maustin, Wis- 
consin. In 1862 he attended the law school at Albany, N. Y., and 
in May, 1864, he was admitted to the bar at New Lisbon, Wisconsin, 
before Hon. Geo. W. Cate, afterward a prominent member of Con- 
gress. Leaving Wisconsin in September, 1865, Mr. O'Day settled in 
Springfield, February 14 following, and has here since remained, en- 
gaged in the active practice of his profession, in which he has been 
extraordinarily successful. For years he was one of the leading crim- 
inal lawyers in the Southwest, and now is regarded as standing in the 
front rank of the corporation attorneys of the country. Since the 
year 1870 he has been in the employ of the St. Louis and San Fran- 
cisco Railway Company, and for five years past has been the general 
attorney of that great corporation, as well as of two other important 
western railroads, the St. Louis, Wichita and Western, and the Joplin 
and Girard railroad. A considerable portion of Mr. O'Day's time 
and attention has been given to politics. An active, earnest, zealous 
Democrat, he has performed valuable service for his party in Missouri. 
In 1874 he became a member of the Democratic State Central Com- 
mittee, and four years later he was chosen its chairman, serving from 
1878 to 1880. In 1882 he was again selected as chairman and served 
as commander-in-chief of the Democratic hosts that won such a 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 583 

sweeping victory that year. Under Mr. O'Day's management, and 
mainly owing to his personal efforts, every congressional district in 
the State was carried by the Democracy, four Republicans and Green- 
hackers retiring to have their seats filled by Democrats. Though an 
active worker in politics Mr. O'Day has always refused to become a 
candidate for any office, receiving his sole reward in the gratification 
of seeing his party's trinmphs and its principles vindicated. May 16, 
1<S65, Mr. O'Day was married to Miss Jennie Campbell, ofMilwankee, 
Wisconsin, a native of Painesville, Ohio. They are the parents of 
two promising sons, Alexander and John, Jr. Mr. O'Day in religion 
is a Catholic; Mrs. O'Day is a communicant of the Episcopalian 
church. It is quite too early to write a proper sketch of Mr. O'Day, 
whose future is yet so largely before him and so full of promise, and 
this apology is given for the imperfection of what is here set down. 

DANIEL C. KENNEDY. 

Mr. Kennedy was born in Queens county, Ireland, February 14, 
1841, and is the third child of Michael and Elizabeth (Condron) 
Kennedy. His parents emigrated to America in 1843, and in 1848 
his father went back to Ireland to assist his countrymen in their 
struggle for independence. The agitation being suppressed by the 
government, he returned to America, and settled permanently with 
his family in St. Louis, where he died in 1803, in the sixtieth year of 
his age. Daniel C. received a common school education in the city 
of St. Louis, and at the age of fourteen entered the printing office of 
Keith & Woods, and imbibed a taste for work of that nature, which 
ultimately led to his being one of the leading journalists of the South- 
west. He worked in different offices and read law in his leisure mo- 
ments. At the beginning of the late war he espoused the cause of the 
South, and joined the St. Louis militia, and was captured by Captain 
Lyon at Camp Jackson. When exchanged young Kennedy went to 
Memphis, Tennessee, where he joined an artillery company, which was 
ordered to reinforce Gen. Price at Springfield, Missouri. His company 
was with Price when he retreated to the Boston Mountains, Arkan- 
sas. After the battle of Pea Ridge it was ordered to reinforce 
Johnston at Shiloh. At the fall of Vicksburg, upon the 4th of July, 
1863, he was taken prisoner. Again being exchanged he re-entered 
active service and was again captured at Hernando, Mississippi, pa- 
roled and sent to St. Louis. In 1865 he came to Springfield and 
entered the Missouri Patriot office, but in a few months took charge 



584 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of itiQ ^Southwest Union Press. That office heing destroyed by fire 
in 1867, he, in partnership with Captain O. S. Fahnestock, established 
the Springfield Leader. He is now editor of the Leader^ one of the 
leading Democratic papers in the State. Mr. Kennedy was married 
November 20, 1866, to Miss Liila, daughter of Hon. Marcus Boyd. 

HENRY SHEPPARD. 

Henry Sheppard, among the early people of Greene county, was the 
man who made and left the best impression. 

He was born in Cumberland. county, New Jersey, on November 8th, 
1821, of the seventh generation from the original settler of his name. 
His father was a quiet man of moderate means who gave to his sons 
what education he could in schools and at home taught them, by i)re- 
cept and by example, industry, self-reliance and truth. The mother 
was a deeply religious woman. 

Henry, the oldest son, an ambitious and independent boy, supported 
himself from the age of fifteen. He was trained in business by an 
old-fashioned Philadelphia firm ; and he learned well their lessons of 
judgment and labor. During these years of youth his chief recrea- 
tion were a literar}^ society and the volunteer fire company to which 
he belonged. Often after a hard day in the store he would run miles 
with his engine and work for hours at night, sometimes in stations of 
danger. A vent for his superabundant energy was necessary, and he 
found it in this innocent excitement. 'During this period he joined 
the church of Dr. Albert Barnes, whose influence on his life was great 
and good. 

Leaving Philadelphia with the savings of his salary and full credit 
on his late employers' book, he went in 1843 to Camden, Ark., where 
he remained about a year. The place was good for trade, and he 
always spoke warmly of the simplicity and honor of the people among 
whom he dwelt ; but he was unwilling to take his promised wife to so 
unhealthy a country. He came to Springfield in 1844 and went into 
business with his friend Clement Jaggard, now a wealthy citizen of 
Altoona, Pa. He found a good climate and agreeable people. The 
place, though a mere hamlet, was promising, and his business pros- 
pered. In 1845 he went to New Jersey and married Miss Rhoda 
Nixon, the young lady to whom he had been attached from early 
youth. 

For the next sixteen years his life was a busy one. A thriving 
trade, droves of stock collected and sent to other places as distant 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 585 

once as California, a temporary business in Fort Smith, Ark., pre- 
parations to take part in the Mexican war ended by the sudden peace, 
and other like things, occupied him closely ; but this material life was 
softened by a happy home, by sociality, by friendship, and by 
charity ; it was made honorable by his uprightness, by his ever- 
developing intellect, and b}^ his courage. 

Mr. Jaggard returned to Pennsylvania in 1850 and Mr. Sheppard 
formed a partnership with John S. Kimbrough, now of Clinton, Mo., 
which continued until the war separated them. The friendship thus 
begun was ended only by death. 

In 1861, Mr. Sheppard threw himself with all his heart into the 
cause of the Union. He Avas a Democrat and a slaveholder, owning 
a few domestic servants and satisfied that it was right to own them, 
but he was none the less a Union man. He served in the army in 
various grades from private to brigadier general. When he reached 
the latter rank his small stock of strength had all been given to his 
country, and he resigned, never to enjoy health again. On the 8th 
of January, 1863, with his regiment, he greatly assisted in repelling 
Marmaduke's attack on Springfield, which saved immense stores of 
food, clothing, and ammunition to the United States. This success 
preserved the fruits of the war in Southwest Missouri, which would 
otherwise have been lost. That day's tight was as heroic as Corse's 
defense of AUatoona, for it was made with but little shelter of fortifi- 
cations and with no hope of succor. 

After the war Col. Sheppard was engaged in active business till 
1868, when he retired. Thenceforth he attended to the light duties of 
a bank director, and he managed his property ; but most of the time 
he passed at his beautiful liome, occupied with reading, writing, and 
horticulture. He was very fond of trees and of gardening, and in his 
success with fruit took more pride than in any other thing. 

In 1874 he was attacked with pneumonia, which assumed a chronic 
form. The loss of a dear daughter in 1875, so depressed him that he 
was unable to rally, and thenceforth he gradually declined. Yet his 
illness, though painful, was not dark. He recovered his spirits in a 
great degree, he traveled, he read, he enjoyed the society of his 
friends, and his unselfish tenderness to his family grew with the pass- 
ing years. At last on December 19th, 1879, in the City of New 
Orleans, among his nearest and dearest, with sunshine and flowers 
about him, he fearlessly —^almost gayly — went out of the painful 
prison of his body into the presence of his long-loved Father. 



586 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

He left one son and one daughter, Francis, a retired officer of the 
navy, and Margaret. His other two children died before him. 

Col. Sheppard was six feet tall and very slender, with black hair, 
gray eyes and a striking appearance. His manner, though decided, 
was kind and engaging ; but he became stern in the presence of any- 
thing oflensive to his moral sense. He never filled a political office, 
though interested and influential in politics ; and he was not affiliated 
with any of the secret societies. He was an excellent writer, mas- 
tering his subject, treating it originally, putting his personality into 
the lines, knowing what to bring out and how to arrange, and pos- 
sessing an easy and rapid but pointed and epigrammatic style. He 
was logical and clear, in speech or on paper ; and he was strong in a 
plaj'fiil sarcasm that convinced without wounding. His style was 
formed and maintained by careful reading through life of Shakespeare, 
Macaulay, Scott, Irving, Motley, Prescott, Bancroft and Thackeray, 
besides the standard poets and a great miscellany. He had a large 
fund of information which he constantly increased. Though he al- 
ways regretted that he had not a college training, it is doubtful if 
many s^vaduates are, at forty, better mentally equipped thnn he was ; 
while in the careful and sympathetic courtesy which was born with 
him he had something no school ever gave. He was a natural gentle- 
man. He was also a delightful social companion, reassuring, appre- 
ciative, full ofgayety, unassuming knowledge and pleasant humorous 
talk ; and he had the faculty of inducing his comrades of the hour, 
were they high or low, to show only their good qualities. His 
personal purity was unquestioned ; he hated meanness, and he loved 
the poor. None but himself knew the extent of his charity, but some 
persons knew it was large. 

A volume could be written on the excellencies of this man, for he 
was most noble in nature. He was widely known and honored ; and 
the better men knew him, the more they respected him. Doubtless 
he had faults — he was a man — but the memor}'^ of his virtues shine 
so brightly in the minds of those who knew him well, that its bril- 
liancy either hides his defects or else makes them seem to be adorn- 
ments, even as the sun turns the near clouds to gold. In him, will 
and courtesy, resolution and deference, purity and humor, tenacity 
and integrity, bravery and modesty, justice towards man and duty 
towards God, were so beautifully blended and harmonized that no 
person could name the one thing that gave him so much influence 
and love. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 587 



JOHN L. m'CRAW, SR. (DECEASED). 

Mr. McCraw was bora in Hawkins county, Tenn., in 1808, where 
he was reared and educated. In 1836 he married Elizabeth H. Ken- 
ner, of the same county, and the same year he immigrated to Greene 
county. Mo., and bought the farm in Taylor township, where he lived 
and died. In farming and stock-rfearing he encountered all the hard- 
ships incident to pioneer life. The stock did well upon the prairie 
grasses, and sheep and pigs found natural enemies in the wolves that 
infested the country at the time. Mills were few and far between, 
coffee and biscuits luxuries that could be only indulged in Sun- 
day mornings and when "company" came. The clothing for 
the family was all made from the raw material by the ladies of the 
household, Mr. McCraw, himself, making the shoes from leather tan- 
ned by a neighbor. Game abounded, but he never killed but one 
deer, and that with his Jacob-staff while out surveying. He 
was elected county surveyor in 1839, and in 1840 surveyed the east- 
ern boundary of the county. In 1849 he visited his parents in Ten- 
nessee, making the entire trip upon horseback. His wife died in 
1855, leaving him six children, four boys and two girls, all of whom 
are yet living. Two children, a son and daughter, died before her. 
At the beginning of the r6l)ellion he espoused the Union cause, hav- 
ing previously been a Whig. He was too old to take an active part 
and tried to remain quietly at home, but in the latter part of 1861 
was arrested by a party of young " bloods," calling themselves Con- 
federates, and taken before the commander of the post, but was re- 
leased the same day. He was a charter member of the Union League 
with John W. Smith, Frank Plummer and D. L. Turner. In 
1866 he was appointed, and in November of the same year elected, 
supervisor of registration. In 1872 he was again elected surveyor, 
and in all, held that office thirty years. He voted the Republican 
ticket after 1861 until his death. The Marshfield cyclone of April 
18, 1880, struck his place, unroofed his buildings, destroyed a large 
amount of timber, but not one of the family, who were in the house, 
were seriously hurt. After an illness of seven days, Mr. McCraw 
died, upon the second of April, 1882, and was buried in the family 
burying-ground in sight of the house he had so long occupied. Thus 
one by one the noted landmarks fall. 



588 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

CHARLES WARRINGTON ROGERS. 

This distinguished gentleman and successful railway manager was 
born at Exeter, N. H., Oct. 7, 1834. His parents were of English 
parentage, and he is a lineal descendant of the martyr John Rogers. 
His maternal grandfather, Enoch Poor, was a general in the Revolution- 
ary army. His father, a banker, died when Charles was two years of 
age, and his mother died eight years later, thus leaving him an orphan 
at that tender age ; nevertheless his early education was not neglected, 
as his native New England is proverbial for good schools. At the 
age of fifteen he went to sea as a sailor boy, and when sixteen years 
old he made the voyage to California round Cape Horn. He re- 
mained in California three years and then resumed seafaring and en- 
gaged upon a vessel trading between that State and the East Indies. 
He afterwards became captain of the merchant-ship " Winfield 
Scott, " and upon that vessel circumnavigated the globe. In 1863 he 
placed his services at the disposal of the Federal government and was 
appointed acting ensign and commander of the gunboat "■ Hydranga," 
remaining in the service until November, 1865, participating in the 
naval operations in the vicinity of Charleston, S. C. After being pro- 
moted to the grade of acting master, he within four months embarked 
again in the California and East India trade as captain and part owner 
of the merchant-ship " Templar. " He spent four years in this trade 
and returned to New England. In 1871 he came to Missouri to ac- 
cept the position as wood agent upon the Atlantic and Pacific railroad. 
In Oct., 1872, he was promoted to be fuel and claim agent of that 
road and its leased lines, including the Missouri Pacific railroad. In 
May, 1874, he was appointed purchasing agent of the whole system 
embraced under the A. & P. management. In March, 1876, when the 
lease of the Missouri Pacific and its joint management with the At- 
lantic and Pacific was formally abrogated by the U. S. district court, 
Mr. Rogers was placed in immediate charge of the road between 
Pacific and Vinita by the receiver as its general superintendent. Re- 
taining this position hejbecame, on the reorganization of the company, 
one of its incorporators and general superintendent, and in May, 1879, 
was gazetted as general manager under its new title of the St. Louis 
and San Francisco Railway. March 9, 1881, he was unanimously elect- 
ed to the position of 2d vice president and general manager, from which 
position he was advanced on the 4tli of March, 1882, to that of 1st 
vice president and general manager, and upon the 13th of March, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 589 

1883, he was unanimously re-elected to the same position. Thus step 
by step, by his splendid executive ability and practical knowledge of 
railway management he has risen from wood agent to the high and 
responsible position of vice president and general manager. When 
he assumed charge of the road in 1876 it onl}'^ operated 327 miles of 
road, and since that time 550 miles of new railroad have been added 
to the system, most of which was under immediate direction of the 
general manager. Mr. Rogers was married in April, 1863, to Miss 
Mary, daughter of Hon. Tristram Shaw, M. C, from New Hamp- 
shire. Their union is blest with one son living. No man in the last 
decade has, by brain and action, done more for the material advance- 
ment of Greene county, and the State of Missouri, than Charles 
Warrington Rogers, 

COL. SAMUEL HENRY MELCHER, M. D., 

son of Woodbury Melcher, Esq., and a grandson of Capt. Samuel B. 
French, was born in Gilmanton, N. H., October 30, 1828. Was ed- 
ucated at Gilford and Gilmanton academies ; graduated at medical 
department, Dartmouth College, 1850. Practiced first in Grafton 
county, N. H. ; then in Boston, Mass., until 1859, when he traveled 
South and through Texas ; and at the close of that year, settled in 
Potosi, Washington county, Missouri. On the breaking out of the 
war, he offered his services at once to Gen. Lyon, at St. Louis ar- 
senal ; and was mustered in as assistant surgeon 5th Regt. Mo. Vols, 
(three months), May 7, 1861. Was with his regiment at the battles 
of Carthage, July 5, 1861 ; Dug Spring, Aug ust 2, 1861 ; Wilson's 
Creek, August 10, 1861, where he was the last officer on the field after 
the forces fell back, and brought off the body of Gen. Lyon and de- 
livered it to Gen. Schofield the same night, as narrated on other pages 
of this volume. By order of Gen. Schofield, he remained a prisoner in 
the liands of the Confederates, to take care of the Union wounded. Was 
in Springfield when the " Fremont Body Guard " made their terrific 
charge, and attended the wounded on both sides ; was furnished with 
wagons by Gen. Sigel, and moved the wounded in all that region to 
Rolla, thence by rail to St. Louis, arriving November 24, 1861, thus 
ending his first campaign. 

He was commissioned brigade surgeon December 4, 1861, report- 
ing to Gen. Schofield ; and during the spring and summer of 1862, 
was in charge of the Hickory Street Hospital, and Gratiot Street 
Hospital for rebel prisoners, and U. S. Marine General Hospital at 






590 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the same time.^ By request of Governor Gamble, he received tem- 
porary leave of absence to organize the Thirty-second Regiment E. M. 
M. ; was commissioned colonel, and commanded the regiment six 
weeks ; during which time he dispersed the guerilla bands in Wash- 
ington and adjoining counties, captured several rebel mails, and large 
quantities of arms, horses, and medical stores. October, 1862, he 
returned to his proper duty as medical director of the "Army of the 
Frontier." January 8,"1863, he was engaged in the battle of Springfield, 
Mo., against the forces of Marmaduke, turning out 400 hospital 
convalescents, thereby saving millions of property, the winter supplies 
for Gen Schofield's army. About this time, he performed a celebrated 
operation on the shoulder joint of Gen. E. B. Brown ,^ saving 
his life, and giving him a good arm.^ April, 18G3, the army being 
reorganized, he was assigned to duty in charge of the hospital at Iron- 
ton, Mo. Ma}' 24, 1863, he was commissioned lieutenant colonel 
6th Cavalry Mo. S. M., and assigned to duty as assistant inspector 
general of the department of the Missouri, and served in this capacity 
until Price's raid in 1864, when he was ordered to the field as aid-de- 
camp to Gen. Pleasanton, commanding the cavalry ; and, in his report 
of the destruction of Price's army, Gen. Pleasanton mentions Col. 
Melcher for " gallantry and fidelity." 

Col. Melcher' 8 last service in the army was in command of the post 
of Jeflferson City, Mo., where he was active in fowarding troops to 
Gen. Thomas, at Nashville, Tenn. Much debilitated from hard 
service, he resigned December 24, 1864. After the war, he resided 
four years and a half in Tennessee, and was in the Freedman's Bu- 
reau. May, 1870, he was appointed Surgeon U. S. Marine Hospital, 
St. Louis, Mo. February, 1871, he was appointed by the Governor 
of Missouri a manager of the State Lunatic Asylum. In 1873, he 
moved to Chicago, where he now resides. 



^ "The records of the Western Sanitarj' Commission show that the Hickory Street Hos- 
pital was most favorably reported ; that a testimonial was awarded the U. S. Marine 
Hospital, and the Hospital at Jefferson Barracks, as the two best hospitals, all things con- 
sidered, that were in the Department of the Mississippi. The Marine Hospital, in charge 
of Surgeon S. H. Melcher, and the Jefferson Barracks Hospital, the committee could not 
decide between, and so gave certificates to both. The awards made were fully approved 
and concurred in by the medical director of the department and Assistant Surgeon Gen- 
eral Wood. " — Extract from 7-epo7't of Hon. James E. Veatman, President Western 
Sanitary Commission. 

- See Medical and Surgical History of the AVar of the Rebellion ; part 2, vol. 2, 
Surgical History, page 522. 

•■' Five inches of the shaft and head of the humerus removed by excision. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 591 



JUDGE WILLIAM O. PRICE. 



William Cecil Price was boni in Russell county, Virginia, April 1st, 
1816, and is the third child of Crabtree and Linny C. Price, the fam- 
ily being of Welsh descent. His father was a farmer, who emigrated 
to Greene county, Missouri, in 1836. William had the advantage of 
a common English education in boyhood, and at twenty years of age 
was sent to Knoxville college, Tennessee. On returning from college 
he taught school in this county, and subsequently clerked in a general 
merchandise store, reading law whenever he had any spare time. In 
1840 he was appointed deputy sheriff of Greene county, and one year 
later was appointed justice of the Greene county court, filling out an 
unexpired term. He was admitted to the bar in 1844, practiced law 
till 1847, and was then elected probate judge, holding the position for 
two years. In 1854 Judge Price was elected to the State Senate, 
but resigned in 1857 to accept appointment as judge of the 27th 
judicial circuit. In 1859 Gov. Stewart appointed him to represent Mis- 
souri as agent at the general land office at Washington, on the subject of 
swamp and overflowed lands, in which service he saved several hun- 
dred thousand acres of land for his State. President Buchanan ap- 
pointed Judge Price, in 1860, to fill the unexpired term of Judge Casey 
as U. S. treasurer, which position he held till the inauguration of 
Lincoln. When the civil war came on. Judge Price being Southern 
in all his sentiments and interests, entered the Confederate service as 
a private under Gen. Price, in McBride's brigade, Missouri volunteers. 
He was captured at Pea Ridge, taken to Alton, imprisoned eight 
months and then exchanged at Vicksburg. President Davis assigned 
him to the adjutant general's department, with the rank of major, 
and he did duty as recruiting officer in Missouri. In the spring of 
1864 he resigned, and being financially ruined by the war, he began 
farming in Arkansas, where he remained till 1867, when he removed to 
St. Louis and there practiced his profession. He located at Springfield 
in 1869, Avhere he has ever since continued to reside. In June, 1842, 
he married Miss Sarah J. Kimbrough, of Kentucky. She died in 
August, 1859, leaving four sons and three daughters. Judge P. was 
again married, August 27th, 1860, to Lydia C. Dow, daughter of Ira 
M. Dow, of Vermont. She was born March 15th, 1836, and educated 
at Fairfax, Vermont. Of the last marriage there were born three 
children. Judge Price takes little interest in politics of late years, 
preferring private life. Formerly he was connected with the M. E. 



592 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Church South, but does not now join in religious services with that 
body. 

COL. FIDELIO SHARP JONES. 

Col. Jones is the son of Col. Joseph and Matilda (Sewell) Jones, 
and was born in Tazewell, Claiborne county, Tennessee, July 19th, 
1885. His father and mother were both Virginians, and the former 
was once colonel of militia in times of peace. Fidelio S. was the old- 
est of ten children, eight of whom lived to be grown. In 1837, his 
paients moved to Greene county, Missouri, locating at Springfield, 
where the gubject of this sketch was reared and educated, and where 
both his parents died, the father in 1865, and the mother in 1881. In 
1852 he began his business career as a live stock trader, and made a 
successful turn on cattle and mules. His father had purchased a farfn 
in the country, and Fidelio went on the farm where he remained till 
1850. He then began clerking for Sheppard &Kimbrough, and three 
years later bought an interest in the store, the new firm being Layton, 
Jones & Co. Selling out this interest, he opened a general merchan- 
dise stock at SpringHeld, with a branch at Fayetteville. A. B. Steven- 
son was in charge of the latter, and Jones received no proceeds till 
after the war, when Stevenson, who had been a Confederate soldier, 
brought him $3,000 in Confederate money ^ which he had carried with 
him through the war after having closed out the stock. .After the 
battle of Wilson's Creek, when Lyon's men were retreating, Mr. Jones 
went with them to Rolla, sent for his family to join him there, and 
then to St. Louis. In January, 1862, he and Wm. McAdams brought 
a small stock to Rolla and temporarily opened out a little store, re- 
moving it to Springfield when Gen. Curtis came, selling from their 
waiions to needy persons on the way. Subsequently, he was as- 
sociated in mercantile business with Wm. Massey till the organization 
of the militia in 1862. He sold out to J. T. Keet, and organized 
company "I," of which he was chosen captain, and when the regi- 
mental officers were appointed he was promoted to major of the 72d 
E. M. M. Holland was colonel and Henry Sheppard lieutenant colo- 
nel. When Sheppard became colonel, Jones was lieutenant colonel, 
and afterwards became colonel. [See general history.] Col. Jones re- 
signed in the fall of 1804, and again began merchandising. He sold 
out again in 1865, and with three partners, that summer drove work 
cattle to Leavenworth for the freighting market. They had 300 head 
left on hand, and purchasing wagons, they took a sub-contract for 
frei«-hting supplies westward. They started one train to Salt Lake 




COL. F. S. JONES. 



I 



HISTORY OF GREEN K COUNTY. 593 

City and one to New Mexico. The latter reached its destination, but 
the former was snowed in at Fort Bridger, and the goods and some of 
the wagons used by the garrison, which had been poorly supplied by 
the government. Their cattle mostly died, and they got pay for the 
wagons and supplies used. They lost heavily on this venture, chiefly 
because of death of cattle and having to sell at much less than they 
paid when they bought at war time prices. Returning to Greene 
ccmnty. Col. Jones bought a farm four miles south of town, where he 
lived two years. He was chosen president of the Southwestern Agri- 
cultural Association, and held the position two years. He was presi- 
dent of the stock company, let all contracts and paid out all funds in the 
building of the Metropolitan Hotel, and for eighteen months was its 
proprietor. During the most critical period of rivalry between the 
two cities of Springfield he was n member of the city council and 
chairman of the committee on street improvement, under whose direc- 
tion the four principal streets were macadamized. After another 
period of live stock trading, he went into the livery business with Mr. 
Denton till April 1882, when he leased the entire stable and fixtures, 
and has since done the leading business in his line, especially in the 
transfer department to and from all trains. He operates the only 
water works the city has at this writing. Col. Jones was married in 
1859, to Miss Sarah R. Hackney, daughter of Wilson Hackney, de- 
ceased. They have three daughters and two sons living, and one son 
dead. He is a Mason, and he carries a life policy in the Northwest- 
ern Mutual and also in the N. Y. Mutual. Col. Jones has worked 
as hard and spent as much in building up the town as any other citizen. 

CAPTAIN GEORGE M. JONES. 

Capt. Jones is the son of Henry F. and Mary (Waller) Jones, and 
was born in Shelby county, Tennessee, Oct. 19th, 1836. His father 
is still living there, aged eighty-one, his mother died in 1856. George 
M. grew up on the farm, receiving his education at the common 
schools of the county where he lived. At the age of seventeen he 
went to Memphis, Tenn., and sold dry goods for the firm of Cossitt, 
Hill & Talmadgu. He remained with them something over three 
years, receiving for his first year's service, $75.00 and board ; for the 
second, $100.00, and the third, $150.00, He came to Springfield, 
Missouri, in January, 1858, but went back to Tennessee after a short 
time. In the fall of the same year he returned to Springfield and en- 
gaged in the general merchandising business, the firm being Miller, 
38 



594 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Jones & Co. He only remained here a year when he went to DiUon, 
Phelps county, Missouri, and embarked in the forwarding and com- 
mission business, which lie carried on until the war broke out in 1861. 
In June of that year he enlisted as a private, in Capt. Dick Camp- 
bell's company of independents, Mo. State service, in the interest of 
the South. He was next transferred to Foster's regiment, Compan}-^ 
A, McBride's division, C. S. A. He was shortly afterward made quar- 
termaster, with the rank of captain. On account of ill health, he was 
honorably discharged at Jacksonport, Arkansas, in August, 1863. In 
1864 he re-enlisted, and was for some time acting provost marshal 
in Chicot county, Arkansas. He next engaged with Col. Campbell in 
the recruiting service until Gen. Price's last raid in 1864. He sur- 
rendered and received his parole at Monroe, Louisiana, in the spring 
of 1865, and saw the cause he had espoused forever lost, and the 
flag he had followed so long and so faithfully uprolled, never 
again to be unfurled over the land he had fought for and loved so 
well. Capt. Jones went back to his native county in Tennessee, in 
1865, and remained until 1868. On the ir)th of Oct., 1868, he was 
married to Mrs. Elizabeth (Berry) Campbell, widow of Colonel 
Campbell. They were married in Lee county, Arkansas, and their 
union has been blest with three children, two girls and one boy. In De- 
cember, 1868, they came to Springfield, locating on the property where 
they now live, in the eastern part of the city. For two or three j^ears 
he was engaged in the real estate business here, but has since devoted 
his time and attention to his farm, a part of which lies in the city 
limits. His home-place contains three hundred and fifty acres, and 
his farm at Campbell Station, three hundred and sixty acres. Capt. 
Jones has been one of the board of curators of the University, and 
is now upon the executive board of Drury College. He is a member 
of the Masonic order, and is president of the Confederate Cemetery 
Association here at Springfield. He and his wife are members of the 
M. E. Church South, and he has been a steward of the church for 
twelve years. He was also a member of the last three general con- 
ferences of thai church. Greene county has no better citizen or truer 
gentleman than.Geor<2:e M. Jones. 

REV. WM. JACKSON HAYDON. 

Rev. Haydon is the son of Jarvis and Harriet Ann (Mitchell) Hay- 
don, and was born near Lynchburg, Virginia, June 8th, 1835. His 
father (Jarvis) was born in the same State, February 1st, 1797, and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 595 

died there February lOtli, 1852. His mother was a daughter of John 
Mitchell, and was horn in Amherst county, Virginia, April 13th, 
1805. She was married at sixteen years old, and died August 7th, 
1850. William Jackson Haydon was the third born in a family of 
six children, all but two of whom are dead. The other surviving one, 
Alexander, still lives in Virginia, engaged in railroading. The subject 
of this sketch received his education at Lynchburg, and Lewrsburg, 
West Virginia, and at an early age professed religion and joined the 
Old School Presbyterian church. After leaving school Mr. Haydon 
engaged in the mercantile business at Lewisburg, and was afterwards 
engaged in teaching. He came to Missouri in the spring of 1860, 
landing at Louisiana, where he remained for some time engaged in 
teaching in Pike county. Subsequently he was engaged in merchan- 
dising in Mexico, Missouri, for about live years. Although the war 
was raging, Mr. Haydon's zeal in the Christian cause would not allow 
him to remain idle, and he promptly and earnestly engaged in church 
and Sabbath school work. He was elected a deacon in the church, 
and his devotion to church work was known far and near, he assisting 
in the convocation and organization of one of the first Sabbath school 
conventions ever held in Missouri. The superintendent of missions 
for the American Sunday school Union recommended Mr. Haydon for 
Sunday school missionary for North Missouri, and he accepted that 
work in " times that tried men's souls. " The war just over, it re- 
quired great Christian courage to stand up for the cause, but Mr. 
Haydon, like the Apostles of old, quit his peculiar vocation in which 
he had been successful, and followed the Master. He was commis- 
sioned June 15th, 1866, and has been faithfully laboring ever since. 
June 27th, 1867, he married Miss Maggie C. Ford, an accomplished 
young lady of Moni-oe county, Missouri, and a descendant of one of the 
best families of Kentucky. Six children have l)een born of this union, 
five of whom : — Ambrose Paxson, Laura C, Bettie Ford, William 
Wurtz, and Leonard Mitchell, still survive. The one deceased was 
named William Jackson, Jr. Ambrose ig, at this writing, a student of 
Drury College. Mr. Haydon came to Springfield in December, 1868, 
and took charge of the missionary work of Southwest Missouri and 
Northern Arkansas, under the auspices of the A. S. S. U. He went 
earnestly to work organizing schools, and has visited nearly all the 
school houses and churches in this entire region of country, from 
Iowa to Central Texas. Up to date (February, 1883), he has organ- 
ized in this State, Arkansas and Texas, 800 schools, and gathered in 



59(> HISTOHY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 

50,000 children, besides visiting and aiding as many more, out of 
wliich have grown 125 church organizations. In former years he has 
done the prodigious amount of work of presiding or addressing the 
people every evening in the week and three times on Sundays, trav- 
eling from five to twenty miles to reach appointments. He organ- 
ized twenty counties into county Sunday-school conventions, and was 
president of the ' Greene county convention for seven consecutive 
years. April 30tl), 1878, Mr. Haydon was licensed to teach the gos- 
pel by the Presbytery, and has faithfully dispensed the Christian 
doctrine from the pulpit since then, aiding his brethren in many revi- 
vals and meetings. Besides his devotion to the Christian cause in 
general, he is also a strong temperance advocate, and was, at one time 
grand worthy [)atriarch of the Sons of Temperance for Missouri, and 
organized 51 temperance lodges. He was one of the original movers 
in the Confederate Cemetery Association, and is still secretary of the 
satne. In every good work Mr. Haydon is a leader in good works, 
and well known as one of the best organizers in the West. He is a 
member of the Odd Fellows' fraternity, and was grand representa- 
tive of the Encam[)ment for the session of 1882, held at St. Louis. 
He has taken all the degrees and passed all the chairs in that order. 
So far, he has l)een a success, not only as a Christian worker, but as 
a good, ready financier. A large, carefully-selected library — mostly 
works on religious subjects — has a place in his well appointed home, 
and his comfortable residence is ornamented with works of art and 
enlivened with music — the two gfreatest essentials to make home 
attractive. 

DK. THOMAS JEFFERSON BAILEY. 

Dr. Bailey was a native of Kentucky, born in Lincoln county, Jan- 
uary 17, 1803, whither his father, John Bailey, had removed with his 
family from Virginia. There the father died, and Thomas J. grew 
up to manhood. He read medicine at Danville under the able pre- 
ccptorship of Drs. Smith and McDowell, till ho was prepared for 
practice. Prior to removing to Missouri, in 1828, he married Miss 
Harriet Sproul, a native of the same county as himself. He settled 
first in Ralls county, this State, where ho practiced medicine till 
1837, removing thence to Springfield, when that town was a mere 
hamlet. Both himself and wife were well pleased, and, resolving to 
stay, located on a forty-acre tract between the two cities of Spring- 
field. Here he began a most successful pi-ofossional career, and for 
nearly a quarter of a centur}'^ ministereil to the sick in his plain. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 597 

simple way that built him the large practice out of which he realized 
a fortune. His sympathetic disposition and moderate charges made 
him beloved of all, no one ever complaining of excessive bills. His 
plain style won confidence, and he was never a man to judge others 
by dress or outward appearance, but always looked within to find the 
man. He thoroughly believed that " 'Twas not in rank or wealth or 
state, but ' get up and get ' that makes men great. " Dr. Bailey was 
a staunch Whig, who found foemen worthy of his steel in such 
Democrats as John S. Phelps, John P. Campbell, Nicholas R. 
Smith, and several others of Springfield and vicinity, with whom 
he coped all alone for several years, till joined by Col. Marcus 
Boyd in 1841. These leaders began collecting and organizing the 
Whigs ; and though weak in number and frequently defeated, they 
still continued to gain strength, till by shrewd management they 
carried the county against the " Invincibles " in 1858. In 1860, 
Dr. Bailey favored the Bell and Everett ticket, and *' The Union, the 
Constitution and the Enforcement of the Laws," When the civil war 
came, he gave his support to the Union cause. Too old for active 
military life, he stood as a reserve, and did all he could to further 
the success of the Federal arms. After the war, he took great in- 
terest in railroad building and did active work at Jefferson City to 
secure the building of the "Frisco" by legislative support. He 
died of pneumonia, April 17, 1869. His large estate he parceled 
out by will to his wife, his relatives and the volunteers who fought 
the battle of Springfield in 1863 ; and lastly, giving his ex-slaves 
what he considered a fair remuneration for their services. The large 
monument in the National Cemetery was paid for exclusively by 
him. Mrs, Bailey survived till 1873, when she, too, took her de- 
parture to the land of rest. Though they died childless, they 
were always liberal and charitable to needy children. Remembered 
by all, loved by many, the entire communit}'' mourned the loss of 
these two worthy people, and none live but can say to them in their 
graves, ^^Requiescat inpace.^' 

LILBURN H, MURRAY. 

Mr. Murray is the son of John and Sarah (Luttree) Murray, and was 
born in Crawford county, Missouri, September, 1834. His parents 
came to Greene county, Mo., and settled seven miles northwest of 
Springfield, where they lived one year and then moved to Grand 
Prairie, where L. H. was reared and educated. At the ane of twen- 



598 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

t3^-one, he went to California, where he was engaged in the stock and 
mercantile business for about ten years. He returned to Springfield, 
Mo., in September, 186(5, and soon went into the hardware business. 
The firm was McGregor & Murray for some five years, and Mc- 
Gregor, Murray & Noe, until 1876. During a part of this time he 
lived in the country u[)on what is now the Judge Cowan farm. In 
1871 he was elected mayor of Springfield, and in 1874 was elected 
to the Legislature, l)eing the only Democratic representative Greene 
had had since 1858. He has been a councilman from both the Second 
and Fourth wards. He took active part in the building of the Gulf 
railroad. John M. Richardson graded the road to Ash Grove and it 
lay for several years unironed, until Mr. Murray, H. E. Havens and 
Maj . Sheppard bought the roadbed and organized the Springfield and 
"Western Missouri Railroad Company. They then took into the com- 
pany, L. A. D. Crenshaw, G. D. Milligan, Judge Ralph \Yalker, C. 
H. Heer and W. J. McDaniel. Mr. Murray was elected president, 
and the road was run until 1879, when it was sold to the present 
owners, L. H. Murray being a director for two years thereafter. He 
was married, November 17, 1859, to Miss A. L. Anderson, daughter 
of Young A. Anderson, of Napa county, California. She was form- 
erly from this county. They have been blessed with five boys and 
two girls, all living. Mr. Murray is a Mason, and he, his wife and 
daughters are members of the M. E. Church South. His mother 
died in 1845, and his father in 1867. They are buried in the family 
burying-ground up on Grand Prairie. 

REV. AUGUSTUS H. TEVIS, A. M. M. D. 

The scholarly subject of this sketch is a native of Rush county, 
Indiana, born on his father's farm. May 13, 1841, and was the ninth 
child of a familj'^ of three sons and seven daughters. His parents 
were Dr. Daniel H. and Pheebe (Scott) Tevis, the former having 
been a pliysician hy profession, — a self-made man, who enjoyed 
a large and lucrative practice. He (Dr. Daniel H.) was born in 
Bracken county, Kentucky, and was quite a scholar as a linguist, 
being a proficient in both Latin and Greek. The elder Dr. Tevis 
died in 1858, and his wife in 1862, both of whom are buried in Rush 
county, Indiana. After his father's death, the management of the ex- 
tensive farming operations, embracing several large farms, left by 
him, all devolved on Augustus H., then but seventeen years old. In 
1860 he entered Asbury University at Greencastle, Indiana, then 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 599 

under the control of Bishop Bowmtm. Early in the beginning of the 
civil troubles, however, young Tevis left college to volunteer like a 
true patriot and aid in su[)pressing the rebellion. He enlisted in 
September, 1861, and became second lieutenant of company H, 
thirty-seventh Indiana volunteers. He was in active service for over 
three years, participating in many hard battles, fights and skirmishes, 
including Stone river, New Hope Church, Resacca, before Atlanta, 
and numerous others. At Stone river, he was slightly wounded, and 
soon afterwards was promoted to a first lieutenancy. He was mus- 
tered out in November, 1864, and soon re-entered the same institution 
he had left to join the arnij'. In the close of 1868 he was graduated 
therefrom, and in due course was honored with the degree of A. M. 
On August 6, following, he married Sallie A. Webster, daughter of 
Dr. E. Webster, of Connersville, Indiana. One child has been born 
of this union, a bright little girl named Lora Belle. Dr. Tevis' first 
charge as pastor was that of the M. E. Church at Liberty, Union 
county, Ind. Following this he was stationed at Wooster and 
Taylorville, and was next elected superintendent of city schools at 
Madison, where he served one year. His conference then sent him to 
Palestine, thence again to Peru, from which latter charge he was 
transferred by Bishop Peck, to Carson City, Nevada, Avhere he re- 
mained two years, and was chaplain both of the Legislature 
und State prison. It was while here that he went into print as 
an author, and wrote his " Jesuitism, the Bible, and the Schools," 
and also his " Beyond the Sierras," published by Lippincott & Co., 
of Philadelphia. He also corresponded for various newspapers and 
literary journals. Santa Barbara, California, was his next charge, 
and from thence he was sent to San Diego. The ill health of his 
family necessitated his return to Indiana in 1879, and he having 
already read iiiedicine studiously, entered the Medical College at 
Indianapolis, from which he soon after graduated as M. D. He was 
then sent by Bishop Wiley to Springfield, Missouri, where he was 
pastor of Grace M. E. Church till the spring of 1883, when he 
retired therefrom. Besides his more solid literary attainments, 
Dr. Tevis has paid' consideralde attention to art, and is quite 
proficient in music and painting, and has his home decorated 
with a number of paintings indicative of true art, produced 
by himself and wife. He has had many of his sermons published 
which rank him high as a theologian. At present, he is writing a 
book on infidelity considered in relation to its evil effects as con- 



600 HISTORY OF GREEKE COUNTY. 

trasted with Christianity, which will l)e completed before this work is 
put ill press. Had it not been for the assassination of President 
Garfield, Dr. Tevis would doubtless have received the appointment to 
the Jerusalem consulate, for which he had received the recommendation 
of most public men at Washington. Zealous in his ministerial work, 
fully imbued with a love for mankind and a hearty desire for their 
spiritual and mental elevation, — always a student and given to habits 
of indefatigable research. Dr. Tevis is one of those rare men who 
constitute a valuable acquisition to any community ; while the high 
social qualities of himself and wife render their companionship in the 
keenest sense enjoyable, and win them hosts of friends wherever 
they are known. 

CAPT. S. H. JULIAN. 

Captain Julian is the son of Isaac and Nancy (Wood) Julian, and 
was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, April 4, 1822. When he 
was fifteen years of age his parents moved to Greene county, Mis- 
souri, and settled the farm in Cass township, where they both after- 
wards died. Stephen grew to manhood upon the farm, and on 
May 15, 1842, was married to Miss Sarah L. Vestal, of Putnam 
county, Indiana, but a native of North Carolina. They were blest 
with six children, Flavins C, Melcena M., Mary L., John C. 
(deceased), Robert F. and William R. He built a house where he 
now lives, and in 1852, he took a drove of cattle across the plains to 
California. He returned by the isthmus of Panama to New Orleans 
and reached home in 1853. In 1857, he made another trip for the 
same purpose, returning via New York, reaching home in 1858. 
When the war came he espoused the Union side, and raised a company 
of cavalry for three years' service in April, 1862, for the M. S. M. 
He commanded that company a year, and was then appointed recruit- 
ing agent for this district. In January, 1864, he was elected captain 
of a battery, and was with Gen. A. J. Smith, who followed Price 
when that general was on his last raid into Missouri. In the fall of 
1864 his battery was ordered to Paducah, Ky., and from there to 
Nashville, Tenn., and was at the battle of Nashville against Gen. 
Hood, and followed him into Mississippi. He was at Johnsonville, 
Tenn., when Lee surrendered and was mustered out at St. Louis, 
Mo., Sept. 5, 1865, and since that time has been engaged in farming and 
stock raising. In politics he is a Greenbacker, though before the war 
he was elected justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket, and 
served twelve years, and elected upon the Republican ticket in 1872, 

» 



HISTORY OF GREB:NE COUNTY. 601 

jis public atlmiiiistnitor of Greene county, serving eight 3'^ears. He 
owns a large ranche in Kansas, besides his property here in Greene. 
He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and wife are members of 
the Presbyterian church at Cave Spring. 

JUDGE WILLIAM m'kERALL. 

This well-known subject was born in Orange county, N. C, June 
17, 1824. At sixteen he received the appointment to West Point Mili- 
tary Academy, and entered same class with Gen. Hancock. He was 
compelled to leave school, however, on account of ill health, and re- 
turned to North Carolina. There he entered Caldwell Institute, John 
Wilson, D.D., president, and took a regular collegiate course. At 
the outbreak of the Mexican war, young McKerall volunteered and 
was elected first lieutenant of Co. E of the North Carolina regi- 
ment, which company he served with during the war, latterly as act- 
ing captain. On one occasion, Lieut. McKerall commanded a de- 
tachment on escort, and conducted a supply train 180 miles without 
loss or mishap, except guerilla skirmishes. He was introduced to 
Gen. Taylor, and made his report on the same day the Missouri vol- 
unteers under Col. Doniphan were returning from the arduous cam- 
paign in New Mexico. After the battle of Buena Vista, his regiment 
encamped 14 months on the plains there, and was subsequently garri- 
soned at Saltillo, where Lieut. McK. studied Spanish under Dr. 
Gregg, of St. Louis. Still later, he served as regimental inspector 
and commissary. He was honorably discharged at Old Point Com- 
fort, Va. He then settled in Louisiana, where he studied law. In 
1850, he went to Texas, locating near San Augustine (East Texas), 
where he practiced law, and there joined the I. O. O. F. He moved 
to Waco in 1854, and engaged in merchandising and cattle raising. 
The same year he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as judge 
of the probate and. common pleas courts of McLennan county. In 
1859, he was elected to same office. A stock company of seven was 
formed in 1863 to operate a cotton and woolen mill, and Judge McK. 
was for some time financial accent of the concern. At the close of 
the civil war he was appointed district deputy G. M. to reorganize 
the I. O. O. F. lodges in the western district of Texas. In the sum- 
mer of 1868, he came to Greene county, Missouri, and on November 
1st of that year, married Mary A., only and accomplished daughter 
of JosiahF. Danforth, and settled on lands inherited by his wife from 
her father, eight miles northeast of Springfield. Judge McKerall has 



602 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 

added to this by subsequent piireliuses till he now owns an estate of 
700 acres, one of the finest in the county, including the well- 
known *' Brick-Honse Farm," formerly owned by Josiah F. Dan- 
forth. Besides farming, Judge McKerall also runs a steam saw-mill 
and threshing machine. He is the father of two sons and two daugh- 
ters, named Fannie E., Josiah, Daisy, and John Wilson, all except 
the last and youngest attending the Springfield schools at this writing. 

ALFRED A. LOWDERMILK, M. D. 

Dr. Lowdermilk is the son of William and Martha (Rhodes) Low- 
dertnilk, and was born in Greene county, Tennessee, June 24, 1848. 
In 1856, his parents moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, taking young 
Alfred with them. At fourteen years old, he started out to mike his 
own living and learned the trade of tinsmith, which he followed till he 
was twenty-one years old. He then, in 1869, entered and took a 
course of lectures in the Louisville Medical College. The next year 
he began the practice m Vernon and Barton counties, this State, thus 
acquiring the means to complete his professional education. Return- 
ing to Louisville in 1875, he took a second course of medical lectures, 
graduating therefrom in 1.876. Soon after this he began the practice 
in Illinois and continued till 1880, when he located at Bois D'Arc in 
this county, where he practiced actively till the fall of 1882. His 
failing health there necessitated his quitting active practice, and he 
opened a drug store, and has done only office practice since then. Dr. 
Lowdermilk has been a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge since he was 
twenty-one years old in which he has filled various offices. He is also 
a member of the Grand Lodge. February 13, 1866, he was married 
to Miss Lizzie Burton, of Scott county. She died April 13, 1870, 
leaving two children — Martin and May. Dr. L. was again married 
January 1st, 1882, to Miss Ellen Cravens, of Greene county. He is 
a gentleman of fine business qualifications, in whom the good people of 
that vicinit}^ repose entire confidence. 

DR. WILLIAM H. PARK. 

Dr. Park is a son of John and Elizabeth (Waggoner) Park, and was 
born January 8th, 1825, at Milton, Pennsyh^ania. When he was about 
six years of age his parents moved to Tiffin, Ohio. He was educated 
at Tiffin and at the Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio. In the 
spring of 1855 he graduated from Jefferson Medical College of Phila- 
delphia. He was appointed resident physician at the alms house of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 603 

the city of Baltimore, Md., but soon after returned to Tiffin, Ohio. 
In August, 1862, he was commissioned as surgeon of the 49th Ohio 
Regiment, Col. W. H. Gibson. He was mustered out at Victoria, 
Texas, in Nov., 1865. He was at the battle of Shiloh, Stone River, 
Liberty Gap and Chickamauga. He was captured and taken to At- 
lanta, and afterwards confined at Libby Prison and at Andersonville. 
Afterward he was at the battle of Nashville and went with the army to 
San Antonio, Texas. In May, 1866, he came to Greene county, Mis- 
souri, and settled upon Leeper prairie, near Bois D'Arc, and was one 
of the first to settle upon that cele])rated prairie after the war. He 
followed his profession and at one time owned about seven hundred 
acres of land. He came to Springfield in September, 1881. He is now 
of the firm of T. E. Crank & Co., druggists, of North Springfield, and 
at Golden City. He was married Nov. 9th, 1858, to Miss Clara 
Rupert, of Bloomsburg, Penn. They have had six children, one son 
and five daughters. His wife is a member of Calvary Presbyterian 
church. The doctor's father died at Tiffin, Ohio, in August, 1868, 
aged eighty, and his mother died July 12th, 1881, aged eighty-four. 
In 1850 Dr. Park went to California and returned in 1853. He was 
mining and merchandising while there. 

DR. BEVERLY A. BARRETT. 

Dr. Barrett is the son of John S. and Margaret (Patterson) Bar- 
rett, and was born in Ste. Genevieve county, January 8, 1826. The 
father was also a physician, was a Virginian, and emigrated to this 
State in 1811, and was a member of the first Missouri General Assem- 
bly. Beverly A. was the sixth child of a family of ten children, and 
had the advantages of a common school education in his native coun- 
ty, subsequently attending a seminary taught by Fox and Davis at 
Fredericktown. He began the study of his profession in 1845, and 
after two years' close application to medical lore, began the practice 
in Dallas county. Mo., where he remained till 1858, removing thence 
to Springfield, his present home. In 1864 he moved to St. Louis, 
and remained there till 1869, he moved back to Springfield which has 
been his constant place of abode since then. Dr. Barrett has been in 
the active practice for thirty-five years, and has done as much labor 
as any physician in the Southwest. He is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity, and was at one time master of the lodge. He is also a 
member of the M. E. Church South and has been for about twenty- 
five years. 



604 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Politically, he is a Democrat, and always acts with that party. 
He is a member of the State Medical Association, and keeps well up 
in professional literature. 

Dr. Barrett was married in 1847, to Miss Susan Randleman, in 
Buffalo, Dallas county, who bore him live children. His first wife 
died in St. Louis in 1865, and he was again married in 1871, to Miss 
Mary E. Priest, of Maury county, Tennessee, an estimable lady, de- 
voted to the cause of the church and to acts of Christian charity. 
Dr. Barrett, although eminently successful as a practitioner, has 
never sought to accumulate wealth, but has, on the contrary, been 
moderate in his charges and done much charity work for which he 
never asked or received any compensation. During the civil w^ar, 
he was a warm friend of the Southern cause, but never took any ac- 
tive part nor once neglected his professional duties ; his principles of 
heart prompting him to give his services to both armies when needed, 
and always to bear himself as becomes the gentleman and man of 
honor that he is. 

DR. JOSEPH m'aDOO. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Donegal county, Ireland, 
August 9, 1832. His parents were Thomas and Esther (Rankin) 
McAdoo, and Joseph was the oldest of six children, four brothers and 
two sisters. He came to America with his parents in 1838, locating 
near West Greenville, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and there resided 
till he completed his education, which was partially obtained in the 
common schools of the county, and completed at Westminister Col- 
lege, and at Philadelphia. He began teaching school at eighteen, 
teaching in several districts, where others failed because of bad order 
in the school room. Young McAdoo' s executive -ibility enabled him 
to bring order out of chaos and to pass class after class through the 
advanced arithmetical course in the short term of three months. 

For four years he carried on coal and ore mining operations quite 
successfully, but quit to finish his education. He located in Tiffin, 
Ohio, in 1856, where he began the successful practice of medicine. 
During the civil war, he was, a part of the time, connected with the 
Ohio National Home Guards, and, in 1864, was chosen first lieuten- 
ant of Co. A, 164th Reg. Ohio Vol. Infantry, and at the close of 
his term, was complimented by President Lincoln. In 1865 he came 
to Missouri in search of a dryer climate, locating at Huntsville, Ran- 
dolph county, where he remained till 1867. He then came to Spring- 
field and built the first brick store-house on College street, being the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 605 

third or Iburth erected in the city, where he has for several years con- 
ducted a wholesale and retail drug and grocery business. Though he 
has invariably avoided politics and theology, his turn of mind fits him 
for such jjursuits, as he is physically and mentally combative, and of 
argumentative and positive character. He was elected to the city 
council from the 3d ward in 1870 and served through '71. In 1879, 
the Republicans headed their city ticket with his name for mayor, and 
for the first time in 13 years, the entire ticket was elected. Dr. Mc- 
Adoo was married January 1st, 1857, in Sandusky, Ohio, to Mrs. 
Mary A. Smith, of Tiffin, Ohio. To this union there were born two 
daughters and one son, the latter of whom died when six years old. 

Mrs. McAdoo and daughters are members of the Calvary Presby- 
terian church. The doctor's father and mother died several years ago. 
Both his grand and great-grand ancestors lived to be over a hundred 
years old ; and the uncle, after whom Joseph was named, is living at 
this writing and is upwards of 96. He was born in the same house 
as Joseph, which house is over 500 years old. All the Rankin family 
seem to have been born mechanics, and all were of strong mind and 
positive character. When but five years of age. Dr. McAdoo had 
small pox, and was sick nine months and blind for six weeks. His 
strong constitution, however, brought him through that spell as it did 
also during the civil war in this country, when he was given up to die 
at Fort C. F. Smith on Arlington Heights. 

RANSOM D. BLADES, SR. 

This old settler and prominent citizen is the son of Edward and 
Ellen (Maynar) Blades, and was born in McMinn county, Tennessee, 
January 29, 1821. He was the second child and oldest son. His 
l)arents were natives of North Carolina, but moved to Tennessee 
shortly after their marriage. In 1836, when Ransom was fifteen years 
of age, they came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled on section 
10, township 28, range 24. Then that part of the county was settled 
by only two or three families, and to the southwest of them there 
were no neighbors nearer than forty miles. They went through all 
the hardships incidental to early pioneer life, and the wild, open 
country that they found upon arriving they redeemed from the wolves 
and foxes, and the glad earth yielded bountiful crops to bless the hardi- 
hood and pluck of these pioneers. The schools, both in the eastern 
part of Tennessee and here at that early day were poor and scarce, 
and Mr. Blades received but six weeks' schooling. But in the great 



606 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

school of experience he learned his lessons well, and in due time arose 
to be one of Greene's foremost citizens. In April, 1841, Mr. Blades 
was married to Frances, daughter of Samuel Garoutte, Esq. She 
belonged to that noted family of that name which appears frequently 
in these pages, and Avhose family history appears fully in other 
chapters. Their marriage was blest with eleven children. Mrs. 
Blades died March 17, 1863, and on June 14, 1863, Mr. Blades was 
married the second time to Mrs. Gillie S. Davis, nee Williamson.' 
Before the war Mr. Blades had been a Democrat, but favored the 
Union and the winter of 1861-2 he spent in Kansas, because he was 
outspoken in his devotion to the Union cause, and the Confederates 
then had possession of the country. He has been a member of the 
Methodist church for twenty-seven years, and now in an old age 
full of honor, he enjoys the respect and confidence of all good men. 
He owns a magnificent farm, well stocked and equipped in all the 
modern improvements. 

JOHN GLENN NEWBILL. 

The eldest sou of T. G. Newbill is a native of Southwest Missouri, 
his birth-place being in the northeast corner of what is now Webster 
county. His childhood was passed on his father's farm, two and one- 
half miles west of the city of Springfield. He was educated princi- 
pally in the district school and schools of Springfield, and studied 
three years under the tutorship of Dr. Wm. V. Allen, formerl}^ of 
Bates county. Mo. For several years, while prosecuting his studies, 
he alternately worked on the farm and taught in the public schools of 
Greene and Bates counties. Keturning in 1876 from a two years' trip 
to the Pacifice coast, he afterwards engaged in the business of journal- 
ism. At present he is the editor of the Springfield Express^, one of 
the leading and most reliable Democratic papers in the Southwest, in 
which capacity he has labored with untiring enengy since the establish- 
ment of the paper on the 1st day of April, 1881. He is also secretary 
of the Democratic Central Committee of Greene county. He was mar- 
ried on the 4th day of the preceding January, to Miss Carrie Leona 
Rhoades, daughter of B. T. and Ottilie Rhoades, of Montgomery 
county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Newbill are the parents of one child, 
Albert Glenn Newbill, ])orn to them February 1st, 1882. 

TYREE GLENN NEWBILL, 

Father of the subject of the preceding sketch, was born in Frank- 
lin county, Virginia, May 17th, 1882. He was married December 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 607 

1st, 1846, to Nancy A. Johnson, only daughter of James M. and 
Elizabeth Johnson, and in the following year removed to Southwest 
Missouri, locating on the farm now owned by Dr. H. H. Lea, in the 
northeast corner of the territory now known 'as Webster county. 
Three years afterward he removed to Greene county, where he pur- 
chased the fine farm of Samuel McClelland, two and one-half miles 
west of Springfield, Here he engaged largely in agriculture and stock- 
raising, and was one of the foremost men in the county in the impor- 
tation and breeding of the different kinds of fine stock. In the spring 
of 1854 he took a drove of cattle and wagon train across the plains to 
the Golden State, returning home by way of Panama and New York 
in the following autumn. As will be seen elsewhere in this work, he 
was twice elected president of the Southwest District Agricultural and 
Mechanical Association for the two years prior to the war, at which 
time that association stood in the front ranks of similar institutions 
of the kind in the West. He was also prominently connected with 
the association as a member of the board of directors from its incep- 
tion up to that time. In the political campaign of 1860 he was a 
staunch supporter of Douglas, but in the late war he took the side of 
the Lost Cause. In the early part of the winter of 1860 he went to 
Bell county, Texas, to close up his stock business there, after which 
he was never nearer his home in Greene county than when confined 
for a few weeks as a prisoner of war in the old McDowell college, St. 
Louis, in the summer of 1863. After his release he again went South 
to engage in cotton speculation, where it is supposed he lost his life 
in the month of December, 1864, the date of his last letter to his fami- 
ly, as nothing was ever learned of his whereabouts afterwards. His 
wife and six children are living, five in Greene and one in Bates county. 

JEREMIAH C. CRAVENS. 

This gentleman was born in Saline county, Missouri, February 
18th, 1838. He is a son of Dr. John Cravens, who for many years 
was the peer of the finest physicians and surgeons of the State. They 
are of Virginia ancestry, Jeremiah's grandfather. Dr. Joseph Crav- 
ens, being for many years a leading physician of Rockingham county, 
Virginia. Jere C. graduated from the Missouri State University in 
the class of 1860, taking the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The civil 
war breaking out soon after leaving school, he cast his lot with the 
fortunes of the Confederacy, and followed its flag until its brilliant 
star set forever at Appomattox. 



fi08 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

He Wiis promoted by Gen. Slack to the position of aid-de-camp, to 
rank as lieut. colonel. He was at the battle of Pea Ridge, in March, 
18()2, by the side of General Slack, when that gentleman fell mor- 
tally wounded. After the battle he went with the army to Corinth, 
Mississippi, and shortly after the evacuation of that place, he returned 
to Missouri, with Col. Hughes, and participated in the battles of In- 
dependence and Lone Jack. At the last named engagement, Lieut. 
Colonel Cravens commanded a company of recruits who fought des- 
perately upon that sanguinar}' field. After the battle he was chosen 
c;iptain and served with his company in the 6th Missouri Cavalry, 
under Generals Marmaduke and Shelby, until the war closed. He 
then began the study of the law and was licensed to the practice at 
Batesville, Arkansas, in 1866. 

In 1868, he came to Springfield, where he has since resided, and 
r.inks with the best legal talent in the State. He is, and has been 
for ten years, a member of the Board of Curators of the University. 
He was married at Batesville, Arkansas, August 11th, 1864, to Miss 
Annie D., dausfhter of Colonel Robert Smith. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
WALNUT GROVE TOWNSHIP. 

Description — Early History — The First iSettlers and Settlements — Pioneer Life — The 
" Firsts " — Items — Miscellaneous — Pleasant Grove Church — Concord Church — The 
Town of Walnut Grove — Masonic Lodge — Biagraphies of Old Settlers and Prominent 
Citizens. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Walnut Grove township is the smallest civil township in Greene 
county, but by no means the least in importance. It contains 24 
sections of land, the most of which is very valuable. The grove of 
walnut timl)er from which the township took its name Avas widely 
known from the earliest period of the settlement of the country. 
Large quantities of this valuable sort of timber have been taken out of 
this township and Boone, in recent years, and much of it shipped to 
the furniture manufactories not onl}'^ of the United States, but even 
to England and Germany. 

The township occupies the extreme northwestern part of Greene 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 609 

county. It comprises the south twentj^ sections of congressional 
township 31, in range 24, beginning at section 13, and ending with 
section 36. The municipal township was formed out of Boone at the 
session of the county court in June, 1872. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

It is difficult at this late day to determine who was the very first 
bona fide settler of Walnut Grove township. Allen Williams came 
in 1832 and located in section 21, but some time afterward removed 
to Texas. The same year came Michael Walsh and located on section 
22. Walsh was an Irishman. It is stated that one William Mallory 
built the first cabin which stood on the farm of A. J. McElmore. 

On the head of Turkey creek and some of the tributaries of the Sac 
river, the first settlers were Hugh Leeper, from East Tennessee, who 
came in October, 1834, and started a settlement on sections 21 and 28. 
The land was pre-empted at first, and in December, 1838, Mr. Leeper 
entered 520 acres, the south half of section 21 and the north half of 
section 28. Capt. John ("Jack") Williamson came from Middle 
Tennessee, in 1836 ; then there were Wm. G. Sumners, from Middle 
Tennessee ; Matthew Sims, from North Carolina, and Miles Carey, 
from Kentucky. 

In this settlement the first marriages remembered by Capt. Wil- 
liamson were those of Wm. Acufl* to Elizabeth Kelley and Stephen 
Blakey to Sarah Kelly, both of which occurred in 1842, but probably 
there was a marriage antedating these. The first white child born 
was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Miles Carey, and the date of its birth 
is believed to have been in 1837. The first death was that of Boone 
Chastine, of Kentucky, wdio died' in 1838, and Avas ))uried at the pres- 
ent site of a saw mill. 

Dr. Constantine Perkins was the first physician : Rev. Hiram 
Savage, a Baptist minister, held the first religious services at the resi- 
dence of Wm. G. Sumners ; the first school was taught on the land of 
Mr. Sumners, and the first school house was of logs and built by the 
contributed labor of the settlers, the job being bossed l)y Allen Williams. 

Hugh Leeper was born in Hawkins county, East Tennessee, Sept. 
14, 1783, and died on the old homestead March 3, 1851. His wife, 
Elizabeth Leeper, was born in Knox county, East Tennessee, Nov. 
11, 1787, and died January 3, 1829. 

In another portion of the township, on and near Clear creek, in the 
corner of section 1, in what is now Boone township, the first settler 
39 



610 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was Wm. Killingsworth, who came from East Tennessee in 1839. 
His descendants now live fnrther north. Mr. Killingsworth died in 
October, 18()(j. 

In Mr. Killingsworth's neighborhood the first marriage remembered 
was that of James Killingsworth and Susannah Kelly, December 24, 
1846. Rev. John Gilmorc [jerformed the ceremony. A daughter of 
James and Susannah Killingsworth, named Eliza, was born Aug. 29, 
1848, and it is claimed that she was the tirst female child born in the 
community. 

Dr. A. S. Clinton was a pioneer physician, and Rev. Wm. Tatum. 
a Baptist, held religious services at an early day at Mt. Pleasant 
church, on Clear creek. The nearest school house in early days was 
the Kelly school house, on section 15, near Walnut Grove. During 
the tirst few years of Mr. Killingsworth's settlement, game of all sorts 
was abundant, and it was but little trouble to go out and kill a deer 
or a number of turkeys at almost any time. Wolves, too were dis- 
agreeably plentiful, and exasperatingly bold. The latter animals Avere 
often hunted on horseback, and this was considered rare sport, and no 
doubt it was. 

Other early settlers in Walnut Grove township are named, as Gib- 
son A. Williams, who came from Tennessee in 1831 ; John and An- 
drew Bartleson, who arrived in 1832 ; Joseph Welch and his sons, 
John, Michael, and Charles, all Tennesseeans, who settled here in 
1832 or 1833 ; Isaac Looney, who came from Tennessee and located 
in section 13 about the same time. 

The first preachers in Walnut Grove township were Bryant Now- 
lin and James Mitchell, Methodists, and Elijah Williams, a Baptist. 
Relioiouij services were conducted at the house of Hugh Leeper, as 
early as the winter of 1834-5. 

The first school w^as taught by B. F. Walker in the summer and fall 
of 1836 or 1837, in a little log cabin that stood about one-fourth of a 
mile west of where Walnut Grove now stands. 

It was a long road to market and a hard one to travel in early days. 
The Leepers were accustomed to haul their wheat to Boonville, away 
up on the Missouri river, and with the proceeds of its sale purchase 
the family supplies. Mr. James Leeper, still living, has a vivid rec- 
ollection of making such journeys. 

ITEMS. 

Upon the first settlement of Walnut Grove nearly all the goods 
consumed were brought from St. Louis. The settlers clubbed to- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 611 

gether, and one furnished a wagon, another a yoke of oxen, and usu- 
ally two others made the journey. Going down often the wagon was 
freighted with deer skins, which were exchanged in St. Louis for 
" store goods." The trip often occupied a month. 

The women of the settlement made all or very nearly all the cloth- 
ing worn, from the raw material, without the assistance or interven- 
tion of tailors and mautua-makers — a practice still in vogue in many 
parts of the county. 

At first mortars and pestles were used to convert the corn into 
meal. The first mill put up within reach of the settlement was at 
Orleans, Polk count}^ — or where now is Polk county — by Madison 
Campbell and Ransom Gates. It was a water mill and was built on 
Little Sac. The next mill accessible was Carey & Perkins' (orMcEl- 
hanon & Perkins' ) on Clear creek, down where now is Boone 
township. 

Gapt. John Williamson states that when he put up his first house 
in this township, a log one, he gave a house raising, as was customary 
in that day, and settlers came to help him from 20 miles away. The 
people were nothing if not accommodating and disposed to bear one 
another's burdens. 

For some years after the first settlement the Delaware and Chero- 
kee Indians passed through the country occasionally on hunting expe- 
ditions. They were always friendly. When Gapt. Williamson came 
a small band of Delawares was still here. The settlers bought their 
cattle from them, paying for them in salt. The price of a milch cow 
was a gallon of salt ; of a three-year-old steer, a quart. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

It is said that the grandfather of Mrs. McElhannon, old James ^ 

Barbara, who died in this county in the year 1868, had served in the /o^ -^ 
Revolutionary war and at the time of his death was 112 years of age. ^ ■ / 

Mr. Barhani was a native of North Carolina. . ^ S^wX^ L^m./j*^*-'^^ ^^ ' 

A very distressing tragedy occurred in this township in the month ,^^ -.^ 
of January, 1880. A young man named Sigel Williams, of Texas, 
was visiting his uncle, David Williams, who lived some three miles 
from Walnut Grove. Young Williams and his cousin. Miss Jemima 
Williams, were playing pranks on one another. Sigel jerked a chair 
from under his cousin letting her fall to the floor and assume a very 
unbecoming and indecorous attitude. Then he ran out of the house 
and looking in at a window laughed tauntingly at the success of his 



612 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

pnicticul joke. Miss Williams caught up a loaded gun, ran out of doors, 
l)()iiited it at her cousin, fired and the bullet pierced his forehead, 
killing him instantly. She declared that she was quite certain that 
the gun *' wasn't loaded," and that she had only aimed it in sport, 
and expressed great regret at her fearful mistake. Others thought 
differently, however, and she was arrested and brought before Esq. 
Rountree, of Springfield, where she waived examination and gave 
bond to await the action of the grand ']ury. 

There are some prominent stock men in Walnut Grove township, 
and among them is Mr. James Leeper. In March, 1881, Mr. Leeper 
sold one lot of mules for $1,840, and in the winter of 1876 one lot of 
cattle and hogs brought him $1,700. 

PLEASANT GROVE CHURCH CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN. 

This church stands on section 36, township 31, range 24, and was 
organized in the year 1854. The original members were John Craw- 
ford, K. E. Crawford, John Hayter, Elizabeth Hayter, S. A. Ed- 
mondson, Allen Edmondson, May Edmondson, Adaline Lawrence, 
Wm. Hayter, Sarah Hayter, H. Hammontree, Susan McCluer, John 
R. Earnest, I. J. Edmondson. The first church was a frame build- 
ing ; it was built in the year 1854, the same year of the organization. 
The present building, a frame, was erected in 1876 at a cost of $1,200, 
and dedicated August 26 of that year, by Rev. W. J. Garrett. The 
minii^ters that have served up to this writing are G. W. Montgomery, 
Garnett Davenport, R. J. Sims, H. Tucker, Wm. Denby, Wm. 
Freese, W. C. Wheat. The present membership is 68. 

CONCORD CHURCH — BAPTIST. 

No very full report has been received from this church. It w:is 
organized in 1873, and the following were some of the oriijinal mem- 
bers : Geo. Claypool, John Williamson, I. J. Kelly, A. C. Bradley, 
Polly Hurst, Mary Kelly, Christy Claypool, Polly Williamson, and 
Matilda Bradley. The church building, which stands on section 29, 
township 31, range 24, is a frame and was built in 1875, at a cost of 
about $500. The first pastor wsis A. C. Bradley ; second, Geo. 
White; third, A. C. Bradley; fourth, Nelson Homer. Present mem- 
bership, about 40. 

THE TOWN OF WALNUT GROVE. 

The town of Walnut Grove is located on the southwest corner of 
section 14, the southeast corner of section 15, the northeast corner 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 613 

of section 22, and the northwest corner of section 23 (in tp. 31, ran^e 
24). It is beautifully located and as a trading point is of great value 
and benefit to the people of the surrounding country. 

At an early day Joseph Moss, a Kentuckian, purchased an improve- 
ment which had been made previously on the present site of Walnut 
Grove and became a permanent settler. The first store in the place 
was opened by Nelson Montgomery, who was nicknamed and well 
known by the title of " Sorrel Top " Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery 
kept a stock of general merchandise. The first blacksmith shop was 
run by William H.. Cook, who was one of the very first to locate here. 
S. A. Edmondson was another of the first residents. In early days 
the site of Walnut Grove was widely known as " Possum Trot." 

Other stores followed Montgomery's, and several families came into 
the place, but the town was not regularly incorporated until 1866. 
Its present population is estimated at 250. 

MASONIC LODGE. 

O'Sullivan Lodge No. 7, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by T. W. 
Coltrane and others. The dispensation was issued in October, 1866. 
The charter bears date, October 19, 1867. Some of the charter 
members and first officers were T. W. Coltrane, A. C. Sloan and W. 
C. Wadlow. Present officers are J. W. Blakey, W. M. ; J. O. Ed- 
mondson, S. W. ; James M. Fryar, J. W. ; H. Ivey, Treas. ; F. A. 
Barclay, S. D. ; Wm. Owen, J. D, ; R. Davis, tyler; A. F.Kerr, 
Sec. The lodge meets in a frame hall that was built in the year 
1867, at a cost of $800. The present membership is 40. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JEREMIAH AGUFF. 

Mr. Aciiff was born in Granger county, Tennessee, March 14, 1806. Was educated in his 
native county, and followed the vocation of farming there till 1836, when he moved to Polk 
county, this State. His parents were John and Nancy (Watson) Acuff, the former a native 
of Virginia, who died in Granger county, Tennessee, shortly after the civil war, and the 
mother, a native of same State, and died in same county as her husband, in 1856. Jeremiah 
followed blacksmithing in Missouri, and, in 1837, bought a "claim " which he kept and im- 
proved. He went into the government land office in 1839, and entered a tract of 160 acres, 
whereon he resided till 1864. After some other trades and removals, he finally traded for 
the store house at Walnut Grove, now occupied by his son, and himself, son and Chitlum 
opened a general store, to which B. J. Acuff is successor and sole proprietor. Mr. A. was 
married December 12, 1826, to Rebecca Gates, who died in Walnut Grove, January 27, 1882. 
Mr. A. and wife had seven children, six now living four sons and two daughters. 



614 HISTORY OF gkep:ne county. 

B. Y. ACUFF. 

This enterprising gentleman is a Missourian by birth, his nativity being Polk county, 
where he was born August 31, 1840. His father was a Tennesseean, and was born in 1806, 
and is still living at this writing, his home being at Walnut Grove. Mr. Acuif's mother was 
Kebecca Gates, who died January 27, 1882. The subject of this sketch was educated in the 
schools of his native county, and began life as a farmer, which vocation he followed till 1870, 
when he came to Walnut Grove, this county, and opened a general merchandise store. 
Coming to the place when it first started, Mr. Acuff has been in the lead of every enterprise 
to advance the interest of Walnut Grove. His was the pioneer mercantile house of the vil- 
lage, and in one sense, he may be called the father of the town. In 1863, Mr. A. enlisted in 
the State militia and served about two years, mostly in Polk county. He was married April 
1, 1876, to Miss Carrie Hawk, daughter of David Hawk, a prominent citizen of Polk county. 
He has two children — both daughters. Mr. A. is a Freemason of good standing, and is re- 
garded as one of the most enterprising and public-spirited citizens of the county. He has, 
by thrift and industry, amassed a good property, thus showing what may always be accom- 
plished by energetic and painstaking eflFort. 

F. A. BARCLAY. 
Mr. Barclay is the son of Alexander and Catherine (Nelson) Barclay, and was born in 
Rutherford county. North Carolina, but was taken by his parents to White county, Tennes- 
see, when he was quite young. His father was killed by bushwhackers on July 11, 1863. 
His mother is still living in White county, Tennessee. Mr. Barclay was educated in the 
common schools of Tennessee. He learned the carriage and wagonmaker's trade, and carried 
on the business until January, 1870, when he removed to Illinois, where he lived but a few 
months, and then went to Cherryvale, Kansas, and helped to lay the foundation of the first 
house built in that place, and taught the first school in Montgomery county. He came to 
Greene county, Missouri, in the spring of 1878, and farmed a year. He next went into the 
dry goods business at Walnut Grove, with Mr. J. Brown. December 24th, 1881, he, in 
partnership with J. H. Brown, opened a drugstore, where they also carry a full line of gro- 
ceries. Mr. Barclay was married October 11, 1875, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of J. Brown, 
Esq., one of the early settlers of the county. Their union has been blessed with three sons, 
two of whom are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Barclay are members of the Baptist church, and 
he ii a Master Mason. He enlisted in the First Tennessee Regiment, Company F, in 1864, 
and was in some of the battles at the close of the war. 

J. H. BROWN 

Is a son of Josiah and Annie (Wright) Brown, both natives of Tennessee, and the father 
among the early settlers of Polk county, Missouri, to which he emigrated in an early day, 
and where J. H. Brown was born in 1842. He was educated in the schools of Polk county, 
and early in life began farming there, continuing till 1882, when he began business with Mr. 
F. A. Barclay in the drug line at Walnut Grove. They also carry a full line of staple and 
fancy groceries, and take a leading rank among the business men of that place. In July, 
1861, Mr. Brown enlisted in the U. S. service, 6th Mo. Cavalry, and served till July, 1864, 
participating in a number of hard-fought battles of the civil war, including Pea Ridge and 
Sugar Creek, He was married October 20, 1864, to Miss Wood, daughter of Isaac Wood, 
of Polk county. Her mother was Susan Boatwright, and both her parents are dead. Mr. 
Brown has had a family of seven children, four of whom, three sons and a daughter, still 
survive. Both Mr. Brown and his wife are members of the Baptist church, and rank 
high as citizens and church members. 

JOHN CLAYPOOL 
Is a son of Jeremiah and Rebecca Claypool, and was born in Warren county, Ken- 
tucky, October 18, 1822. His father was a native of Kentucky, and emigrated to Polk 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



615 



county, Missouri, in 1839, wliere he still resides. John's mother was from Ireland, and died 
when he was but a bov. He received his education in the common schools of Polk county, 
and after his school days were over, began farming as the business of life. He liad moved 
with his parents to Polk county in 1839, and continued there till he came to Greene, and 
located where he now resides in 1851. He owns a fine farm of 160 acres two and a half 
miles northwest of Walnut Grove. When the war came on in 1861, Mr. Claypool enlisted 
for Union defense, under Col. Phelps at Kolla, and served till mustered out in 1862. During 
his term, he participated in the battle of Pea Ridge and other fights and skirmishes. Mr. 
Claypool was married in May, 1851, to Miss Rebecca M., daughter of James Christian, a 
prominent farmer of Polk county. Mrs. C.'s mother was a Ross, and she died in Tennessee. 
Mr. C. and wife have had a family often children, five sons and four daughters of whom are 
living at this writing, named as follows : Robert B., Elmira J., Susan A., Esther M., James 
E., Jeremiah M., Harriet Geneva, John P., and David E. Anna E., born April 21, 1856 
died when but three months old. Mr. Claypool belongs to the Baptist church, and his 
wife to the Cumberland Presbyterians, and no family ranks higher with their neighbors 
than does that of John Claypool. 

DR. JOHN F. CLAYTON. 

Dr. Clayton was born in Washington county, Maryland, February 5, 1832. His father, 
Joseph Clayton, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, in 1804, and is still living at this 
writing in Ohio, having been a prominent merchant for many years. His father (grandfather 
of John T.), was a captain in the Revolution and was killed at the battle of Long Island. 
His widow was famous for the part she played on behalf of freedom. She resided at Sharps- 
buro-, Maryland, and one of her many useful services was knitting stockings for the American 
soldiers. Often she entertained Gen. Washington at her house. In religion she was a 
Methodist, and was one of the western pioneers of that creed, dying at Rushville, Ohio, 
having been for years a government pensioner in consideration of her services in the cause 
of liberty. At about ten years old, John T. Clayton moved with his parents to Fairfield 
county, Ohio, where he was chiefly educated. He began the study of medicine at twenty- 
one,' and at twenty-four commenced the practice, and for eighten years continued the 
practice in Central and Northern Ohio, achieving quite a reputation as a successful physician. 
In 1872, Dr. Clayton came to Cass county. Mo., having recommendations from some of the 
leading citizens of Ohio. Here he practiced ten years, building quite a business in his 
profession. He came to Walnut Grove, Greene county, in July, 1882, and invested in 
property at Springfield as well as Walnut Grove. Besides being a physician. Dr. C. was 
for many years a local preacher of the Methodist church, and preached both in Ohio and 
Missouri. He is now, however, devoting his undivided attention to the study and practice 
of his profession. Dr. Clayton has had a family of seven children, having been married in 
January, 1853. All the children survive at this writing save one. John C. Clayton, the 
oldest, is in the livery business at W. G. Wm. C. Clayton, another son, is manager of the 
Clayton House of W. G., and fully understands the art of pleasing the public. 

ROBERT A. FRYAR. 

Mr. Fryar is the ion of John and Sarah (Jack) Fryar, and was born in Monroe county, 
Tennessee, August 25th, 1820. His father was a native of Ireland and died in 1831, at the 
age of eighty-'eight. His mother died in 1838. Robert was educated in the common 
schools* of his native county, and began farming when he was quite young. At the age of 
twenty-three he learned the carpenter's trade, which, in connection with farming, he has 
followed all his life. He came to Greene county in the fall of 1851, and purchased land two 
miles west of Walnut Grove. He sold out in 1853, and purchased land in Vernon county, 
where he lived two vears. and then went to Cedar county and bought land. He soon after 
removed to Benton'county, Arkansas, where he remained two years, and then moved back 
to Greene connty. Mo., and built the seventh house in Walnut Grove, and has lived th«re 



616 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ever since. He enlisted in the militia during the war and was stationed most of the time at 
Ash Grove. He was married in 1850 to Miss Martha E. Williams. Their union has been 
blest with five children, four of wkom are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Fryar are members of 
the C. P. church, and have a host of friends in this county. 

A. F. KERK. 

This popular merchant and postmaster is the son of Jesse and Polly A. (Henry) Kerr 
and was born in Blount county, Tennessee, December 18th, 1854. His parents were also 
natives of Tennessee, and emigrated to Missouri in 1869, and settled in Greene county. 
They are yet living in Walnut Grove. Their son, A. F. Kerr, was educated in the common 
schools, and at the High School at Greenfield. He taught school until February, 1879, when 
he embarked in the hardware business at Walnut Grove, and is now one of the leading busi- 
ness men of the place. The post-office was located at Walnut Grove in July, 1881, and his 
store was selected as the house, and himself as postmaster. He has filled the office with 
credit to himself, and given satisfaction to all. Mr. Kerr was married January 30th, 1879, to 
Miss Carrie B,., daughter of John Hursh, Esq., a prominent citizen of Springfield, who died 
in 1874. Their union has been blest with one child, Amelia A., born March 17th, 1881. 
Mr. Kerr, though a young man, is one of Greene's most trustworthy business men, and a 
gentleman of whom all speak well. 

WILLIAM A. KILLINGS WORTH. 

Mr. Killingsworth was born in McMinn county, Tennessee, January 6, 1827. His parents 
were William and Matilda (McClure) Killingsworth, who came to this county in 1889, and 
settled in section one of Boone township. The father died in 1865, though the mother still 
survives at this writing, and is living on the old homestead. William, Jr., received his edu- 
cation in the common schools, and early in life chose the vocation of farming. In 1848 he 
purchased the place where he now resides, three miles southeast of Walnut Grove, his farm 
containing 171 acres of good land and well improved. During the civil war of 1861-65 he 
was one of the first to volunteer his services for home protection, and served faithfully till 
the close of the war. Mr. K, was first married February 17, 1848, but his wife died in 1865, 
and he was again married September 6, 1866, to Miss Rebecca Jordan. By his first marriage 
Mr. K. had seven children, and three by the last marriage. Five of the first and all of the 
last children survive at this writing. The present Mrs. Killingsworth belongs to the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church. Mr. K. is one of the early settlers, as he came to this State 
with his parents in 1839. Having passed through many changes and privations, he has at 
last, by industry and economy, amassed a competency sufficient for comfortable living and 
stands well in the community where he is known. 

W. H. KING. 

Mr. King is the son of Jonas L. and Mary King, and was born in Polk county, Missouri, 
January 8th, 1837. His father was a native of Tennessee, born in 1807, and died in Polk 
county, Missouri, November 30th, 1880. His mother was also a Tennesseean, born in 1808, 
and is still living upon the old homestead in Polk county. W. H. King was educated in the 
common schools of the country, and when he was twenty years old, in 1857, he took the 
"gold fever," and went to California, where he remained two years, having good success in 
mining. He returned to Polk county, Missouri, in 1859, and followed farming until 1880, 
when he removed to Greene county and engaged in the mercantile business at Walnut 
Grove, and is one of the most substantial business men of the place. He enlisted in the 6th 
Missouri U. S. cavalry in 1862, and was with that regiment until discharged in February, 
1863. He was married March 7, 1805, to Miss Mary, daughter of Jonathan Rice, a promi- 
nent citizen of Polk county. Mf. King is a member of the A. F. & A. M. in good standing. 
He does a large business in Walnut Grove and enjoys the respect of all. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 617 

JAMES LAREW. 

Mr. Larew was born in Cocke county, Tennessee, April 23, 1814, receiving his education in 
the common schools of those primitive times. George Larew, father of James, was aPenn- 
sylvanian by birth, and died in Tennessee, in 1856. James' mother was Sophia (nee Chil- 
ton) Larew, a native of Virginia, who died previous to 1850. At an early age James began 
farming and followed that calling in his native State until 1872, when he came to Bates 
county, Mo. From Bates he moved to Polk county, and in 1876 removed to this county, 
where he has since resided with his family. April 20, 1843, Mr. Larew was married to 
Elizabeth Inman, a native of Jefferson county, Tenn., born February 10, 1818. Her parents 
were Jeremiah and Prudence Inman, both natives of Virginia. Nine children have been 
born to Mr. L. and wife, five of whom survive at this writing. Their names are : Mary C, 
Catherine, Charles P., Ann E., and Chilton. At this writing the family reside two miles 
west of Walnut Grove village, and are held in high esteem by their neighbors. 

JACOB LONGCRIEE. 

Mr. Longcrier was born in Lincoln county, N. C, June 28, 1818. His father, Jacob 
Longcrier, sr., was also a native of North Carolina, and died shortly after the civil war, 
closing an eventful life. Catherine Longcrier (nee BoUich), Jacob, jr.'s mother, was a 
native of Pennsylvania, and died in North Carolina during the war. Jacob was educated 
in the common schools of his native county, and at an early age began farming. In 1846 he 
commenced blacksmithing, which he carried on in connection with farming till he came to 
Greene county and purchased the place where he resides at this writing, one mile soutlieast 
of Walnut Grove. He there owns a well improved farm of IGO acres, nearly all in cultiva- 
tion. In 1862 Mr. L. went into government employ at Springfield, his engagement being 
mechanical, that of blacksmithing. He had been one of the foremost in 1861 to volunteer 
for home protection, serving with the Home Guards till his engagement as a mechanic in 

1862. In the last named year, his son, Jones A. Longcrier, enlisted under General Phelps, 
and was at Springfield at time of the battle at Wilson's Creek. He was killed March 10, 

1863, at the battle of Pea Ridge. Jones was the eldest child of his parents, born October 
28, 1845. Mr. Longcrier was married February 11, 1845, to Miss Lydia Harmon, daughter 
of Peter and Lydia Harmon, natives of Pennsylvania, but both deceased. Mr. and 
Mrs. L. have had ten children, five of whom survive at this writing, all residents of 
Greene county. Both husband and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church, of which he is an elder, and are highly respected by many friends of this county, 
where they have spent many years of their useful lives and become identified with the devel- 
opment and prosperity of the country, and especially Walnut Grove township. 

JAMES B. McELHANON. 

Was born in Jackson county, Georgia, May 19, 1810. His parents were Christopher and 
and Margaret (Bell) McElhanon, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of North 
Carolina. The family moved to Greene county. Mo., in 1834, where both parents died, the 
father in 1851, and the mother in 1865. James was educated in the common schools, and 
early in life began farming, and came to Missouri with his father. They located near the 
present site of Springfield, and James carried the chain in the location of that city. Lots 
could then have been purchased near the public square for from three to five dollars each. 
In 1840, Mr. McE. moved one mile northeast of Ash Grove, and engaged in farming and 
stock raising till he bought the place where he now resides, two and one-half miles southeast 
of Walnut Grove, where he owns a nicely cultivated farm of 102 acres. Though he took 
no active part during the civil war, he saw many hardships and privations growing out of the 
war troubles. June 24, 1840, Mr. McElhanon was married to Miss Dorcas F., daughter of 
Thomas McKoun, a native of Nortli Carolina, who died in Greene county. Mo., in (about) 
1870. Mr. and Mrs. McE. have no familj', except an adopted daughter they took to raise 



618 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

in 1872. Both husband and wife are consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church, and are held in great esteem by a large circle of acquaintances in the county where 
they have spent so many years ^f their life. 

A. J. McLEMORE. 

Was born in Monroe county, East Tennessee, September 10, 1829. His father, Mr. A. Mc- 
Lemore, was a native of North Carolina, born March 11, 1787. He died in Tennessee. The 
subject of this sketcli was the youngest child of his parents, there being nine older than he. 
When fifteen years old, he came to Greene count}', Mo., and after a short stay at Springfield, 
went to Dade county. In 1851, he, with other adventurers, took the gold fever and went to 
California. Here he remained some five years, and accumulated a considerable sum of 
money. Returning to Dade county, Mo., in 1857, he speculated in live stock a short time, 
but returned to California in the spring of 1857, accompanied by his wife (Dialtha Alexander) 
to whom he had been married February 5, 1857. They drove a large herd of stock through 
to the West, on which Mr. M. realized handsomely. They located in Eldorado county on a 
stock ranch, remaining eighteen months. Returning to Missouri, Mr. McLemore bought 
the old Alexander homestead near Ozark, on which he remained till the civil war. He 
then sold out and made a trip to Texas, but returned almost immediately, and located again 
just north of Ozark, where he remained till he moved to where he now lives, near Walnut 
Grove. He has one of the best improved farms in the northwest part of Greene county, 
his residence being elegant and well located. Seven children have been born to Mr. M. and 
wife, six of whom, Ida F., John S., Detroit M., Maggie M., Greeley N. and Myrtle O., are 
still living. The deceased child was their first born, a son named Cornelius A., born 
June 23, 1859, and died March 23, 1863. 

JAMES McMEHEN. 

Mr. McMehen was born in London township, Middlesex count}', Ontario, April 26, 1826. 
He is the son of George and Mary A. (Anderson) McMehen. His parents were natives of 
Ireland, born in the years 1800 and 1802, respectively. James was educated in the common 
.schools of his native county, and, at an early age commenced farming, and followed it in 
Canada until his removal to Illinois in 1865. He settled in Champaign county and carried 
on farming there until 1870, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and purchased the 
farm containing two hundred and fifty acres of fine land near Walnut Grove where he still 
lives. He was married in March, 1856, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Andrew McConnell, of 
Ontario. Their marriage has been blest with nine children, seven of whom are now living. 
Mrs. McMehen is a member of the M. E. Church South. Mr. McMehen is one of Greene's 
substantial farmers, and enjoys the respect and confidence of all. 

W. D. RICE. 

This gentleman is the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Porter) Rice, and was born in Polk 
county, Missouri, February 11, 1857. His father was a native of Logan county, Kentucky, 
born in March, 1801, and died in 1860, in Polk county, Missouri, upon the old homestead. 
His mother was the widow of James Chastine, who was married to her in Kentucky. Mr- 
Chastine was one of the early settlers of Greene count}', and entered the land where Walnut 
Grove is now located. He died about the year 1838, and Mrs. Chastine was married to Mr. 
Rice in 1839. She died November 6, 1880. W. D. Rice was educated at Morrisville Insti- 
tute, and taught school in Polk and Greene counties about two years. He then followed 
civil engineering in Texas for two years, and returned to Greene county in January, 1880, 
and went into the drug business in Walnut Grove. He followed it about six months, and 
then embarked in the general merchandise business of Brown & Rice, and at once took the 
lead in the business of that place. Mr. Rice was married about June 5, 1881, to Miss 
Maggie, daughter of Josiah Brown, Esq., one of the prominent citizens of this county. Their 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 619 

union has been blest with one son. born March 23, 1882. Mr. Rice is one of the substan- 
tial business men of the county, young as he is, and already ranks well in the mercan- 
tile world. 

B. C. RICE 

"Was born in Polk county, Missouri, December 15, 1844. His father, Jonathan Rice, was 
a native of Logan county, Kentucky, and came to Polk county, this State, in about 1830. 
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native county, and 
at an early age began farming. In 1863, he enlisted in company L, 15th Missouri 
cavalry, of Confederates, under Col. John Allen, and was on Price's last raid through Mis- 
souri, and participated in the battle of Big Blue, and other engagements. After the war, 
he returned to Polk county and went to farming on the old homestead, and also engaged in 
buying mules for the Southern market. Mr. Rice came to Walnut Grove in 1878, and clerked 
for B. Y. Acuff and J. Brown till August, 1880, when he opened up a drug store for himself, 
the firm being Rice & King. The firm was dissolved by mutual consent in October, 1882, 
and Mr. Rice made a trip to Texas, returning in December following. Mr. Rice was mar- 
ried December 5, 1880, to Miss Barbara McMehen, daughter of James McMehen, one of the 
most prominent citizens of the northwest part of Greene county. Mr. and Mrs. Rice have 
one child, a boy named James B., born May 12, 1882. Mr. Rice is a Freemason in good 
standing, and his wife belongs to the M. E. Church South. They have many warm friends, 
and are highly esteemed by all who know them. Mr. Rice has been quite successful in busi- 
ness, and retains the confidence of the people among whom his business career has been 

known. 

J. W. SMITH. 

Mr. Smith was born in Polk county, Missouri, March 20th, 1851. He is the son of J. B. 
and Kiziah (Crawford) Smith, both Kentuokians. His father was one of the early settlers 
of Polk county, and is a prominent citizen. .1. W. Smith was educated in the common 
schools of the country, and when old enough learned the blacksmith and wagon-maker's 
trade, and has followed that occupation ever since. He came to Walnut Grove in the fall 
of 1879 and opened a shop, since when he has done a flourishing business. He was 
appointed postmaster of Walnut Grove, in July, 1881. He is an elder in the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, and a citizen in whom all have confidence as a Christian and a gentle- 
man. He was married October 3d, 1869, to Miss Amanda E. Kelley, a daughter of Thomas 
J. Kelley, a prominent Baptist minister of Greene county. She died December 25th, 1878, 
leaving two children. Mr. Smith was married the second time, July 5th, 1880, to Miss 
Lucina, daughter of Robert McGill, Esq., of this county. Their marriage has been blest 

with one child. 

JULIAN D. SMITH. 

This gentleman is the son of William and Sarah (Julian) Smith, and was born in Laurel 
county, Kentucky, March 31, 1831. His father was a native of Kentucky, born in 1801, and 
died in Oregon in 1866. His mother was a native of Tennessee and died in 1876. They 
emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1838, and settled upon Grand Prairie, in Center 
township. Julian D. received his education in the common schools of the county, and when 
he was twenty-two years of age took the "gold fever" and went to California. He stopped 
one winter at Salt Lake City and then pushed on to the gold fields of California. Not being 
very successful in the mines he returned to this county in 1855, and commenced farming, 
and with the exception of two trips to Texas has been a resident of this county ever since. 
He was married September 18th, 1855, to Miss L. P. Landreth, daughter of Wm. S. Lan- 
dreth, one of the old settlers of Greene. They have a family of six children, four boj'S and 
two girls. Mr. Smith was in the militia during the war but took no active part in the 
struggle. He is a Greenbacker in politics, and one of the substantial farmers of his section. 
He owns a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres, one mile southeast of Walnut 
Grove. 



620 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

JAMES E. STRINGER. 

Mr. Stringer was born in Putnam county, Indiana, September 18th, 1845. His father, Col. 
Thos. M. Stringer, was a native of KfBntucky, born in 1822, and is now a resident of Jasper 
county, this State. His mother was Miss Nancy Watkins, a native of North Carolina. 
James E. was educated in the common schools of his native county, and at Thorntown, Boone 
county, Indiana, where he attended college some fifteen months. He studied law when he 
was about twenty j^ears of age, but came West in 1866 and went into the real estate business 
at Fort Scott, Kansas. He removed to Lawrence county, Missouri, in 1868, and followed 
the same business. He came to Greene county in January, 1881, and has been one of the 
leading spirits of Walnut Grove, dealing largely in real estate. He enlisted in 1862 in the 
Federal cavalry under Col. Wilson, and fought until his discharge in October, 1864. He 
was with Gen. Thomas in the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta and back to Nashville. 
Mr. Stringer was married December 14th, 1862, to Miss Georgie Alexander, a native of 
Hart county, Kentucky. Their union has been blest with three children, two girls and 
a boy. 



CHAPTER XX. 

BOONE TOWNSHIP. 



Description — Natural Features — The Ash Grove Lead Mines — Mason's Cave, or the 
Cave of Adullam — Early Settlements — Pioneer History — Miscellaneous — The Town 
of Ash Grove — Baptist Church — Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Biographies of 
Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Boone Township. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Boone is one of the best townships in Greene county. A consider- 
able portion of its territory is prairie and contains some very excel- 
lent farms, while the most of the timbered land is not altogether 
worthless. Its economic geology is very valuable and important, the 
extensive lead and zinc mines in the southwestern part of the town- 
ship being of great worth and promise. Ash Grove, the third town in 
the county, is in Boone township. A very valuable railroad fur- 
nishes communication with the leading marts of the country, while 
the people as a rule, have more of enterprise and public spirit than 
many of their neighbors. 

Boone township is well supplied with schools, churches, mills, 
stores, and small manufacturing establishments, which go to advanc- 
ing the material interests of the community and contribute to the 
general welfare. 

The natural features of the township are to be admired. Two im- 
portant and interesting caves are opened and have attracted hundreds 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 621 

of sight-seers, fond of the beautiful and marvellous. Clear waters and 
pleasant streams, a variety of fine views and scenes, and much else 
interesting and profitable to contemplate can here be found by him 
w^ho will seek it, while an intelligent, enterprising, hospitable, and 
generous populace make of Boone township a delightful and interest- 
ing abiding place. 

THE ASH GROVE LEAD MINES. 

The first lead known to exist in Greene county was discovered in 
the locality where now are united the lines of Lawrence, Dade and 
Greene counties, in section 31, township 30, range 24, soon after the 
first settlement of the county, but altogether in the form of float 
mineral and in very small quantities, and, as since discovered, was 
simply an outlier of the Ash Grove mines. In the year 1859 large pieces 
of galena were thrown from a well being sunk on the land of C. F. 
Corum. It however led to no discoveries until after the war. 

In 1867 Parson Justice, residing in the vicinity of Ash Grove, 
happened to mention this discovery of 1859 to Judge Ralph Walker, 
-who was then engaged in the mercantile business at that place, and 
this conversation led to the leasing of the land in question as well as 
other large tracts adjoining. A company was soon after formed, com- 
posed of Judge Walker, John G. Ferryman, A. M. Appleby and 
others. A great deal of prospecting was done by this company, in a 
very crude way however, and no profitable results grew out of it. 
The company was reorganized and John McGregor, H. C. Tanny, 
Judge Bray, and Dr. W. C. Swiney were added to the former three 
names. Considerable work was done by this company, but the results 
failed to give satisfaction, as in fact the main bodies of the mineral 
were not discovered. This company was in turn disbanded and after 
some time again reorganized by Judge Walker, J. G. Ferryman and 
Dr. W. C. Swiney, who were fortunate in discovering the main bodies 
of the mineral, now known as the " Rail Road " and the " Rothschilds 
Mines." 

Judge Walker has yet clung to this interest and is now sole owner 
of the mines, having bought out the others. He has made valuable 
experiments in these mines during last year. In the "Rail Road" 
mines he drilled from the bottom of a deep shaft a six inch hole to a 
depth of 220 feet, carefully preserving specimens from the different 
strata gone through and subjecting them to a careful examination, so 
that from this, as also from experience gained at different deep wells 
sunk in the neighborhood, he has preserved a perfect geological history 



()22 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of the formation of that locality. In his experiment he has estab- 
lished the fact that lead exists in his mines to a depth of 170 feet. 

mason's cave 

Boone township abaounds in natural curiosities and remarkable 
features. The most remarkable of these is the large cave near Ash 
Grove, known as Mason's Cave, than which there is no more inter- 
esting subterranean feature of the many caves, caverns and other 
characteristics of Southwest Missouri. Mason's cave is about one- 
half mile southwest of the town of Ash Grove. Through it runs a 
small stream, called Dry Branch, from the circumstances of its con- 
taining no water the greater part of the year. 

The cave proper is about 500 yards in length, and runs nearly east 
and west. The mouth, or entrance, is on the bank of Sac river. The 
principal entrance, and the one most used by visitors, is about sixty 
yards from the mouth, and the descent into the cavern is made by 
means of a long wooden stairway, which runs into a circular opening 
into the cave. About seventy-five feet from this entrance, a Aving 
diverges to the right at an angle of twenty degrees, and up a slight 
incline. This portion of the cave contains the greater wonders, and 
is the most accessible. It is, perhaps, 200 yards in length, and at an 
average of every hundred feet there are cross sections running at 
almost right angles to the main gallery. 

In nearly all of the sections are rooms, or chambers, whose ceilings 
are from five to thirty feet high, and from fifteen to thirty-five feet 
wide. Some of the rooms have huge stalagmitic pillars or columns, 
seemingly placed there by the architect and builders who constructed 
the cave. These columns are circular, and from three to twenty 
inches in diameter. Some of the rooms are ornamented with the 
whitest and most delicately carved stalactites, which hang from the 
ceiling and walls in graceful profusion, while from the floor rise 
those statue-like formations of carbonate of lime denominated stalagr- 
mites. These have suffered no little mutilation and other injuries at 
the hands of relic-hunters and curiosity seekers. 

One large room on the left hand of the entrance is called the " ball 
room," from its being so frequently used as such. The young people 
of the neighborhood, who are light as to hearts and heels, often 
assemble here and dance all care and sorrow away, enjoying not only 
the exhilerating pastime, but the weird surroundings and the pluto- 
nian scenery about them . 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 623 

Mason's Cave is sometimes called the Cave of Adullam, so named 
for the one mentioned in Scripture, sought by King David as a place 
of refuge from Saul and his armies, and whither " every one that was 
in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was 
discontented gathered themselves unto him, and he became a captain 
over them." The modern Boone township Adullam is well known 
throughout the State. It is thus mentioned by Prof. J. G. Broad- 
head, in his Geological Report of 1857 : — 

On Sac river, in the northwest part of Greene county, we find a 
cave of beautiful interior, with two entrances, one at the foot of a hill, 
opening toward Sac river, forty-five feet high and eighty feet wide. 
The other entrance is from the hill-top, 150 feet back from the face of 
the bluff. These two passages unite. The exact dimensions of the 
cave is not known, but there are several beautiful and large rooms, 
lined with stalagmites and stalactites, which often assume both beau- 
tiful and grotesque life-like forms. The cave has been explored for 
several hundred yards, showing the formations to be thick silicious 
beds of the lower carboniferous formations. 

EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 

Capt. Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone, the old Kentucky pio- 
neer, was one of the first settlers of Boone township, and located in 
the heart of the ash grove — a large grove of timber, lying mostly in 
sections nine and sixteen, in which the principal timber is ash and 
walnut. Nathan Boone's sons were James, John, Benjamin and How- 
ard. The Boones came here in 1834. It was Nathan Boone and his 
brother, Daniel M. Boone, sons of old Daniel Boone, who came up 
the Missouri in 1807, to where is now Howard county, and manufac- 
tured salt at what afterwards came to be known as " Boone's Lick." 
The popular conviction is that the old pioneer, Daniel Boone himself, 
gave his name to *' Boone's Lick " and the "Boone's Lick country," 
Avhen the fact is that he never owned salt spring3 in Howard county, 
and never even resided in that settlement. Old Nathan Boone died 
in 1856, and is buried in this township, a mile and a half north of Ash 
Grove, with no monument to mark his resting place, and only one or 
two books to keep his memory green in the minds of Missourians. It 
was for Nathan Boone that this township was named, and perhaps 
this will prove a more lasting monument than a shaft of marble or 
brass. 

William and Thomas Caulfield and Alfred Hosman were also 
<>arly pioneers in the grove. Josiah Burney came from North Carolina, 



624 HISTOIiY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

and at an early date settled in this township. Wm. G. Sumners came 
to the towntship from North Caroliana in the fall of 1834, and after 
temporarily locating at the Walnut Grove, came to what is now 
Boone township, and settled in sections fifteen, thirty and twenty-four. 
Other early settlers were Thos. G. Barham, John C. Johnson, 
William Haralson, William Tatum, Silas Granthani, R. K. Boyd, 
John Rush, James Cox and John McElhanon. The latter came 
from Bedford county, Tennessee, and settled in the ash grove in 1835. 
Boyd, Rush and Cox lived on the west side of the grove. James 
Dunn settled on Clear creek, on section eleven. Michael Welsh was 
an old settler, who lived on Clear creek, in section three. Peter 
Ooley located on section five, at an early day. Some families, named 
Johnson, lived in the eastern part of Leeper prairie in 1835. 

ITEMS . 

I'he oldest settler now (March, 1883), living in Boone township is 
Thomas G. Barham, who says that the tirst child born in the towii- 
shid was John C. Johnson, whose birth occurred in the fall of 1835. 
The first death was that of Thomas Hancock, who lived in the eastemi 
portion of the township, and died in 1836. William Tatum, a Bap- 
tist, held the first religious services. Dr. Constantine Perkins was 
the first regular located physician. John H. Tatum was the first 
school teacher, and the first school house was built near Lotspeich's, 
in the eastern part of the township. The first goods sold in the town- 
ship were by Howard and John Boone, at the old Boone homestead. 

Dr. Constantine Perkins settled on Clear creek in section four, and 
had a mill there, probably the first in the township, long known as 
McElhanon' s & Perkins' mill. Perkins went to California on the 
breaking, out of the gold fever in 1850, and died there. The second 
mill i)ut up in the township was on the Sac, about the year 1848. 

Jesse Mason, a Hardshell Calvinistic Baptist preacher, came to the 
township before 1840, settled on the Sac, and was one of the first 
preachers living in the township. The first Baptist church organized 
in the township was what was known as the Ash Grove church. It 
was first organized at the Elm Spring school house. The first 
regular pastor was Thomas J. Kelley. A sort of shed was put up for 
the purpose of holding meetings, and stood near the present Ash 
Grove church. 

Rev. J. E. B. Justice came from Kentucky in 1843, and settled on 
section 14, where he lived two years and then removed to a farm 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 625 

which had been improved by William Conrad and Lewis Hospers, 
two Germans who had come to the place in 1840. Conrad and 
Hospers were the pioneer German settlers of that part of the connty, 
and erected a distillery, on a small stream, which is still known as 
the Dutch Branch. Peter J. Nicholson, in 1842, came to Greene 
county from Washington connty, Indiana, and settled in the southern 
part of Boone township. 

A few months since there died in this township Wm. Haraldson, 
an old pioneer, and just before his death the oldest living settler in 
Boone township, Greene county. Now Mr. Kindred Rose, of Camp- 
bell township is probably the oldest settler of the county, and Mr. 
Barham, before mentioned, the oldest in the township. Mr. Harald- 
son was a native of Tennessee, and at the time of his death had 
reached the extraordinary age of 9(i years. 

MISCELLANEOUS TRAGEDIES AND CASUALTIES. 

Amons: the trasredies and casualties not elsewhere noted that have 
occurred in Boone township, may be mentioned the killing of Wm. 
H. Dabbs by Henry Cooper, near Ash Grove, August 23, 1877. The 
killing was done with an old musket and was an accident. Both 
Dabbs and Cooper were personal friends. 

February 14, 1876, James B. Bresby, a little boy of nine years, 
and a son of Joshua Bresby, went to water the horses, and was 
found soon after lying speechless. The little fellow lived but five 
hours afterward, and it was thought he had been thrown from a 
horse. 

July 23, 1881, in Ash Grove, George Tucker and Paschal Tucker 
shot and killed one John Sewell. There had been trouble between 
the parties, and after the close of a public meeting in Ash Grove, 
they met on the street, drew their pistols and began firing. Sewell 
was shot twice in the head. The Tuckers escaped. 

The cyclone of a year or two since is vividly remembered. It came 
from the southwest and struck Greene county near Stony Point. 
The Baptist church was blown down, and the storm passed on to Ash 
Grove, where it did some damage and demolished a number of build- 
ings on the road. Center school house, three and a half miles from 
Ash Grove, was torn down. Fayette West's house was demolished, 
and a school teacher at the house was badly burned by being thrown 
on the stove. 
40 



626 IIISTOllY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

ASH GROVE. 

The town of Ash Grove is located in the southern part of section 
21 — 30 — 24, and is an iini)ortant station on the Gulf raih'oad. It 
is ah'eadj the center of an extensive trade. The surrounding 
country is generally fertile and easily and cheaply cultivated, yielding 
good crops of all kinds of grain, vegetables and fruit. East of town 
is Ji fine rolling prairie, in which almost every acre is under fence, and 
in good state of cultivation. On the west side is timber hind, and a 
short distance off Sac river bottom, where are many excellent farms. 
Lead was first discovered several years ago, but until recently not in 
sufficient quantities to pay for working. Now strikes have been 
made, and it is probable, judging from the developments thus far, 
that the lead mines of Ash Grove will prove to be very valuable, and 
will of course atld largely to its income. 

The first settler on the present site of Ash Grove was Joseph Kim- 
brough, who established a store here in 1853. The first dwelling was 
built by Mr. Kimbrough. Afterward the business at the store was 
conducted by Sheppard & Kimbrough. Then a Mr. Hyatt estab- 
lished a blacksmith shop, and the store and the smithy comprised 
about all there was of Ash Grove until after the close of the civil war. 

Februaiy 2, 1870, the town was incorporated by the county court, 
but this incorporation was defective, and in May, 1871, the court 
reincorporated " the town of Ash Grove." 

The town is surrounded by a very rich agricultural country. It has 
a peculiarly favorable position for growth and prosperity, as the town 
is the nearest railway station for the wealthiest portions of Polk, 
Dade, Lawrence and Cedar counties. Ash Grove is twenty miles 
from Springfield, on the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf railroad, 
and has a population of 600 inhabitants, which is receiving constant 
accessions, not only in the " natural way," but by new comers. The 
town is regularly laid out, with graded streets, and has many fine 
business blocks. It is beautifully situated on gentle undulating ground, 
the business poi'tion being in a charming valle3^ There are many 
beautiful private residences on the rising ground above the city and 
overlooking it. The citizens are wide awake to the growing advan- 
tages of their town, and are as enterprising and progressive as one 
could meet in a month's travel. 

There is in Ash Grove a very fine public school house, of the n)ost 
modern construction and elegant architecture. There is a corps of 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



627 



four teachers, well qualified for their positions, and the attendance 

is lar^e. The school is considered one of the best in the State. 

The following figures of shipments made over the Kansas City, 

Fort Scott and Gulf railroad from Ash Grove station will give an 

idea of the capabilities of the town as a shipping point, and show how 

great the volume of business must be. The figures are for the year 

1880: — 

Cars. 

Stock 304 

Grain 511 

Lead 42 

Zinc 24 

Walnut lumber ......... 22 

There is a region of rich, fertile, black soil, a mile west of Ash 
Grove on each side of Sac river, which can be bought at reason- 
able cost. Some very fine farms are located near. A large part of 
these lands is under the control of the land department of the St. 
Louis and San Francisco railroad. 



BAPTIST CHURCH. 

The Ash Grove Baptist church is situated on lot number 2, and was 
organized May 28, 1859. The original members were Alfred Hos- 
man, William Burney, John Rush, Rebecca Rush, Marion Burney, 
and Eliza J. Killingsworth. The church is a frame building, and was 
built in 1871, at a cost of $907. It was dedicated in January, 1875, 
by Rev. J. S. Buchner. The pastors that have served this church 
have been Elders Thomas J. Kelley, J. W. White, James Hill, J. 8. 
Buckner, and B. McCord Roberts. The present membership is 70. 



CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

This church was organized March 22,1868. The original members 
were A. R. Clinton, Louisa M. Clinton, A. M. Appleby, L. Ap- 
pleby, J. W. B. Appleby, J. L. Hamilton, Mary Hamilton, Sarah 
T. Hamilton, W. R. Hamilton, Wm. Potter, M. S. Kelly, M. J. 
Lloyd, Sarah Lloyd, John Reynolds, L. P. Brown, Sarah Brown, 
Leander Smith, Miss Crockett, and others. The church is a frame 
building and was built in 1882, at a cost of $2,250. It was dedicated 
by Rev. Adkinson. The pastors that have served this church have 
been R. J. Sims, J. W. Garrett, Rev. Guthrie, G. W. Brown, Rev. 
Cole and J. P. Campbell. The present elders are A. M. Appleby, J. 
L. Hamilton and A. R. Clinton. 



(328 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

BIOGRAPHIES. 

GIDEON P. BALAY. 

Mr. Balay was born in Greene county, Kentucky', July 9th, 1818. He is the son of Perry 
and Tomsey (Warren) Balay. Wiien he was about ten years of ai;e his parents emigrated 
to Johnson count}^ Indiana. Gideon moved to Marion county, Missouri, in 1839, but only 
remained in that section of the State a year, and then removed to Cole county, where he re- 
mained until 1866. He then moved to Greene county and settled permanently. He now 
owns a fine farm two and a half miles southeast of Ash Grove. Mr. Balay held the office of 
constable, for four and one-half years, of Boone township. He and his wife are members 
of the Methodist church at Ash Grove. He was married June 15th, 184o, to Miss Eliza A. 
Hightower, of Patrick county, Virginia. Their union has been blest with thirteen children, 
five of whom are dead. Their family is one whom every one respects, and no man in 
Greene county enjoys the confidence of his neighbors to any greater extent than Mr. Bala}-. 
During the war he was chairman of the Home Guards of Cole county. His oldest son 
John, was killed in Arkansas by a band of bushwhackers. He was a Union soldier, defend- 
ing his country from the advances of the Confederates. 

B. H. BOONE, (deceased). 

Mr. Boone was the grandson of that famous pioneer, Daniel Boone. His father. Col. Na- 
than Boone, was Daniel's youngest son, and an officer in the regular U. S. army from 1812 
until the time of his death, in 1855. His son, B. Howard Boone, was born in St. Charles 
county, Missouri, March 15, 1814, and was educated in the common schools of that county. 
He came to Greene county in 1835, and lived here until 1863. He was married in 1840 to 
Miss Mary E. Stallard, of St. Charles county. Their union was blest with five children, 
three of whom are still living, viz.: Joseph, Charles and James. Mr. Boone, after leaving 
Greene county in 1863, was engaged in the hotel business in St. Louis, but shortly after he 
moved over to Illinois, remaining but a few months, and then returned to St. Charles 
county, Missouri. He was a Mason in good standing, and helped organize the lodge at 
Greenfield, Missouri. He died February 7, 1866. His estimable wife survives him, and is 
now living at Ash Grove with her son, J. D. Boone. J. D. Boone was married in 1867 to 
Miss A. E. MoClure, of St. Charles county. Their marriage has been blest with six chil- 
dren, four of whom are living, viz. : Edna G., Laura E., Mary E. and .Joseph D. Mr. Jo- 
seph Boone remained in St. Charles couTit}^ two ^-ears and returned to Greene in 1869. He 
moved to Montgomery count}' in 1874, where he lived five years, returning to this county in 
1879. He and his wife are, at this writing, keeping the popular Grove House at Ash Grove. 

A. BUTTRAM. 

This gentlemaTi was born in Cass county, Missouri, October 12, 1843. His father, Jacob 
Buttram, was a Kentuckian, and came to Cass county, this State, in 1847. His mother, Eliz- 
abeth {nee Burnett) Buttram, was born in Virginia, and is still living at this writing. 
Abram Buttram was educated in Barry county, and followed farming after leaving school 
till he took tlie mail contract between Walnut Grove and Springfield in 1880, which he 
filled up to December, 1882. In October, 1882, he went into the livery business at Ash 
Grove with Mr. I. J. Kelly, and they are doing a good business. January 29, 1865, Mr. 
Buttram was married to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua and Rhoda Owen. They 
have had five children, of whom only two are living at this writing. Mr. Buttram is a 
member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and his wife belongs to the Methodists. 
During the civil war Mr. Buttram was in government employ at Springfield, driving 
post teams. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 629 

WARREN C. CRANE. 

Thiso-eiitlemau is the son of Joseph W. and Olive (Chatfield) Crane, and was born in 
Medina ''county, Ohio, May 15, 1840. His father emigrated from Massachusetts to Ohio 
about the year of 1820, and settled in Sharon township of said county. His mother was a 
native of New York, but married in Ohio. They had nine children, viz. : Tryphena C, 
Wurreu C, Corydon G., Mary, Charles A., Martha. Henry L., Willis C, and Etta M., all of 
whom are I'ivin- save Corvdon, who died in 1862 in Ohio, aged eighteen. Tryphena C. is 
the wife of J. F. G. Bentley, the leading merchant and banker of Ash Grove ; Charles A. is 
en-ao-edin the lumber business at same place; Willis G. is a harness-maker at same place; 
Etta M. is the wife of J. W. B. Appleby, cashier of the bank and salesman for J. P. G. Bent- 
ley Warren C. Crane, the subject of this notice, lived in Ohio until 1854. He then en- 
gaged in the photographing business for two years. Then, with a cousin, he took a drove ot 
five hundred sheep to Minnesota where he lived for about two years, when he came to 
Sprino-field Missouri. He returned to Ohio, and with his brother, Charles A., brought out a 
drove'of fifteen hundred sheep, being ninety days upon the road. After selling his sheep he 
went out to Chetopa, Kansas, and sold groceries for about a year. In 1870 he came to Ash 
Grove and sold goods for J. F. G. Bentley for nine years. In 1879 he embarked in busmess 
for himself at Ash Grove, selling furniture, agricultural implements, and sewing machines, 
in which he had no competition. He was married January 20, 1866, to Miss Lucy Wright, 
of Dade county. Mo. This union has been blest with one child, Mabel Olive, born November 
29, 1876. Mr. Crane is regarded as one of Ash Grove's most enterprising busmess men, and 
a thorough gentleman. ^^^^^^ N. CULBERTSON. 

Mr Culbertson was born in Greene county, Tennessee, August 26, 1849. When he was 
three years old his parents came to Greene county, Mo., bringing Thomas N. with them, 
and here he grew up, receiving his education in the common schools. He began life as a 
farmer, and is still engaged in that worthy calling. In July, 1882, he purchased theplace 
where he now resides, containing 200 acres of fine land, well improved, and part of it in a 
high state of cultivation and productiveness. His farm lies one mile and three-quarters 
south of Ash Grove, and ranks among the very best in the township. Mr. Culbertson was 
married January 26, 1879, to Miss Nancy J.Hammond; she died, however, in July, 1880, 
and the next year Mr. C. married a second time, his last wife being Huldah R. Hammond, a 
sister to his first wife. The great grandfather of Thomas N. (whose name was also Thomas 
Culbertson) was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Culbertson has one child, a son by his first 
wife, named Everette, born July 22, 1880, just before the death of his mother. 

J. P. CULBERTSON 
Was born in Burke county, North Carolina, July 28, 1826. He went to Tennessee in 
1848, and resided in Greene county, that State, till his coming here in 1852. He first en- 
tered land in Center township, where he remained till 1859, when he changed to Boone town- 
ship, and again entered land. He enlisted in the army on the side of the United States in 
1862 and fought the rebellion for about a year. After the war he returned to this county 
where he has ever since lived. Mr. C.'s parents were Thomas and Martha Culbertson, both 
North Carolinians by birth. Mr. C. was married August 26, 1848, to Miss Mary A. R.ncor 
a native of Tennessee, who died in this county, April 1, 1879. They had six children, five of 
them still living at this writing. Though Mr. Culbertson owned many slaves betore the civil 
war, he was, on principla. an bolitionist of decided views ; and he gave up his slave property 
under emancipation with that patriotic spirit always so becoming to loyal citizens. 

H. S. DUNCAN 
Was born in Morgan countv, Tennessee, July 8, 1843. In the spring of 1846, he removed 
with his parents to Lawrence county, and there received his education in the common 



630 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

schools. His parents were Dennis K. and Melinda (Hope) Duncan, the former of whom 
died in 1850, and the latter in 1865. He entered the Confederate service in 1861, and took 
part in many of the principal engagements of the West, including Lexington and Lone Jack. 
In 1863, he was taken prisoner and sent to Kichmond. After the war he returned to Law- 
rence county and engaged in school teaching. Coming to Greene county, he taught school 
here for two years during 1869-70. In 1871, began merchandising, but taught again in 1872-3. 
Soon after this, he began merchandising with Mr. W. T. Chandler, at Ash Grove, where his 
business interests still are at the present writing. Mr. Duncan was elected registering officer 
of Boone township in 1872, and was mayor and member of the council when Ash Grove was 
incorporated. At the election in the fall of 1872, Mr. Duncan, on the Democratic ticket, was 
elected to the office of county collector, by a good majority over his Republican opponent. 
Mr. Duncan was married October 12, 1871, to Miss MoUie C. Robbins, daughter of Harvey 
Robbins, deceased; Mrs. D.'s parents were also from the State of Tennessee. Four children 
have been born of this union, three of whom still survive. Mrs. Duncan is a member of 
the Baptist church, and it is one of her prime objects in life to rear her children in a man- 
ner becoming to Christian parents. 

J. K. P. DUNCAN. 

Squire Duncan is the son of Dennis K. and Malinda (Hope) Duncan, and was born in 
Roane county, Tennessee, June 1st, 1845. His father came to Lawrence county in 1840, 
and lived there several years, and then took a trip to Arkansas, where he died. His mother 
died in 1865. J. K. P. Duncan attended his first school in Greene county, James Van Bibber 
being the teacher. He was educated principally, however, in Lawrence county and at an 
early age commenced farming, which has been his occupation ever since, with the exception 
of two years spent in Texas. Mr. Duncan is one of the most prominent citizens of Boone 
township, having been a justice of the peace for eight years and deputy assessor two years. 
He was a candidate for the Legislature in 1880. He purchased the farm where he now 
resides in 1874. It is two miles south of Ash Grove, and consists of one hundred and twenty 
acres of fine land, most of which is under cultivation. Mr. Duncan was married December 
28, 1865, to Mary E., daughter of Josiah Mason, Esq. She was born May 7th, 1842. Their 
union has been blest with eleven children, viz.: Wm. H., born October26th, 1866; Ten- 
nessee M., born February 23d, 1868; Josiah H., born May 25th, 1869; Mary C, born 
October^igth, 1870; Mattie, born February 16th, 1872; J. K. P., born June 2d, 1873, and 
died September 26th, 1873; Edward W., born March 26th, 1875, and died May 27th, 1877; 
Rosa, born July 3d, 1876, and died November 17th, 1876 ; Cinderiila, born November 25th, 
1877, and died February 8th, 1879; Cora A., born January 6th, 1880; and Hale S., born 
March 21st, 1882, Mr. Duncan and wife are members of the Sac river Baptist church. 

W. P. ELSON. 

Mr. Elson was born in Stark county, Ohio, September 9th, 1837. He was educated in the 
common schools and at Mt. Union College at Alliance, Ohio. He taught school for a time 
and then embarked in the mercantile business for a number of years. He moved to Greene 
countj', Missouri, in 1866, where, by strict attention to business, economy and perseverance 
he has accumulated a magnificent property, owning some five hundred acres of choice lands 
two miles east of Ash Grove. Mr. Elson was married in 1875 to Miss Elizabeth C, daughter 
of S. P. Frame. Their union has been blest with three children, two boys and one girl. 
Mr. Elson's father was John Elson, and his mother was Miss Osee Wilson, a daughter of 
Douglas Wilson, of Ohio. They are still living at Wayiicsburg, Ohio. His ancestors wore 
from Virginia, and W. P. Elson's grandfather, John H. Elson, was a captain in the war 
of 1812. Mr. Elson is a thorough-going successful farmer, having been one of the first to 
introduce into the county the celebrated merino sheep, which breed he successfully 
rears. 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 631 

HON. FRANKLIN T. FRAZIER, (deceased). 

Franklin Tennessee Frazier was the third child of Julian and Elizabeth Frazier who reared 
a family of thirteen children. He was born near Knoxville.Tennessee, March 15, 1810. He 
grew to manhood upon his father's form, and was educated at Paris, Tenn. He was married 
the first time to Maria J. Crawford, when he was twentj'-three years of age. That union was 
blessed with five children, viz. : George W., Thos. M., Wm. .L, .James M., and Samuel L. 
His first wife died June 4, 1847, and he was married the second time, April 26, 1848, to Miss 
Malcena Boone, daughter of Col. Nathan Boone, of this county. By this marriage there'' 
are lour children, viz. : Constantine C, Nathan B., Laura J., and Franklin T. Mr. Frazier 
■was elected to the State Senate in 1858, and was one of the ablest members of that body. 
He met with the Legislature called by Gov. Jackson, at Neosho, and voted in favor of the se- 
cession ordinance. He was a member of Gov. Jackson's staff at the battle of Wilson's creek, 
and then went with the army to Arkansas, and lived at Fayetteville until 1863. He then 
went to Collin county, Texas and lived there until September, 1865. He then returned to 
Missouri and lived in Saline county, until 1867, and then returned to the farm he settled soon 
after coming to the State, and where his widow still lives. He carried on farming upon a 
large scale, and no man in the county stood higher in the regard of the people than he. He 
was always an unswerving Democrat, — never proved recreant to any trust committed to his 
care. He died upon the old homestead, Dccemberl6, 1881, in his seventy-second year and 
was buried in the family burying ground upon the home place byithe Masonic fraternity, of 

which he was a member. 

THOMAS D. GLOVER.. 

Mr. Glover is the son of Samuel and Ellen (Metzger) Glover, and was born in Vermillion 
county, Indiana, September 8, 1831. His father was born April 8, 1802, in Ohio, and died 
December 25, 1872. His mother was born in Pennsylvania, June 21, 1803, and is now living 
at Perryville, Indiana. Thomas D. was educated in the common schools of his native 
county, and at an early age commenced the occupation of farming, which he has followed 
to the present time. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in October, 1866, and purchased 
the farm upon which he now resides, one mile and a half south of Ash Grove. He has 
by strict frugality, industry, and perseverance, made a splendid farm, and is well fixed to 
enjoy the fruits of liis labor, and is one of the best farmers in the county. Mr. Glover was 
married February 29, 1856, to Miss Indiana, daughter of Jonas and Mary (Craig) Metzger. 
They have had ten chiklrrn, of whom only two, Eliza and Elias, are living. 

JAMES G. GRANTHAM. 

This gentleman was born in Washington county, Indiana, February 23, 1828. His 
father was Silas Grantham, a native of North Carolina, and his mother was a Miss Nicholson, 
They removed to Illinois about the year 1835, where they lived a year and then removed to 
Montgomery county, Indiana, and lived there until James was about twelve years of age, 
and then emigrated to Missouri. James G. was educated in the common schools of Indiana 
and in Greene county, Missouri. He has followed the occupation of farming all his 
life, except a short time spent in blacksmithing. When the "gold fever" broke out 
in 1850, Mr. Grantham, with several of his neighbors, went to California and spent 
four years in mining with varying success. He returned to Dade county, Missouri, m 
1854, and bought land upon which he lived until 1860. when he moved to Greene 
county, and engaged in farming. He enlisted in the Home Guards at Springfield. He 
went with them to Rolla and remained there until just before the battle of Pea Ridge, 
where he received two severe wounds, which came near rendering him totally disable. He 
was then mustered out and returned to Greene where he has since lived. He has a fine 
farm of three hundred and twenty-one acres of land in this part of the county. Mr. Gran- 
tham was married November 18th, 1849, to Miss C. .Robinson. Their union has been blest 
with two children, Sarah, born November 22d, 1854 ; and James W., born April 14th, 1858. 
Mrs. Grantham is a member of tbe Baptist church. 



(J32 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

JUDGE WILLIAM P. HAWKINS. 

Judge Hawkins is the son of Henry and Anna (Majors) Hawkins, and was born July 13, 
1810, in Grainger county. East Tennessee. His grandfather came to Tennessee from Prince 
William county, Virginia. His father was reared in Tennessee, and his mother was a native 
of Sullivan county, same State. Thej' had ten children, viz. : Elizabeth, Catherine, Sarah, 
Matilda, Prisciila, Susan, Stephen, Henry, William P., and Madison, all of whom are dead, 
save Susan, Prisciila, William P., and Madison. William P., grew to manhood in the 
State of his birth, upon his father's farm. At the age of twenty he sold goods for Gen, 
Brazelton, at New Market, Tenn., for three years. He was then married on the 6th of 
June, 1839, to Elizabeth M. Burnett, of Cocke countj^ Tenn. He farmed for five years, and 
then emigrated to Dade count}', Missouri, where he farmed two years. He next moved to 
Stockton, Cedar county. Mo., and sold goods for Wm. Jones for two years. He traveled 
over the country, selling goods to the Indians and the soldiers at Port Scott in the year 1852. 
In 1858 he sold goods at Caplinger's mill. In 1854, in partnership with James Frazier, he 
sold general merchandise at Stockton until the breaking out of the civil war in 1861. The 
judge being a Union man suflfered somewhat at the hands of the Confederates. In 1863 he 
was elected probate judge of Cedar county, and became ex-offieio, recorder and deputy county 
clerk. He served about one year, and then removed toEbenezer, ten miles north of Spring- 
field, in Greene county, where he and his brother Madison sold goods for two years. In 
1866 he moved to Ash Grove, and in partnership with Joseph Aumoth and Calvin Kraft, 
under the firm name of Kraft, Aumoth & Co., did a general merchandising business for three 
years. Then, with his son Henry, and son-in-law, C. A. Crane, he sold goods for two 3'ears 
in a house where the new brick store-house of Wilkerson & McCray now stands. Since 
that time the judge has not been actively engaged in business. He and his wife have been 
blessed with eight children, viz. : Ada Ann, who died at Stockton, Mo. ; Henry, a physi- 
cian and druggist of Ash Grove; Cornelia, wife of James Smith of Texas; Swan P. Burnett, 
who died in August, 1853; Thomas J., of Ash Grove; Sarah, wife of C. A. Crane, lumber 
dealer; William J., a farmer of Greene county, and Benjamin F., a merchant of Ash Grove. 
The judge is still in fine health, and enjoys the esteem and confidence of all. He is courte- 
ous and affable, and endears himself to those who meet him. His brother, T. J. M. Hawkins, 
represented Stone county in the Legislature a few years since. Mrs. Hawkins is of North 
Carolina stock, and is a very estimable lady. 

THOMAS J. HAWKINS. 

This gentleman was born July 6th, 1847, in Tennessee, but his parents emigrating to Mis- 
souri when lie was two years of age, he grew up and was educated in Missouri. The}' first 
stopped in Dade county, but shortly afterward removed to Cedar. They lived in Cedar un- 
til 18G4, and then moved to Greene county, where he has since lived. He was educated 
chiefly at Stockton, Cedar county, and after coming to Greene he followed farming until 
1874, when he served an apprenticeship in blacksmithing, and opened a shop of his own in 
1876. He has built up a good trade, and is one of the substantial men of Ash Grove. 
He commenced running his shop in connection with Mr. Daniel Murray's wagon ihop in 
1881, and the\' do excellent work, and are deservedly successful. Mr. Hawkins was married 
in 1874 to Miss Sarah R., daughter of John Tyler, one of Greene's early settlers. Their 
union has been blest with one child, William L. 

ALFRED HOSMAN. 

Mr. Hosman was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, August 2, 1810. His parents moved 
to Fayette county, Kentucky, when Alfred was about eight years of age. They soon after 
moved to Scott county, Kentucky, where his father, Esaias Hosman, died in 1831. His 
mother died in 1843. Alfred was the youngest child and was educated in the home schools 
of Fayette and Scott counties. He was married in Scott county, December 23, 1830, to Miss 



HISTORY OF GKEENE COUxNTY. ^^^ 



„..: Mary F ^-^^^;:^\;^l^,^ B., b„r„ April K„ ,847, .„d died Jan- 
ZV i848 M ,a p! No''vUbe;25, 1848, and died June I'V^'V S'^Tho^a:™' 
Number 10, I860: Sanford E., born May 8. 1858 ; John B , born f^J ^; ^f ^"maB A^ 
u T .1 18^7. T.nlherA born, Auffust 31, 18.59, and died, September 25, 1859, Jo.epn 

Missouri, and lived upon his farm till 1863, when the unsettled l^^^^teTr^^^^. ,> ^hat 
ino- the civil war caused him to remove his family to Howard coanty m ^^P^^^'^ 
vpi In March 1864 he moved to Illinois, and lived near Bloommgton until December, 
1865 when h cLme b'ack to Missouri, and lived in Springfield about two years, and th n 
movLd to where Tnow lives in Booae township. He carries on farming uponalarge scale, 
Td s one o thVLt cTti^^ of the county. He is probably one of the oldest master masons 
"the county. He was made a member of Benevolent Lodge, No. 58, m ^^y^^^e -u"t> 
Kentuck" in 1843. Mr. Hosman has served as school director for many years, and has been 
a leading member of the Baptist Church since 1850. 

J. H. HUDGINGS 
Was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, February 26, 1851. His parents were William and 
Iry Hud" ngs a d they cime to Greene in 1854, where the subject of this sketch grew up 
and was educat d. Early in life he began farming, and that has been his vocation since 
In 1874 he camfin poss^ession of the place where he now resides, three and a half miles 
Luthetrof Ash Grove. The farm contains eighty acres of fine land under good cultiva- 
tl rd welt mproved. He was married January 5, 1873, to Miss Judith Spraggms, who 
rCrn F bZy7,1854. Her parents were William and Sophronia Sp-ggms who 
Ze e nitives of Aufbama. Mr. and Mrs. Hudgings were blessed -'^'V-^^^^^^'^^;:;' ^f^ ^ 
Ind Xcia A. Mr. Hudgings and wife are members of the Baptist church, and stand well 
in the regard of all who know them. 

I. J. KELLY. 
This gentleman is a son of T. J. Kelly, a native of Tennessee, who came to Missouri in 
about 1830 and settled in Polk county, and was one of the pioneer Baptist preachers of Uus 
^ar of the State. He came to Greene county in 1858. The subject of this sketch was bo n 
fn Polk countv, February 16, 1849. His mother was Jane (nee Lemon) Kelly, also a native 
of ?ennessee,^ nd still resides in this county. Mr. K. received his educationin the comm 
schools of this county, and at an early age began farming which has ever -c^ b^ j] ^ 
chief vocation. In October, 1882, he and A. Buttram opened a livery stable " f;^^^^^^^^^^^ 
since which time his interests have been identified with that town. He was ™- "^^^eceni 
ber23, 1866, to Miss Mary L., daughter of James Bradley of L^^^-y^^^--^' f^^^ f/^ 
Kelly and wife havethree children, -all livingat this writing, -named Mat Ida, John, 
Polly, respectively, Both Mr. and Mrs. K. are members of the Baptist church. 
JUDGE CHARLES H. LIKINS. 
Judge Likins is the son of William and Sarah (Squibbs) Likins, and was born June 13th, 
1828 in Green county, Tennessee. His parents were natives of that State. They reared a 
family of four childre;, viz. : Charles H.. Hannah, Elvina, and George S., all ot wl.o.n are 



634 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

yet living save Elvina, who died in 1875. She was the wife of L. B. Whinrey, of Greene 
county, Missouri. Mrs. Likins, the mother of this subject, died in 1840, and is buried at the 
old Quaker church burning-ground, in the county of her birth. His father married the sec- 
ond time to Rachel Horn, also of Green county, Tennessee. That union was blest with two 
children, viz. : James and William, both living. They moved to Gr6ene county, Missouri, 
in October, 1843, and settled about six miles south of the present site of Ash Grove, upon 
the Sac river. He lived there about twenty-nine years, when he moved to Lawrence county, 
Mo., near the Chalybeate spring, where he still resides. Judge Likins grew to manhood 
in Greene county, Missouri. He received his education in Tennessee, and carried on farm- 
ing until he was twenty-two years of age, when he learned the hatter's trade under his 
father, working at the trade for five years. He then bought a mill known as the Harrelson 
Mill, and milling has been his occupation ever since. He was married the first time to Miss 
Amanda H. Gray, November 4th, 1860. This union was blest with but one child, Amanda 
H., who is the wife of John Sisk, living near Ash Grove. His first wife died in September, 
1861, and is buried in the cemetery at John's chapel. At the beginning of the war Judge 
Likins opposed secession, and became a pronounced Union man. When Gen. Sterling 
Price occupied Greene county he went to Fort Scott and became a scout for Col. Judson, of 
the Sixth Kansas, for four months. The next November he volunteered in the regular U. 
S. service in the 8th Missouri cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He was in 
the battles of Prairie Grove and Little Rock, and in many small skirmishes. He returned 
to peaceful life in 1865, and on the 14th of October, 1866, he was married to Miss Eliza Jane 
Adams, of this county. By this marriage they had four children, viz. : Emma Elizabeth, 
Charles D., John L. and James W., all living except Charles D., who died in March, 1879. 
His last wife died in March, 1878, and is buried at John's chapel. 

Being a leading Republican, possessing the confidence of his party and his friends, he 

received the nomination of that party for associate justice of the county court for the 

. western division of Greene county. His opponents were W. C. Garoutte, Greenbacker, 

and Columbus Headley, Democrat. Judge Likins was elected by a plurality of 170. He 

served two j^ears, and was renominated and re-elected. His opponents were C. Headle}', 

Democrat, and Grenwade, Greenbacker. His plurality was 216 votes. Judge Likins 

served his county well and faithfully, making a record that will be a proud heritage for his 
children. He was urged to run again, but declined because he did not wish to antagonize 
himself with his friends by being forced to levy the tax to pay the railway bonded indebt- 
edness. He is a large land-owner, and a partner in the Likins mill. The judge is conserv- 
ative in politics, an* is regarded as one of Greene's most substantial and upright citizens. 

JOHN R. MAESH 

Was born in Greene county. East Tennessee, January 5, 1852. He is a son of James 
and Deliah Marsh, the father being a man of considerable prominence, who was born in 
Tennessee in 1802, and died in Greene county. Mo., in 1855. John attended the schools of 
his native county in boyhood, and in 1866, came out to this county, remaining the first time 
but little over a year. Returning to Tennessee, he attended college there until the spring 
of 1869, when he went to Washington county, same State, and engaged in farming until the 
fall of 1870. After clerking awhile in a store in Tennessee, he went to Dalton, Georgia, and 
there was similarly engaged. He then returned to his native State, but made only a short 
stop, when he emigrated to thiscountrj', in 1871. The next year he went back to Tennessee to 
" fetch his bride," and was married to Annie E. Dobson, daughter of Rev. J. B. Dobson. They 
are the parents of six interesting children, four boys and two girls. Mr. Marsh has served as 
constable and deputy sheriff', and still holds the latter, having been appointed in 1878. He 
was engaged for two years in the mercantile and livery business in Ash Grove, but now, after 
a varied life, has moved, in 1880, on the old homestead four miles southeast of Ash Grove, 
and is engaged in farming. He is both a Free Mason and an Odd Fellow in good standing 
in each order. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 635 



JAMES McCROKY. 



Mr, McCrory is the son of William and Mary (Hubbard) McCrory, and was born in 
Wilkinson county, Mississippi, in 1829. His father was born in Ireland, December 25, 1792, 
and died in Wilkinson county, Mississippi, in 1843. His mother was a native of Tennessee, 
and died in 1829. James was educated in the common schools of his native State, and was 
engaged in farming until his removal to Louisiana. He remained there until 1867, most of 
the time farming in Catahoula parish. He then came to Missouri and stayed a year in 
Saline county, and then removed to Greene and located where he now lives, three miles east 
of Ash Grove, upon a fine farm of one hundred and seventy acres. He has been engaged 
in farming and stock raising ever since. He was one of the first in his section to help organize 
a grange in 1874. Mr. McCrory was married in 1855 to Miss Moss, daughter of George Moss, 
Esq., of Wilkinson county, Mississippi. Mrs. McCrory died Febuary 14, 1868. They reared 
a family of three children, all of whom are married and living in Greene countv. 

ALFRED M. McGOWN. 

This gentleman is the son of Luther and Mary F. McGown, and was born August 10, 
18fi0, in Greene county, Missouri. His father was a native of Tennessee, and died near 
Ash Grove, Mo., in November, 1860. His mother was a native of Kentucky, and is still 
living five miles southwest of Springfield. Alfred was educated in the common school at 
and near Ash Grove, and as soon as large enough began farming, which has since been his 
occupation. His parents moved to Illinois when he was a small boy, where they lived several 
years in McLean county. Returning to Ash Grove, Alfred farmed for about ten years five 
miles southwest of Springfield, and in July, 1882, he purchased a farm of forty acres of land 
three miles south of Ash Grove. He was married November 23, 1879, to Miss Martha A. 
Wood, daughter of Benjamin Wood, Esq., formerly a farmer near Springfield, who died durino- 
the war. Her mother was Nancy E. Abney. Mrs. McGown was born March 15, 1826, in 
this county. They are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and enjoy the 
confidence of all. They are blessed with two children. Myrtle B., born November 22, 1880, 
and Estella F., born Febuary 27, 1882. 

THOMAS MURRAY. 

Mr. Murray was born in McMinn county, Tennessee, July 8th, 1825. He was educated in 
the common schools of Monroe county, Tennessee, and followed the occupation of farming 
until his emigration to Arkansas in 1848. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in December, 
1850, and took up a tract of government land. He sold out in the spring of 1852 and 
crossed the plains to Oregon, and went from there to California and followed mining for 
two years with varying success. He then went back to Tennessee and stayed a year and 
then returned to Greene county, Missouri, and purchased the place upon which he now 
resides, about two miles southeast of Ash Grove. He has a fine farm of three hundred and 
twenty acres in his home place, besides a tract of one hundred and seventj'-nine acres on 
Sac river. Mr. Murray was married November 16th, 1856, to Miss Nanc}' E. Small. She 
died March 12th, 1876. Their union was blessed with eight children, four of whom are now 
living. Mr. Murray was married the second time, December 3d, 1876 to Miss Sarah, 
daughter of Edward West. They have two children. He and his wife are consistent mem- 
bers of the Baptist church. In making a home for himself in Greene Mr. Murray endured 
many of the hardships of pioneer life, and now enjoys the profits of his earl}- labors. Mr. 
Murray's father, Renne Murray, was a native of North Carolina, born May 25th, 1801. 
His mother was Miss Annie Elliott. 

DANIEL MURRAY. 

Mr. Murray was born in county Down, Ireland, October 12th, 1854, and was educated in 
the common schools of that country. He emigrated to America, landing at Castle Garden 



636 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

in January, 1870. He soon after came to St. Louis, but remained only a short time, and then 
went to Potosi, Washington county, Missouri, where he served an apprenticeship at wagon- 
making. In the fall of 1874, he went to Dade county and set up a shop at the Pemberton 
mines, which he ran a year and then came to Ash Grove and opened a shop, and does a 
good business. He is the patentee of the new adjustable vehicle wheel, for wagons and 
buggies, by which a wheel can be set to any grade or dish desired. It is a most useful 
invention and likely to come into general use everywhere. Mr. Murray's parents are yet in 
Ireland. He has one brother in Manchester, England, and one in Baltimore, Maryland. 
Mr. Murray is a member of the Knights of Labor. 

W. H. MURRAY. 

Mr. Murray was born in this county, March 30th, 1858, being the eldest son of Thomas 
A. and Nancy E. Murray. He laid the foundation of his education in the common schools 
of the country, and at the age of seventeen entered Drury College, at Springfield, where he 
completed his education. On leaving school, he taught one term of school in Greene county, 
after which he began farming and continued till July, 1880. He then, in connection with 
his father went into the grain business, under the firm style of Murray & Son, and have done 
a large grain shipping business from Ash Grove since that time. In November, 1882, Mr. 
Murray was elected justice of the peace for Boone township, which position he fills in a 
becoming manner, though few younger men than he have ever so served the public. He 
was married October 23, 1879, to Miss Fannie, daughter of .James McCrory, an old citizen 
of Greene county. Mr. and Mrs. Murray have two children, named Nora and Ethel, the 
former born August 26th, 1880, and the latter, December 24th, 1881, Mr. Murray is a 
member of the A. O. U. W., and also of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. 

J. J. MURRAY 

Was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, March 1, 1841, and is the son of Renne and 
Rebecca Murray. He was educated in the common schools of his native county, and at an 
early age commenced farming which has been tlie occupation of his life. In 1863, he re- 
moved to Bartholomew county, Indiana, where he lived until the fall of 1864. He then 
moved to Iowa, and stopped in Lucas county, near Chariton. He lived there until 1875, 
when he removed to Greene county, Missouri, and bought a fine farm of one hundred and 
twenty acres of land about one and one-quarter miles south of Ash Grove. He was married 
February 25, 1866, to Miss Clara Henry, of Lucas county, Iowa. Their union has been 
blest with three children, viz. : Renne A., born June 15, 1867; Zora A., born May 7th, 1870; 
and Almira E., born January 30, 1872. Mr. Murray is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he 
and wife are members of the Baptist church, and at present, he is deacon in that church. 
Mr. Murray is one of the successful farmers of his section, and respected by all. 

CHARLES MANNEL. 

Mr. Mannel was born in Prussia, November 15, 1832, where he was educated and learned 
the tinner's trade. He came to America in 1853, and settled at Quincy, Illinois, where he 
lived until 18G3, and then went to St. Louis. He worked at his trade in that city until 1869, 
when he came to Springfield. He was in business there two or three years, and then came 
to Ash Grove and engaged in the hardware business, and also carries a large stock of tin- 
ware. He has built up a splendid trade, and is one of the best merchants in the place. Mr. 
Mannel was married in 1858 to Miss Annie Smickle, of Cairo, Illinois. They have a family 
of three children, two girls and one boy. Mr. Mannel is one of the substantial citizens of the 
county, and is held in high esteem by all. 

WILLIAM MURRAY. 

This subject is a native of McMinn county, Tennessee, born, June 24, 1829. His parents 
were Renne and Anne Murray, the former a native of North Carolina, born May 26, 1801, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 637 

and living in Greene county at this writing. "When William was a small boy his father re- 
moved to Gibson county, Tennessee, where his mother died. From thence they moved to 
Monroe county, where William was chiefly educated. He came West in 1852, and crossed 
the plains to the gold country (California) where he remained over two years, returning to 
Tennessee, in the fsxU of 1854. In 1855, he came out to Missouri, locating in Greene county, 
and the next year purchased the place where he now resides in Boone township. He has 
added to his original purchase from time, till he now owns a fine farm of 360 acres, and is 
one oif the best and most successful farmers of the township. He^was married March 8, 1853, 
to Miss Melinda Stone, a native of Tennessee. Her father was James and her mother Meri- 
line (Browder) Stone, both of Tennessee. Mr. Murray and wife have nine living chil- 
dren, named: Thomas J., Mahala E., William B., Harvey, Melinda J., Sarah B., Mary E., 
Charles and George. Both Mr. Murray and wife are members of the M. E. Church South. 
The land, now comprising Mr. M.'s farm, was an unbroken wilderness when he first came to 
the countj^ He has, however, by perseverance and industry, improved it into a splendid 
homestead, and has 150 acres of it under fence, the most of which is in a high state of culti- 
vation. 

A. H. MUKRAY. 

Mr. Murray was born in Gibson csunty, Tennessee, January 11th, 1832. He learned the 
carpenter's trade, which he followed about twelve years before his coming to Missouri in 
September, 1881. He embarked in the hardware business at Ash Grove, and has gradually 
increased his stock until now, besides a general and complete stock of hardware, he has added 
both dry goods and groceries to his stock, and his store is one of the leading houses of Ash 
Grove. He was married December 28th, 1852, to Miss M. J. Patten, also of Tennessee. 
She was a daughter of Wm. and Jane Patten. Their married life has been blest with six 
children, viz. : J. T., John W., Wm. R., Margaret A., Anna J. and Henrietta. Mr. Murray 
enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, and was at the battles of Perryville, Champion 
Hill, Grand Gulf and the siege of Vicksburg, where he surrendered July 4th, 1863. He 
came out of the war without a scratch. He is an old-time Democrat and steadily adheres to 
the principles of that party as taught by America's greatest statesmen. Mr. Murray is a 
Mason in good standing and himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. For 
the length of time he has been in business at Ash Grove he has made rapid strides to the 
front as one of the safe, reliable merchants of the county, and no man stands higher in the 
confidence of the people. 

DR. A. J. NORRIS. 

This gentleman was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, June 24, 1836. When he was 
but six years of age he walked three miles to school. The doctor says his teacher knew the 
front part of the spelling book, but stuttered so badly the scholars could hardly understand 
him. He also states that in four days he mastered the alphabet, which had been cut out of 
the book and pasted upon a shingle for his especial benefit. He was then taken sick and 
lay upon a bed of pain for four years and arose a cripple for life. He then went to school a 
short time, and at the age of seventeen he began teaching school, which he followed for 
fifteen years. When the civil war came on he enlisted in the 19th Kentucky Volunteers, 
United States Infantry, and served for nine months when he was discharged for disability. 
He then entered the secret service and served as a spy for eighteen months. He then assisted 
in raising a battalion of cavalry, known as the Hall's Gap Tigers, with which he served 
until the close of the rebellion. He was in several hard fought battles and skirmishes, 
including the sanguinary battle at Perryville. At the close of the war he attended school in 
Illinois and resumed the occupation of teaching. He went to Kansas in 1867 and taught 
school in Council Grove, read medicine, and in 1870 went to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where 
he read law three years, taught school and prosecuted claims against the government. He 
then turned his attention to one branch of the medical profession, viz. : Ophthalmia. The 
doctor moved to Ash Grove, Greene county, Mo., in 1876, where he fitted up a hotel, known 



638 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

as the Empire House. To use his own words, he is " an oculist, hotel-keeper, livery stable 
boss, notary public, real estate and insurance agent, a Greenbacker in good standing, 
practices law for exercise and preaches for fun." He is a whole-souled, genial gentleman 
and one of the substantial citizens of Greene county. 

JOHN G. FERRYMAN 

Is the son of Benjamin and Sarah (Wood) Ferryman, and was born December 13th, 1821, 
in Rutherford county, Tennessee. His father was a Tennessean and his mother a native of 
Virginia. They had nine children, viz. : Thos. J., Jacob G., Owen Wood, Benjamin F., 
Jane, Louisiana, Martha and Harriet, four of whom are now living. John G. is the oldest 
of the nine children. He came with his father to Greene county, Missouri, 1837, and set- 
tled in the northern part of the county upon Grand Frairie. He lived with his father upon 
the farm until he was twenty years of age, when he learned the blacksmith trade, and car- 
ried on the business for fifteen years in this county. He then abandoned it for farming and 
stock-trading, which he has carried on until the present. In the year 1871 he bought the old 
Hosman homestead, adjoining Ash Grove, where he now lives. Mr. Ferryman married the 
first time, August 10th, 1848, to Miss Mary Lemon, by whom he had six children, four of 
whom lived to be grown, viz. : Jacob L., Owen Wood, Sarah and James G. His first wife 
died in November, 1860, and is buried at Cave Spring, this county. He married the last 
time Cassandra Gresham, of Dade county. By this union he was blest with seven chil- 
dren, viz. : Mary, Burton, Nanc}', Emma, George, Walter and Lura, all of whom are now 
living. Mr. Ferryman owns one of the best farms in his section, well stocked, in a high 
state of cultivation, and the best orchard in the township. He and his wife are members 
of the Missionary Baptist church at Ash Grove. He is regarded as one of Greene's most 
substantial citizens, and is a gentleman of integrity. 

FETER PIFER. 

Mr. Fiper was born June 18th, 1810, in Fickaway county, Ohio, and is the son of Philip 
and Sarah (Gay) Piper. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Piper re- 
moved to Vermillion county, Indiana, in 1838, and followed farming until 1872, when he 
came to Greene count\% Missouri, where he has since resided. Mr. Fiper has been married 
five times. His present wife was Miss Jane, daughter of Jesse Hines, Esq., of Kentucky. 
Although Mr. Piper is in his seventy-third year, he is hale and vigorous as a man twenty 
years his junior. He has seen many changes come over the land since his youth, and yet has 
promise of many years to come. One of his sons is a prominent farmer near Ash Grove. 

HENRY C. RUBY 

Was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 15, 1842, receiving his education in the com- 
mon schools of that county, where he grew to manhood. His parents were S. S. and Mary 
Ruby, the former a native of Knox county, Indiana, and the latter of Franklin, Kentucky. 
His first business venture was that of mining in Dade county. Mo., in 1874, where he was 
quite successful. He continued there till 1880, then came to Ash Grove and opened a first- 
class restaurant and boarding house. In July, 1867, he married Miss Elizabeth Simpson, 
who was born in St. Clair countj-, Illinois, September 5, 1842. They have four children, two 
sons and two daughters, named, Mary I., born January 4, 1869 ; Clyde, born November 8, 
1872; Myrtle, born January 22, 1878, and Charles, born February 6, 1882. During the 
civil war Mr. Ruby enlisted in the government service in September, 1861, joining com- 
pany I, of the 7th 111. Cavalry, under Col. W. P. Kellogg, and served till mustered out, 
November 3, 1865, during which time he was once taken prisoner. He is a member of the 
A. O. U. VY., and himself and wife both belong to the C. P. church, of which denomination 
Mr. R. is a local preacher. 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 639 

JOHN TUKNER, ESQ. 

The subject of this sketch is the son of John and Mary (Williams) Turner, and was born 
in Maury count}', Tennessee, April 2, 1809. His parents were natives of North Carolina, 
but emigrated to Tennessee in 1806, where they lived for about six years, and then removed 
to Kentucky in 1812, and settled in Logan county, where John Turner, sr., died. His 
widow survived her husband thirteen years, and died in 1825. They were buried in the 
Turner famih' burying-ground in Logan county, near the Tennessee line. They had twelve 
children, all of whom lived to be grown, save one little girl, who died in infancy. Their 
names were, Elizabeth, Archibald, Charles, Thomas, Sarah, John, William, James, Henry, 
Joseph, and Elijah. John, this subject, grew to manhood in Kentucky upon the old home- 
stead, working upon the fiirm until he was sixteen years of age, when, upon his mother's 
death, he went to Tennessee and lived with his relatives until his marriage. He was mar- 
ried November 6, 1828, to Miss Nancy Price, of Robinson county, Tennessee. By this 
union they had three children, viz. : Mary Jane, Nancy Fisher, and James William. His 
first wife died November 13, 1855, and is buried in the county of her birth. His eldest 
daughter married Samuel A. Doss, and the younger married J. G. Howard, of their native 
State. Mr. Turner, with his sons-in-law and his daughters, moved to Missouri in March, 
1856, and settled in Greene countj'. He bought a farm three miles east of Ash Grove, from 
Silas Grantham in 1857, which he still owns. He was married the second time to Mrs. 
Nancy B. Seward, of Lawrence county, Missouri, on the 7th of December, 1856. This union 
was without issue. His last wife died November 2, 1881. He was elected a justice of the 
peace in 1857, and served four years. At the breaking out of the war. Squire Turner being 
above the regulation age for soldiers, took his wife, together with his and his sons'-in-law 
negroes to Texas, so as to be practically out of the war. He lived in Collin county, Texas, 
for four years, and returned home in October, 1865. He lived upon his farm until 1877, 
when he rented it out, and moved into Ash Grove, where he still lives. He is now in his 
seventy-fourth year, hale and hearty, and has promise of years yet. He reared an orphan 
girl, Mary E. Casteel, who still lives with him. He began life poor, but, by perseverance 
and economy he has amassed a handsome competence. He is a member of the Baptist 
church, and is respected bj' all as an upright Christian gentleman. 

ALBERT T. WEIR. 

Mr. Weir is a native of St. Clair county, Missouri, born, December 29, 1848. He was ed- 
ucated in the common schools, remaining in the county of his birth till the civil war. His 
father was Samuel and his mother Lettie (Compton) Weir, the latter having died in 1862. 
Early in the war, Mr. Weir was burned out by a marauding party from Kansas, and in the 
fall of 1861, the youthful Albert, then but thirteen years old, enlisted in the Confedej'ate 
service and fought till the surrender at Shreveport, in June, 1865, having participated 
in many hotly contested battles. He was on Shelby's raid through Missouri, and was 
three weeks in the saddle day and night. At the close of the war, Mr. Weir spent 
eight months in Tennessee, and returned thence to Callaway county, Missouri. In 1869, 
he came to Greene county, where he engaged in blacksmithing for five years. He then 
purchased a farm in Boone township and has ever since followed the vocation of a farmer. 
He now owns two good farms, one containing 160 acres, and the other 100 acres. Mr. Weir 
was married December 16, 1869, to Miss Laura J., daughter of ex-Senator Frank T. Frazier, 
of Greene county. They have a family of three girls and two boys. Mr. Weir is at present 
a popular salesman in the dry goods house of Wilkerson & McCray, though he resides just 
north of Ash Grove. He is a Freemason of good standing, and belongs to lodge number 
436, A. F. & A. M., at Walnut Grove. 

H. H. WEST. 

Mr. West was born in Grainger county, Tennessee, Feb. 21, 1839. He is tlie son of Ed- 
ward and Elizabeth (Gilmore) West. His parents emigrated to Missouri, when he was in 



(>40 HISTORY OF GUEEXE COUNTY. 

his first ypar, and settled in Greene count}'. He was educated in the common schools of this 
county, and was engasjed in farming until the fall of 1862, when he enlisted in the Confed- 
erate army, and remained in the service until the surrender in 1865. He was in the engage- 
ment against Steele on the Saline river, and in manj- skirmishes, but escaped without a 
scratch. When the war closed, ISIr. West went to Cooper county, this State, and remained 
three years. He returned to Greene in 1871, and has, by integritj', economy and persever- 
ance Hccumulated a fine property. He owns one hundred and ninety acres of land three 
miles southeast of Ash Grove. He was married in October, 1872, to Miss Mariha Hudgens, 
daughter of Wm. Hudgens, of Greene county. She died August IGth of the following 
year. Their union was blest with one child, Willie E. Mr. West was married the second 
time to Miss Laura, daughter of John Van Horn, of Jefferson county, Ohio, October 14th, 
1880. She died August 12, 1881. Mr. West is a member of the Baptist church at Sac 
river. 

JACOB WHITE. 

Mr. White was born in Putnam county, Indiana, January 24, 1836, being a son of Edwin 
White, a native of North Carolina, who died, however, in Greene county. When Jake was 
about nine years old, his parents moved to Iowa, where the subject otthis sketch was edu- 
cated. On leaving school, Mr. White engaged in farming, which vocation he followed in 
Iowa till he came to Greene in 1868, and settled in Boone township. In 1873 he purchased 
the place where he resides at this writing, four miles southeast of Ash Grove. His farm is a 
well cultivated tract of land. November, 1878, he married Miss Nancy J. Sparks, who was 
born February 24, 1887. Thej' have one son and one daughter. Mr. White's grandfather 
was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in Greene county, January 31 882. Politically 
Mr. White is a Democrat, and always votes the straight ticket of the party to which he be- 
longs. 



CHAPTER XXL 
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 1 



Description — Organization — The First Settlements — Items of Early History — In the 
Civil War — Churches — Tatum Chapel, John's Chapel, Yeakley Chapel, Stony Point, 
M. E. South, M. E. Church — The Town of Bois D'Arc — Civic Orders — Biographies 
of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Center Township. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Center township contains considerable portions of the Grand and 
the Leeper prairies, and, as its area is considerable, has some excel- 
lent land within its borders, and some tine farms. It has also some 
poor and worthless territory. 

Pond and Pickerel creeks unite in the southwest part of this town- 
ship and form the Sac river, and numerous springs furnish plenty of 
water. 



' East and West Center are given under one head. 



HISTORY OF GREKNK COUNTY. 641 

There are two railroads running through portions of this township, 
adding greatly to the convenience and interest of the people. Each 
has a station within the township. Bois d' Arc is on the Gulf rail- 
road, in West Center, Campbell is in East Center, and Dorchester, 
in East Center, is on the St, Louis & San Francisco. 

There are numerous lead and zinc mines in the western part of the 
township, which by the employment of suflScient capital and by pro- 
per management could be made fairly profitable. Lead mines were 
opened a few years since in sections 33 and 34 in range 24, and for a 
time promised large results. In the northwest part of the township 
are numerous mines of both lead and zinc. 

ORGANIZATION. 

Center township was organized April 7, 1S56. It was at first 
called Farmer township, for Judge W. B. Farmer, a well-known 
citizen of the county, and that time a judge of the county court. 
The judge was absent when the township was named, and when he 
appeared, at his request and upon his motion, the name was changed 
to Center township. 

FIRST SETTLEMENTS. 

The first settlers in Center township were members of the Leeper 
family, from Tennessee. The widow Leeper and her sons, John, 
Frank, and Guion, located in 1832, on the head of Leeper prairie, in 
section 19 or 18 — 29 — 23, on what afterward became the county 
poor farm. The next settlers were George Young and Joseph Dobbs. 
In 1837 came Jeptha Mason, Josiah Mason, Isaac Eedferan, and 
Townlev Redferan. The latter purchased the farm of David Dobbs. 

At the head of Leeper prairie, Hugh Leeper was one of the first set- 
tlers, and the prairie was so called from that family. William Tatum 
came from Logan county, Kentucky, 1837, first settled on the Leeper 
prairie, and in 1839 came to the head of Clear creek in section four 
of township twenty-nine, range twenty-three. He had twelve chil- 
dren, of whom four are now living in Center township. James Wil- 
son came to the township in 1837, and settled on section three of 
township twenty-nine, range twenty-three, on the farm afterward oc- 
cupied l)y Mrs, Matilda Jones. Isaac N. Jones was one of the oldest 
residents of the township, and a man well-known throughout the 
county. Henry Paulsell lived in the township for many years. John 
Yealdey moved from East Tennessee the fall of 1839, then moved to 
Polk county, and in March, 1840, located in Center township. His 
41 



642 HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 

son, Thomas Yeakle}^, is a well-known citizen of the township. In 
1847 Nathaniel Batsoii came to Center township, and James Husfhes 
came from Kay county, Tennessee, in 1844, and settled in section 
nineteen, township twenty-nine, range twenty-three. Several other 
old pioneers and settlers are living in the township. 

ITEMS OF EARLY HISTORY. 

It is claimed that the first white child born in Center township was 
Nancy Jane Mason, a daughter of Jeptha and Sallie Mason, and the 
date of her birth is given as March 20, 1838. The first death was that 
of another child of Jeptha Mason's, named Jesse Mason, who died in 
1838, and was buried in the graveyard at 'Squire Squibb's. The 
first marriage was that of Mack Leeper and Mary Redferan, the lat- 
ter the daughter of Townley Redferan. 

The first school within the confines of Center township was taught 
in the winter of 1841 by Miss Rachel Q. Waddill, a sister of Judge 
John S. Waddill, of Springfield. The school was taught in a house 
built by Elijah Wiley, and which stood on section 23 — 29 — 24, on 
the farm now owned by Widow Cotter. The house was built of logs. 
It had a dirt floor, and there was no chimney. A way for the escape 
of smoke was provided by building a double wall at one end of the 
room — the outer wall built two feet from the inner, and the latter 
not running down all the way to the floor, by some three feet. Thus 
the entire end of the building was a fire-place. Some stones were 
piled along the log wall to keep it from taking fire. The building 
was about fourteen feet square, and the logs were cut by Geo. J. 
Wiley. Miss Waddill taught two terms in this house and received 
75 cents per scholar for each month's instruction. Her average at- 
tendance was about 25. Miss Waddill afterwards married George 
McElhanon, and died in 1857 of cancer. 

In a year or two after the first school was taught the people built a 
better school house near the Widow Redferan's place, in section 14, 
which was the first building erected especially for a school house. 

The first religious meetings were held at Isaac Redferan's, bv the 
Baptists. Rev. Jesse Mason was the first preacher in these parts. 
The worshipers took their guns with them when they went to meeting, 
and often killed deer and other game along the way. It is said thnt 
even the preacher carried his gun, and was known on one or two oc- 
casions to ride to his lal)ors in a wagon, and after having preached a 
" powerful " sermon, to return home by way of a pile of clapboards 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 643 

that he had riveu and haul awaj a load. Probably the deed was hal- 
lowed by the day. Many of the men at that day attended meeting 
dressed in buckskin pantaloons and caps made of fawn skins or 'coon 
skins. 

The first practicing physician to locate in the western part of 
Greene county was Dr. Constantine Perkins, who lived in Boone town- 
ship, near where the town of Ash Grove now stands. He was the 
first physician that ministered to the fleshly ills of the people of 
Center township as a regular practitioner. Dr. Perkins' medicine 
chest contained no drug that would ward off the gold fever, and he 
was seized with that malady in 1850 and went to California, where he 
died some ten years later. 

IN THE CIVIL WAR. 

Center township saw a great deal of the civil war. When Gen. 
Lyon's troops first came into the county, in July, 1861, they en- 
camped in the southern part of this township for a time, as did 
Gen. McCulloch's Confederates after the battle of Wilson's creek. 

The township furnished men for both armies. Capt. Campbell got 
some of his best men from Center to go with him and fight for the 
South, and numbers of the good citizens put on the blue and did 
valiant service in the Union army. Capt. Redferan's company of 
militia, which was mostly composed of men from this township, did 
a great deal of service in this part of the State. 

In 1864, one Bob Akin, a Confederate bushwhacker, was killed by 
Capt. Redferan's company. Some time previously Akin and three or 
four others had captured Lieut. J. W. McDaniel and Mr, Squibbs 
and a wagon load of i)rovisions. At the same time they bushwhacked 
Capt. Redferan, wounding him severely. The bushwhackers released 
Squibbs upon his pledging himself not to tell what had become of 
Lieut. McDaniel. It was intended to kill McDaniel, l>ut the next 
day he was released, after being robbed of his clothing, etc. 

Capt. Redferan discovered that Bob Akin was one of the men that 
had bushwhacked him, and a few days afterward came upon him and 
shot and mortally wounded him. He had on McDaniel's coat at the 
time. McDaniel visited the wounded guerilla before he died. Akin 
said, " O, this is all right; everything is fair in this war. I would 
have killed Redferan if I could." He died in a day or two. 

Some time during the war a Confederate sympathizer named Bay- 
liss was called out and brutally murdered l)y a party of Federal 
militia. 



644 HISTOKV OF GREENE COUNTY. 

COUNTRY CHURCHES. 

Tatum Chapel — Miiisionary Baptist. — This church was organ- 
ized February 17, 1867. Some of the first members were James Mur- 
ra}', Thomas D. Murray, Samantha J. Murray, John L. Thompson, 
Green B. Robinson, Martha M. Frazier, John Turner, Nancy B. 
Turner, Mary W. Dehmey. They first met in a school house, and 
the present church building was erected in 1867. It has not yet 
been formally dedicated. It is a frame, 36x40 feet. Geo. W.White 
has been its pastor since its organization and Avas instrumental in its 
organization. 

They have a membership of 111. The deacons are J. A. Blan- 
chard, Samuel Frazier, John Turner, John M. Tatum and Dennis 
Kime. The church building is on section 4, township 29, range 23, 
near the head of Clear Creek. 

John's Ghajjel — Methodist, /South. — This church was organized 
at Stony Point, in 1875, by Ida Breeden, Mary Nicholson, Nancy 
Lower, M. Y, Wallace, John Neil and Martha White. They held 
the first services at a school house at Stony Point, and in 1878 
it was reorganized by the above named members and D. B. John- 
son, M. S. Squibb, Nicholson, R. T. John, S. E. John, M, 

V. Dire, L. M. Holland, Henrietta Bills, Lorinda Phillips, Eliza Ben- 
nett, Elvina White, M. M. Squibb, Rhoda Robinson, Breeden, 

T. H. Holland, B. R. Johnson, and Mrs. C. D. Johnson. Through 
the influence of R. T. John the present church was built, he giving 
over one-fourth of its cost. The church was named in his honor. 
It is a frame building, built in 1878, at a cost of one thousand dol- 
lars. It was dedicated in May, 1880, by Rev. J. L. Haegler, who is 
now the pastor. The pastors have been Revs. White, Ewing and 
Haegler. It has a membership of about sixty. The trustees are R. 
T. John, B. R. Johnson and J. J. Nicholson. The church building 
stands on section 5, township 29, range 24, near John's mill, on the 
Sac river. 

Yeakley (Jhapel — Methodist. — This church was organized in 1865, 
and is on section 19, township 29, range 22. Some of the first 
menjbers were A. A. Lawson, Mrs. Catharine Lawson, John Yeak- 
ley, Eliza Yeakle}^ J. N. Jones, Martha Jones, B. Johnson, Susan 
Johnson and J. C. Richardson. The building was erected in 1870. 
It is a frame 37x50 feet, and cost two thousand dollars. It was dedi-^ 
cated in 1870, by Rev. S. R. Reece. The pastors have been Revs. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 645 

Howell, J. J. Bentley, Smith, H. Gardner, B. F. Pool, E. E. 

Condo, Day, James M. Darby, S. Worner and A. A. Lawson, 

They have a membership of about sixty. The chapel was burned 
January 29, 1883. 

Stony Point — Baptist. — This church was organized March 30, 
1872, by Rev. George White, and is situated upon section 6, town- 
ship 29, range 24. The original members were Edward West and 
wife, Henry West, Sarah West, John Davis and wife, S. I. Davis, 
J. H. Hudgings, Mirah Hudgings, J. L. Powell and wife, C. F. Powell 
and Mary King. The building was begun in 1880 and finished in 
1882. It is a frame building 32x48 feet, costing near a thousand 
dolUirs. It is not yet dedicated. The pastors have been Revs. James 
Hill, George White, B. F. Meek, T. T. Eaton and C. F. Corum. 
Their present membership is about 110. The deacons are H. H. West 
and R. E. Hudgings. They have services the 3d Saturdays and Sun- 
days in each month. Except some small bills, the church is out of 
debt. 

Methodist JEJ2)iscopal Church, South. — Is located on section 4, 
township 29, range 23, at the head of Clear creek. It was organ- 
ized in Clear Creek school house, near where the church now stands, 
by John Frazier, P. C. Rev. George Winton was presiding elder at 
the time. C. C. W^right Avas next P. C. He was succeeded by T. D. 
Payne, Charley Jones and M. McAllister. The latter gentleman was 
in charge when the church was built. The original members were W. 
W. Brower, P. T. Prophet, D. A. Prophet, J. R. Grigg, Henry Mc- 
Allister, William Minor, J. R. Brower, Thomas Henlej^ J. J. Trough- 
den, John A. Minor, Silvester Blackwell, J. D. Brower and Peter 
Blackwell. The church is a frame building, erected in 1874, at a cost 
of twelve hundred dollars. It was dedicated April 16, 1880, by 
Thomas M. Cobb, presiding elder. The pastors of this church have 
been M. McAllister, T. D. Payne, Thomas Hill, Jesse Mitchell, H. M. 
White, Morris E. Ewing, J. L. Hegler, and Joseph King A\iis the 
presiding elder for 1882. The present membership is 111. 

Center M. E. Church. — This congregation, has, as 3^et, no place 
of worship of its own, but uses the Center school house, located on 
section 22, township 29, range 23. The church was organized in 1875, 
by members from Yeakley Chapel residing in this neighborhood, who 
found it inconvenient to attend longer at the chapel. The following 
were the original members: Samuel Wilson, Mrs. S. J. Wilson, Eliz- 
abeth Wilson, A. A. Lawson, Catherine Samson, Mary C. Lawson, 



646 HISTORY OP GREENE COUNTY. 

Charles J. Lawson, J. C. Richardson, Margaret Richardson, James K. 
Richardson, Geo. J. Wiley, Elizabeth Wiley, John H. Wiley, J. D. L. 
Wiley, Rufina Wiley, Ann Wiley, Wm. M. Bennett, Martha F. Bennett, 
Solomon Dale and Catherine Dale. The following are the names of 
pastors that have served since the organization : Rev. Mortland, Rev. 
Day, B. F. Pool, E. Conda, J. M. Darby and S. Warner. The pres- 
ent pastor is A. A. Lawson. The class leader for four years past 
has been Wm. M. Bennett. The congregation holds worship everj' 
Thursday evening and every Sabbath. The pastor preaches once a 
month. There is a Sabbath school connected with the church. The 
present membership is seventy-four. The organization expects soon 
to build a house of worship of its own. 

Missionary Baptist Church. — A church organized of the Mis- 
sionary Baptist denomination was formed November 13, 1880, and 
meets on section 29, range 24. The first members were Elder George 
Long, James Gray, Nancy J. Gray, John Williams, Susan Batsou, 
Nancy Ann Owens, Sarah Dillmyer, Mary Graves and Julia Melton. 
There is no church building, but the membership is thirty-three. The 
pastors have been George Long and Robert Long. 



BOIS D'ARC. 



The village of Bois D'Arc is situated in West Center Township. 
It is a station on the Gulf railroad, and the shipping point for a con- 
siderable area of territory in the Western part of the county. 

Bois D'Arc was founded by John Bymaster, who moved to the site 
in the spring of 1872, and purchased thereon six acres of land of Dr. 
W. C. Swinney. Formerly, for thirty years or more, there had been 
a post-office called Bois D'Arc (pronounced Bo-dark), a few miles to 
the southeast, near where Campbell station now is, in section 15, 
range 22, but in the year of Bymaster's settlement the office was re- 
moved to his house and he was appointed postmaster, which position 
he still holds. For the first four months of his official existence, Mr. 
Bymaster carried the mail to his office himself. Then he had a road 
laid out by his house and the stage traveled along the thoroughfare. 
The post-office department was notified, and the stage was compelled 
to leave the mail with Mr. Bymaster. 

The name Bois D'Arc is that given to the osajje orano;e hedsre 
trees. In 1844, Joseph Goodwin, who kept the old post-office, put 



HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 647 

out quite a length of hedge on his farm, and named the post-office 
Bois D'Arc. When the office was removed to its present site it was 
called New Bois D'Arc at first, to distinguish it from the old locality. 

In 1873 Mr. Bymaster built a storehouse and engaged in merchan- 
dising, in which business he is still engaged. The same year John 
Bayles built a house, and in 1874 John Roth put up a blacksmith shop 
and engaged in blacksmithing. These were the first buildings in Bois 
D'Arc. 

In 1878 the railroad came through and the Burnett's oave ten acres 
of land for a town site. Dr. Park and Mr. Bray purchased the ten 
acres from the railroad company and laid ofi" the town. To the energy 
and influence of Dr. Park more than to any other one man is due the 
prosperity of the place. 

At present (March, 1883), Bois D'Arc contains five stores that sell 
general merchandise ; two drug stores, two blacksmith and repair 
shops, one carpenter's shop, a shoe shop, a hotel, a Masonic and Odd 
Fellows' lodge, and one saloon. About 200 car loads of produce, 
chiefly wheat, are shipped from the station in a year, and the town 
does a trade of perhaps $75,000 in the same time. The village con- 
tains a Christian church organization, which meets a short distance 
from town, in a school house, where the children attend school. Ar- 
rangements are being made to erect both a church and a school house 
in the village this year. 

LODGES. 

Masonic. — Bois D'Arc Lodge, A. F. and A. M., was organized under 
dispensation Jan. 3, 1883, by C. C. Woods, M. W. G. M. The first 
members were E. T. Johns, J. L. Hoyal, Chas. A. Young, John Cotter, 
J. R. Morris, James C. Johnson, C. J. Johnson, Jesse Cotter, Lewis 
Tatum, Nathan Wilson and B. G. W. Jones. The first officers were 
R. T. Johns, W. M. ; J. L. Hoyal, Sen. W. ; Chas. A. Young, Jun. 
W. ; John Cotter, secretary; J. R. Morris, treasurer; James C. 
Johnson, sen. deacon; C. J. Johnson, jun. deacon, and Jesse L. 
Cotter, tiler. None of them are officers of the Grand Lodge. The 
number of present membership is twelve. They meet in a frame hall, 
built in April, 1882, at a cost of six hundred dollars. 

Odd Fellows. — Bois D'Arc Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 207, was insti- 
tuted by W. H. Woodard, R. W. G. M. The dispensation was issued 
April 27, 1882. The charter bears date May 19, 1882. The charter 
members were A. A. Lowdermilk, Fayette West, J. T. West, John 
Nicholson, Monroe Lower, James Leeper, T. J. Duncan. Some of the 



(j48 histoky of greene county. 

first officers were A. A. Lowdermilk, P. G. ; James Leeper, N. G. ; 
Fayette West, V. G. ; J. M. Cotter, Sec. ; J. T. West, Treas. The 
present officers are Jas. Leeper, P. G. ; R. II. Swiniiey, N. G. ; Monroe 
Lower, V. G. ; J. C. Freeman, Sec. ; James West, Treas. A. A. 
Lowdermilk is G. L. Dept. The lodge has no hall of its own. It 
meets in a hall built by the Masonic fraternity and by subscription. 
The present membership is 18. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JAMES M. BAKER. 

Mr. Baker is the son of Hamilton and Nancy (Haynie) Baker who were natives of Ten- 
nessee. James was born in MeMinn county, Tenn., Nov. '2d, 1851. In 1854 his parents 
moved to Greene county, Mo., where he grew to manhood, and received but a limited 
education. He has since lived in the county and owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty 
acres of land, besides property in Bois D'Arc. In 1881 he, in partnership with Mr. E. E. 
Hendrix engaged in merchandising at Bois D'Arc, to which place he moved his family in 
1882. He was married January 8th, 1870, to Miss Catherine, daughter of James and Sallie 
(Leeper) Harralson of this count}'. By this union they have three children, viz. : William, 
Ardelloand Walter E. Mr. Baker is one of the safe, reliable men of the county, and enjoys 
the confidence of all. 

WILLIAM M. BENNETT. 

This gentlemen is the son of Parminter M. and Sarah (Kelsy) Bennett, and was born in 
Cocke county, Tennessee, October 13th, 1840. His parents were natives of South Carolina, 
but emigrated to Tennessee in an early daj', and came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1844 
His mother died in 1870 and his father died in 1880. William grew to manhood in this 
county, and on the 2Gth of July, 18G2, enlisted in company A, 8th Missouri Cavalr}-, 
U. S. A., and served until the war closed. He was at the battles of Prairie Grove, Little 
Rock, Ashley Station, and numerous scouting and skirmishing expeditions. After the war 
he returned home and has since been engaged in farming. He owns a farm of ninety-five 
acres in Center township. He was married October 29th, 1865, to Miss Martha A., daughter 
of James W., and Susan C. (Bird) McSpadden of this county. Mrs. Bennett's father was a 
native of Tennessee, and her mother of Georgia. Her father was a soldier in 
the Mexican war, and in the civil war, was upon the Confederate side, and died from 
the effects of a wound received at luka, Mississippi. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have had 
a family of seven children, six living, viz.: Susan L., Henry W., Sarah C, Aurelia C, 
Mary O. and William I. Mr. Bennett and wife have been members of the Methodist 
church for sixteen j'ears, and he has been class-leader for four j'ears. 

NATHANIEL BETSON. 

This gentleman is the son of Robert and Mary (Mount) Betson, and was born in Clinton 
count}-, Ohio, December 20, 1821, His father was a native of New Jersey and his mother of 
Pennsylvania, in which State they were married. Nathaniel was the second of a familj' of 
eleven children, and when he was about three years of age his parents moved back to Greene 
county, Pa., where they remained until 1833, when they returned to Clinton county, Ohio. 
In the fall of 1840 the Betsons moved to Missouri, and located in Greene county, in the 
northern part of Pond Creek township. Nathaniel lived with his father until he was 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



649 



twenty-five vears of age and then he was married to Miss Nancy C, daughter of James and 
Jane (Stocliton) Hughes. She was born in Rhea county, Tennessee, November 14, 1829. 
When she was four years of age her parents moved to Alabama, and in 1844 they moved to 
Greene county, Missouri. Her father was a soldier in the Mexican War and also in the Union 
army in the civil war. He died from wounds received at the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. 
He served his country in two great wars, and at last met a soldier's death. Mr. Betson has 
always followed farming, and is one of the most successful and substantial farmers in Greene 
county. He owns a finely improved farm of five hundred and forty acres. He had four 
sons in the Union army, one of whom died in the service. Mr. and Mrs. Betson were blest 
with nine children, eight of whom are living, viz.: Mali na, Isaac, Abner B., James M., 
George W., Nathaniel L. H., Sarah L. G. and C. David. 

WILLIAM WALLACE BLACKMAN. 

Mr. Blackman is the son of Stephen and Matilda J. (Campbell) Blackman, and was born 
in Maury county, Tennessee, December 28th, 1831, and came with his parents to Greene 
county, Missouri, in 1835. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and his grandfather - 
upon his mother's side was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in the army at New 
Orleans. His father entered the land now used as a race track near Springfield. He died 
March 18th, 1870 and his wife died December 18th, 1870. William grew to manhood in 
this county, and in 1852 he went to California with a drove of cattle. He remained there 
two years, working and trading. He returned home in 1854 via Lake Nicaragua, landing 
at New Orleans, having saved twenty-five hundred dollars. In 1857 he took a drove of cat- 
tle across to California upon his own account, and returned the same year, coming, via 
Isthmus of Panama and landing at New York with seven thousand dollars. He then began 
farming and stock dealing in this county, andivt the beginning of the civil war was worth 
twenty-five thousand dollars. June 17th, 1861 he enlisted in Captain Campbell's company 
of cavalry, Confederate service, and served until the war closed. At Wilson's Creek he 
was a guide for General Rains on that memorable battlefield. After the battle at Pea 
Ridge he was transferred east of the Mississippi to Corinth, and in 1862 Major Campbell was 
sent with seventy-five men into this section to recruit a regiment. They succeeded and Mr. 
Blackman was with that regiment at the battles of Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Poison Spring, 
Jenkin's Ferry and Pilot Knob. He was desperately wounded in September, 1864, being 
shot in the head at the ear, and the bullet is still in his head in the back part near the base 
of the brain. He also carries a ball m his leg which broke the bone, and has never been 
extracted. It was eleven days before he could get his wounds dressed, as the surgeons 
thought it would hasten his death. But they finally dressed them and he began to mend at once. 
When the Confederates left, he was taken prisoner by the Federals and sent to the Alton 
penitentiary, and afterward was exchanged at Richmond, Virginia, and sent to Mobile, and 
then to Jackson, Mississippi. When the war closed he went to Texas, where he remained 
until 1869 and then returned to Greene county. He found his affairs in a bad plight and 
himself about twenty-five hundred dollars in debt. He set about to retrieve his fallen 
fortunes in which he has succeeded well. He has a large farm well stocked and an elegant 
residence. He was married October 29th, 1866, to Miss Julia, daughter of Madison and 
Margaret S. ( Davidson) Fanning of Titus county, Texas. They are blest with three chil- 
dren. Mr. Blackman is a member of the Christian church. 

PETER BLACKWELL. 

Mr. Blackwell is the son of Sylvester and Martha (Gregg) Blackwell, and was born in 
Polk county, Tennessee, January 20th, 1839. In 1846 his parents moved to McMinn county. 
His father was a justice of the peace and colonel of the militia. Peter came to Greene 
county, Missouri, in 1855, and in 1857 he went to Kansas where he lived until 1865. He 
served during a portion of the war with the Kansas State troops, and since 1865 he resided 



650 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

in this county engaged in farming. He has been a member of the A. F. and A. M. since 
1805, and for twelve years has been a member of the M. E. Church South. Mr. Blackwell 
owns a good farm of one hundred and forty-two acres. He was married in 1860 to Miss 
Frances J., daughter of Edmund and Mary (Fra/.ier) Hart, of Allen county, Kansas, for- 
med}' of Illinois. By this union there are four children living, viz.: Julia A., Laura E., 
Edmund S. and Mary L. Mrs. Blackwell died November 27, 1879. Mr. Blackwell was mar- 
ried the second time, October 28th, 1880, to Mrs. Mary Grubbs, daughter of Galon and 
Kebecca (Tatum) Johnson, of Geene county, Missouri. Their union has been blest with one 
son, Walter M. Mrs. Blackwell had two children by her former husband, Lewis A. and 
Annie May. Mr. Grubbs died in 1877. 

SYLVESTER BLACKWELL. 

This gentleman is the son of Peter and Lydia (Padget) Blackwell, and was born in Ruther- 
ford county, North Carolina, November 14, 1810. Both his grandfathers were Revolution- 
ary soldiers One of them, Blackwell, was at the battle of Cowpens. Sylvester Blackwell 
was born within four miles of the battle ground. In 1828 his parents moved to McMinn 
county, Tennessee, where he grew to manhood. He was a farmer and blacksmith, and 
was quite a prominent citizen there, having held the office of justice of the peace four years, 
and being colonel of a regiment of State militia. In 1855 he moved to Greene county, Mis- 
souri, and in 1863 moved to the farm where he now resides. He has been twice married, 
the first time to Miss Martha, daughter of Joel and Eunice Grigg, of McMinn county, Ten- 
nessee. They had by that union fourteen children. Mrs. Blackwell died August 27, 1876, 
and he was married the second time to Mrs. Boyd, widow of the late Col. Marcus Boyd. 
She was a Miss Price, daughter of Crabtree and L. Price, natives of Virginia, who came to 
Greene county in 1836. Mr. Blackwell had one son in the Federal and one in the Confed- 
erate army. He has been a member of the M. E. Church South, since he was nineteen years 
of age, and is regarded as one of the most upright citizens of the county. 

JOHN A. BLANCHARD. 

This gentleman is the son of Henry H. and Mary W. (Patton) Blanchard, and was born in 
Logan count}', Kentucky, December 7, 1836. In 1839 his parents moved to Greene county, 
Missouri, and settled upon Leeper Prairie, where John grew to manhood. When he was 
twenty j'eurs of age he began teaching school and followed that in connection with farming 
until 1874. In 1861 he enlisted in Capt. Campbell's company of Missouri State Guards as 
orderly sergeant, and was at the battles of Dug Spring and Wilson's Creek. At the expira- 
tion of his term of enlistment he was taken with typhoid fever, which disabled him for 
further service at the time. In February, 1862, he and his father started South in the rear 
of Price's army. They were overtaken upon the 12th of that month by Federal troops, 
who took his father out of the wagon and killed him. He was sick in the wagon at the 
time. He returned home with his father's body, and in 1863 moved to Boone count}-, Mis- 
souri, where he remained until 1865. He then returned to this county, where he has re- 
mained ever since. He has been justice of the peace, and was county recorder from 1874 to 
1878. Mr. Blanchard is a Mason, and a deacon and clerk of the Baptist church, of which he 
has been a member for twenty-seven years. In 1865 he only had a wagon and team, and he 
now owns a finely improved farm of one hundred and eighty acres. He was married Sep- 
tember 17, 1863, to Miss Cordelia D., daughter of Lewis F. and Sarah (Robinson) Tatum, 
of this county. 

FRANK C. BOBBITT 

Is a son of John and Amanda Bobbitt, and was born in Grayson county, Virginia, August 
25, 1856. His father was a blacksmith by trade, and Frank worked with him, learning that 
trade in his father's shop, and has followed that vocation all his life. From 1875 to 1879, 
he worked at his calling in Ohio and Kentucky, and in the latter year came to Greene 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 651 

county, Missouri, working at his trade in Ash Grove and for the railroad company. He 
located in Bois D' Arc in 1882, where he does a flourishing business in his line. Mr. Bobbitt 
was married in 1879 (March 2d) to Miss Lizzie Alexandre, of Lincoln county, Kentucky. 
They have two children, one boy and one girl, named Rosa B., and John. Mr. B. is a man 
well thought of by the people of the community, and is a reliable and trustworthy citizen. 

JOHN J. BROWN, M. D. 

Dr. Brown is a son of John and Ellen {nee Henderson) Brown, both of his parents being 
natives of Virginia. He was born in Rockcastle county, Kentucky, February 5, 1847, and 
grew up in his native county, receiving his education in St. Mary's College and the Uni- 
versity of Kentucky. Early in life he began the study of medicine. In 1866 and 1867 he 
attended the medical college at Cincinnati, Ohio, and on leaving there began the practice at 
Mt. Vernon, near where he was born. In 187-5, he entered the medical department of the 
State Universit;% returning to Mt. Vernon and resuming his old practice after he took his 
degree of M. D. in 1876. He was appointed the same year by Got. McCrary to serve as 
official examiner for the fifteenth district, to pass upon applicants who desired to practice 
medicine before graduating from a chartered college of medicine. For eight years Dr. 
Brown filled the office of county school commissioner in his native county. He was married 
December 15, 1867, to Miss Mollie E. Snodgrass, a native of the same county as himself. 
They have seven children, all living at this writing. In the fall of 1882, Dr. Brown came 
to Green county, locating at Bois D'Arc. So well-informed and experienced a physician 
will, doubtless, win for himself that full share of the professional practice which his abil- 
ity and general fitness so fully merit. 

ROLLA CARTER. 

Mr. Carter is the son of Caleb' and Nancy (Ferguson) Carter, and was born in Monroe 
county, Tennessee, in- 1830. His father was a native of Virginia, and his mother of Tennes- 
see. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1833 his parents moved to 
Greene county, Missouri, and were aniong the early pioneers of this country. His father 
waa a blacksmith by trade and had his shop where RoUa now lives. There being no shop 
near him, he did the work for a space of country extending twenty-five or thirty miles 
from home. During the war RoUa served in Captain Redferan's company of miltia about 
a year. Mr. Carter was married in 1850 to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen and 
Sarah Darrell, of this county. Her parents were from Indiana, and were among the first 
settlers of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Carter were blessed with thirteen children, nine 
of whom are still living. Mr. Carter is one of the most substantial citizens of Center 
township, owning over five hundred acres of land. 

THOMAS J. DUNCAN. 

Mr. Duncan is the son of James and Elizabeth (Yeakle) Duncan, and was born in 
Greene county, Tennessee, March 28, 1848. His parents were natives of that county, and 
his grandfathers upon both sides were soldiers in the war of 1812. In 1863, before he was 
fifteen years of age, he enlisted in company E, 4th Tennessee regiment, infantry, and at the 
battle of McMinnville, Tenn., was taken prisoner by General Wheeler. He was paroled 
and in the spring of 1864 was exchanged and served through the war. He was at the battles 
ot Knoxville and Warm Springs. He learned the blacksmith trade after the war and 
worked at it in Tennessee until 187*;, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and located 
at Bois D'Arc, where he has since carried on his trade, and is doing a flourishing business. 
He owns a nice property in town, and is ©ne of the charter members of Bois D'Arc Lodge, I. 
O. O. F. Mr. Duncan was married February 9, 1871, to Miss Mattie J., daughter of Wil- 
liam and Mary (Lowdermilk) Chapman, of Greene county, Tennessee. Their union has 
been blest with four children, viz. : Annie B., John H., Bessie A., and Freddie W. Mr 
Duncan is a good, substantial citizen and respected by all. 



^52 , HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

WILLIAM J. FRAZIER. 

This gentlennui is the son of Hon. Franklin T. and Maria J. (Crawford) Frazier, and 
was born in Henr}- county, Tennessee, September 22, 1838. His parents moved to Greeno 
county, Missouri, in 1847, where William grew to manhood upon the farm. In 1861 he en- 
listed in Captain Campbell's company of Missouri State Guards, and was at the battle of 
Dug Spring and Wilson's Creek, and was slightly wounded at the former engagement. He 
served out his term of enlistment, and, as his health failed, he did not enter the regular Con- 
federate service, but went with his father to Texas, and stayed until 1865, when they came 
back to this State, and in 1866 they returned to Greene county. Since the war Mr. Frazier has 
been engaged in farming, and is a prosperous, substantial citizen. He has been both justice 
of the peace and constable. He is a Mason, and has been a member of tlie Baptist church 
six years. He was married July 27, 1863, to Miss Martha, daughter of Greenberry and 
Prudence (Tatum) Kobinson, of this county. Their union has been blest with two children, 
George T., and William F. 

JAMES K. GRAY. 

Mr. Gray is the son of John and Sallie ( Whinrey) Gray, and was born in Greene county, 
Tennessee, December 12, 1827. His parents were natives of that State, and his maternal 
grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. James K. grew to manhood upon the farm iu 
his native State, and has always followed farming. He moved to Greene county, Missouri, 
in 1850, and in 1858 he came to the place where he now resides. During the war he served 
for some time in Captain Redferan's company of militia. He owns a well improved farm 
of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Gray was married March 17, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth, 
daughter of James and Jane Johnson, of this county. By this union they had three 
children, one of whom, Sarah J., is still living. Mrs. Gray died November 16, 1858, and 
upon the 11th of August, 1859, he was married the second time to Miss Nancy J., daughter 
of Edward and Elizabeth West, also of this county. Her parents were among the pioneers 
of this county, and were natives of Tennessee. Her grandfather was a soldier in the war 
of 1812. Their marriage has been blessed with seven children, John E., Julia A., deceased, 
Elizabeth, James H., Noel, George W., and Louisa C. Mr. Gray has been a member of 
the Baptist church twenty-five years. 

JAMES HARRALSON. 

The subject of this sketch is the son of William and Catharine (Wills) Harralson, his 
father being one of the pioneers of Greene county, coming as early as 1837, when there were 
but five other families in what is now Center township. The father, William, was a native 
of North Carolina, born June 22, 1784. He moved to Tennessee in an early day, and 
soon afterwards served through the war of 1812. He died December 16, 1882, aged ninety- 
eight years. James Harralson's grandfather served through the revolution of 1776, and 
James^has'a relic — a candle-stick — that his ancestor captured when Charleston was taken. 
James, with whom this sketch has particularly to deal, was born in Monroe county, Tenn., 
December 16, 1823. He came with his parents to Greene county in 1837, and they settled 
on the land where he resides at this writing. He attended the first school taught in that 
part of the county, remaining in Greene till 1856, when he moved to Laclede county. Mo., 
and there resided till 1863. He then returned to Greene county, and has ever since resided 
here, chiefly engaged in farming. He lost his personal property by the war, but retained 
his land. At this writing he owns 600 acres of land, and has given 400 acres to his children. 
Mr. Harralson wasl'married August 9, 1849, to Miss Sarah Leeper, of the pioneer family of 
that name, in Greene county. She died .June 9, 1876, and he was again married March 31, 
1878, to Mrs. E. S. Hughes, a daughter of William and Susan McClure, who came to Greene 
in 1837, from Tennessee. By his first marriage Mr. H. had six children, five of whom are 
living. Mr. H. ranks as. one of the best citizens and most substantial farmers of the 
countv. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 653 



ELI E. HENDRIX. 



His parents were Nicholas and Sarah Ann (White) Hendrix, both natives of Tennessee. 
Eli, was born in Greene county, Tennessee, March 9, 1853. He came with his father's family 
to Kentucky in 1856, but they all moved back in 1860, remaining till 1872, when Eli came 
to Greene county, Mo., where he iias since resided. Farming was his principal calling till 
early in 1881, when he began merchandising in Bois D'Arc. Mr. Hendrix married Decem- 
ber 24, 1876, his wife being Miss Nancy, daughter of Merideth and Eliza Jane Redfearn, old 
settlers of Greene county. Mr. and Mrs. H. have had three children, — Sarah Ann, Wil- 
liam, and Maude J. Mr. Hendrix, besides his residence in Bois D 'Arc, owns a farm of 
103 acres, and other property, most of which he has accumulated by his own energy and in- 
dustry. 

JESSE L. HOYAL. 

Mr. Hoyal's parents were David and Margaret J. Hoyal, both natives of Tennessee. 
Jesse was born in Roane county, Tenn., June 24, 1846. In 1858 his parents moved to Law- 
rence county, Mo., where they continued till 1863, when they removed to Randolph county. 
There they remained but a short time, removing next to Cooper county, Mo., where thev 
remained till the civil war closed. The family then moved back to Lawrence county, where 
the elder (David R. Ho3'al)was soon afterwards killed, shot by some unknown assassin as Mr. 
H. was on his way to the barn. Jesse then spent a year on the plains, and, in 1868, located in 
Greene county, and engaged in farming and mule trading, buying mules and driving to the 
Southern markets. He also bought and shipped wheat, and that latter still continues 
to be his business in part, — he shipping over 150 car loads per year. He owns a fine farm of 
200 acres, and also owns property in Springfield, all of which he has accumulated by his own 
etforts. Mr. Hoyal was married June 4, 1868, to Laura, daughter of A. and Susannah Leeper, 
of Greene count}'. They have had five children, three* of whom still survive. Mr. H. is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, and also belongs to the Methodist church. He is a citi- 
zen in whose trustworthiness all who know him have confidence. 

MELVIN S. HOYAL. 

Mr. Hoyal is the son of David R. and Margaret E. Hoyal, and was born in Roane county, 
Tennessee, October 29, 1844. In 1860 his parents moved to Lawrence countv, Missouri, 
and in 1863 Melvin enlisted in the Confederate army and served until the end of the war. 
He spent the years 1865 and 1866 in Colorado, Montana, and Dakota. He then came to this 
county and engaged in farming until 1879, when he went to Bois D'Arc and embarked in 
the mercantile business, under the firm name of Bymaster & Ho3-al. In the spring of 1882 
he became one of the firm of Hoyal, Redfearn & Johnson, the leading house of the place. 
Mr. Hoyal was married in 1866 to Miss Harriet E., daughter of Josiah F. and Lucy R. Red- 
fearn, of Greene county. Their union has been blest with five children, four of whom are 
still living; Addie C, Leonidas S., Olive and Lucy. Mrs. Hoyal's parents were natives of 
Tennessee, and among the pioneers of Greene county. 

WILLIAM D. JOHNSON 

Mr. Johnson is a son of Barton and Susannah {nee Home) Johnson, both natives of Ten- 
nessee. The family moved to Greene county, this State, in 1839, where William D. was 
born, April 19th, 1850. He was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools, 
and for some time followed the vocation of farming himself. In 1882, however, he engaged 
in the mercantile business at Bois D'Arc, as a member of the firm of Hoyal, Redfearn & 
Johnson, one of the livliest business houses in the county. Mr. Johnson was married Sep- 
tember 12th, 1870, to Miss Eliza, daughter of Jefi'erson and Hannah Grantham, of Greene 
county. They have had six children, five of whom survive at this writing, named : Estella 
v., James C, William F., Maggie M., and Pearla. Mr. Johnson is a live young business 
man, and has the entire confidence of his neighbors and patrons. 



654 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



BENJAMIN K. JOHNSON 



Was born in Greene county, Tennessee, September 1, 1824. His parents were Benjamin 
and Mary Johnson, tlie former a native of South Carolina, and the latter of Virginia. Ben- 
jamin, jr.'s, fother was a great hunter, and achieved quite a reputation for sports of the chase 
in Tennesse*. He came with his family to Greene county Missouri, in 1841, and settled where 
the subject of this sketch still resides, in Center township, where he lived till his decease in 
1867. His wife, the mother of Benjamin R., also died in this county the toUowing year. 
Benjamin was tlien seventeen years old when he came with his parents to this county, which 
has been his home ever since, with the exception of a short time spent in Dade county. In 
1862, he enlisted on the Union side for the civil war inCapt. Redfearn's company, 44th State 
Militia, and was in active service for two years, doing duty all over Southwest Missouri, and 
participating in a number of fights and skirmishes. He held the rank of sergeant. Mr. 
Johnson was married October 6, 1846, to Miss Celia D., daughter of L. and Millie Morris, 
natives ot Tennessee. Mrs. J.'s mother had died when she was an infant, and a Mr. Douglas 
adopted and reared her. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of twelve children, of whom 
there are livinc' at this writing: James W., Susan J., Martha C, Catherine H., Benjamin, 
Alexander S., Joseph R., and Emma D. Mr. .lohnson owns a fine farm of 250 acres, besides 
the liberal o'ifts made to his married children. He has been a consistent member, for over 
forty years, of the Methodist church in which he has filled many official positions. Heisre- 
"•arded as one of the most substantial farmers of that part of Greene county, 

ROBERT T. JOHNS. 

This gentleman is the son of William and Martha (Robinson) Johns, natives of Tennessee, 
who came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1844. Robert was born in Robertson county, Ten- 
nessee March 4, 1838. He grew to manhood here in this county, receiving such education 
as the schools of the county afforded. At the age of seventeen, he commenced to work at 
milling. His father built a mill in 1855, near where the Johns Bros.'s mill now stands. He 
has since followed milling and farming, building his mill in 1872. Mr. Johns was marriefi 
December 2'i, 1860, to Miss Sarah E. Wallace, daughter of Prior and Martha D. (Neil) Wal- 
lace, of this county. Her parents were natives of Tennessee. Their union has been blest 
with five children, all living, viz. : Montzell, Mary O., Belle R., Ida L., and Stella J. Mr. 
Johns has been a liberal patron of the religious denomination to which he belongs, the M. E. 
Church South, giving about one-fourth the cost of the church building named in his honor 
in his neighborhood. He has been an active member of the Methodist church for eighteen 
years, and is a member of the Masonic fraternit}'. He owns over three hundred acres of land, 
besides his milling property. No man in the county enjoj'S the confidence of his neighbors 
to a greater extent than Robert T. Johns. 

MOSES A. KIRKHAM. 

Mr. Kirkham is the son of Moses A. and Elizabeth (Warren) Kirkham, and was born in 
Davis county, Iowa, June 27, 1861. His lather was a native of Ohio, and his mother of Ken- 
tucky. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his father was an Indian agent. 
His father moved to Kansas in 1857, and was the nearest neighbor of John Brown, and also 
took an active part with Brown in the Kansas troubles. When Moses was about flteen years 
ofao'e he started out for himself and learned the plasterer's and bricklayer's trade. Since 
then he has worked at his trade in Kansas, Iowa, Texas, and Missouri. During the year 
1876 he mined for lead at Galena, Kansas. In 1881, he moved to Springfield, and in 1882, 
he went to Bois D'Arc, where he now resides and works at his trade, and is proprietor of the 
Bois D'Arc hotel. He was married November 20, 1870, to MissLucinda, daughter of Squire 
and Lucinda (Hawkins) Owens, of Franklin county, Kansas. Their union has been blest 
with four children, three of whom are now living, viz. : Geneva, Tyrena, and Pearl. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 655 

JENNINGS W. LAJUBETH. 

Mr. Lambeth is asonof Josiah and Rebecca Lambeth, and was born in Guilford county, 
North Carolina, May 8th 1842. He was left an orphan when but three years old, and was 
reared by his grandmother, and received his education at the Monticello Academy, of his 
native State. At the age of twenty, in the spring of 186U, he enlisted for the Confederate 
service in the Second N. C. Cavalry, but was transferred the following fall to Gen. Lee's 
command, and served under Stewart and Hampden till the close of the war. He partici- 
pated in the battles of Newberne, Culpepper, Fredricksburg, and all other important 
movements of that active army. He was once seriously wounded, and disabled for ten 
months, and was subsequently captured, just before the surrender. Returning home after 
the war, he went to Henderson, Texas, and engaged in merchandising. In 1868, he went 
to Montgomery county, and there married Miss Julia Bymaster. Removing thence to 
Lebanon, Mo., he was engaged as engineer in locating the "Frisco" R. R. to Springfield. 

In 1870 he moved to Christian count}', Mo., and engaged in farming and stock raising till 
1882, when he sold out and came to Bois D'Arc, this county, and began merchandising 
with John Bymaster. Mr. Lambeth is the father of four children, two of whom — Virgil 
C. and Fannie O. — are still living at this writing. He is a consistent member of the Chris- 
tian church. 

AARON NUTT. 

Mr. Nutt is the son of Moses and Catherine (Haley) Nutt, and was born in Burlington 
county, New Jersey, Feb. 22nd, 1810. His father was a soldier in;. the war of 1812. His 
parents moved to Pennsylvania, and in 1822 they moved to Clermont county, Ohio. 
When Aaron was about fourteen years of age his father was killed by the falling of a tree 
while chopping in the woods. Aaron was then bound out and learned the blacksmith's 
trade. In 1831 he worked at his trade at^Cincinnati, and for about two years followed steam- 
boating. In 1836 he went to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and worked at his trade. In 1838 he went 
to the Choctaw Nation, where he followed his trade until 1852, and was said to be the best 
blacksmith in the nation. In 1852 he came to Springfield, Mo., and went to work for Maupin 
& x'erkins. He was soon made foreman and held the position two years, and then carried on 
a shop for himself. In 1857 he moved out upon the farm where he now resides, and is one of 
Greene's most substantial citizens. He was one of the charter members of the first Odd Fel- 
low's Society in this county. Mr. Nutt was mai-ried Jan. 11th, 1853, to Miss C. Blackman, 
daughter of Stephen and Matilda (Campbell) Blackman. Their union has been blest with 
eight children, five of whom are now living, viz. : Stephen R., Kate, Lizzie, Lucy and 
Moses. His first wife died in 1871, and in 1876 he was again married, to Miss Nannie Ham- 
monds. 

JOHN W. McDANIEL. 

Mr. McDaniel is the son of William and Sarah A. (Blades) McDaniel, and was born in 
Greene county, Mo., March 21, 1839. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and his 
grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father was one of the pioneers of Greene 
county, and when he settled in Pond Creek township, there was but one other family, that 
of David Reynolds, in that part of the county. John W. grew to manhood upon the farm 
and has always followed that occupation, being very successful and owning two well im- 
proved farms, and a half interest in a tract of mining land. In 1861 he enlisted in Phelp's 
regiment and served out his time of six months, and at the organization of Capt. Redferau's 
company of militia, in 1862, he was appointed first lieutenant, and was afterward pro- 
moted captain, serving with that rank until the end of the war, doing eflicient service for 
the government in Southwest Missouri, in scouting, etc. He is a member of the Methodist 
church, and is one of Center's best citizens. He was married July 3, 1866, to Miss Sarah 
Virginia C, daughter of Silas and Jane Ray, of this county, formerly of Tennessee. Their 
union has been blest with eight children, five of whom are living, Hannah A., Amanda E. 
Jesse O., Dora A. and Mary B. 



fi56 HISTOIiY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

JAMES T. McKIBBEN. 

Mr. McKibben was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in December, 1824. His father, 
Joseph McKibben, moved with iiis wife and child in 1824, settling in IJichland county, Ohio, 
where he "cleared" anew farm in a newly and sparsely settled district. With willing; 
hands the "new comers" (other families besides his own being so styled by first comers) 
made fences, built houses, opened shops, and organized schools and churches. In this new 
and active community, Mr. McKibben grew up, receiving his education in the home circle, 
on the farm and in the public school. There were eight other children in the family, all 
girls and all younger than J. T. His help was needed on the farm, and he cheerfully gave 
it till he went to attend school at Oberlin, in 1847. From an article written by Mr. E. M- 
Leonard, it appears that Mr. McKibben spent two years at Oberlin the first time, then taught 
two years, and then, in 1851, made a fourteen months' tour in the West. Returning to his 
father's farm, he assisted him till the spring of 1854, when he returned to Oberlin, took the 
course and graduated from the commercial college, in the meantime studying law. In the 
fall he went back to assist his father, but returned to Oberlin the following spring, and con- 
tinued his study of law. In the fall of 1855, he married Nancy M., daughter of Stephen and 
Lydia Potter, of Cortland county, N. Y. They remained in New York till 1863, when 
they came to his father's, in Ohio, and spent the winter with him on the farm, the last that 
he (the father) spent on the farm. His father has since died in Ohio. In 1864 Mr. McKib- 
ben took a flock of sheep to Iowa for another man, and in 1865 took out a flock, part of which 
were his own. He wintered in Iowa, and in 1866 came to Missouri, stopping at Osceola till 
the fall of 1867, when he drove his sheep to Greene county and let them out "on shares " to 
S.F.Gibson. He then improved a farm on a tract of railroad land on Grand Prairie, on 
which he still continues to reside. He joined the Presbyterian church in Springfield, and 
also the Patrons of Husbandry and Brothers of Freedom. He has held the most important 
offices in his subordidate grange and also in the county grange. His health failing in early 
life caused him to become a " vegetarian " and diets himself accordingly on the hygenic sys- 
tem. He neither drinks, uses tobacco, nor takes medicine. Mr. McKibben has no use for 
Pharisaical religion, but believes in the religion of right doing vs. wrong doing, because it 
is right — believes in a religion of action, not merely of profession. In politics he is inde- 
piMident, and opposed on principle to monopolies in general and government favors to pet 
corporations. In appearance Mr. McKibben is a man of medium build, height and weight, 
of the blonde type, and is some overlooking now than the portrait we publish would indi- 
cate. The following is quoted from a delineation given by Prof. Sanford in 1849 : — 

" J. T. McKibben has a predominance of the mental motive temperament, with the vital 
moderately indicated. His constitution is naturally strong with more than ordinary powers 
of endurance. He has a fondness fur the grand, the sublime and the ideal in nature and art. 
He has a taste for the exquisite and the embellished, and is fond of painting, drawing and 
the fine arts. He is original, and with application, might almost excel as an inventor and 
mechanic. He is disposed to examine, search out, and investigate. Is fond of order, system 
and refinement, and compares and analj'zes to advantage. He is benevolent, humane, kind 
in disposition, and wishes to benefit those around him." 

MRS. NANCY" M. McKIBBEN. 

This lady was born at Solon, Cortland county. New York, in the year 1820. Her ancestors 
were Quakers, who came from Europe at an early day, and were probably in the Penn 
colony. Her parents, Stephen and Lydia Potter, were natives of Washington county. New 
York, where they were born in 1776, and were afterwards married. They removed as early 
as 1800 to Cortland county, and were among the pioneers of that section. Here they made 
a home and lived in this new country till they had reared to majority five sons and six 
daughters. The Potters dropped the Quaker religion and became Baptists, being charter 
members of the first church organized in that region, and their latch string always hung out 
to the itinerant preacher, the only kind then known thereabouts. Educational advantages 




A€^^J^^^ 



' 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 657 

were limited. Schools were of the primitive kind, and as people then raised, spun, wove, 
and made-up their own clothing material, the time of both boys and girls was demanded 
largely at home, to the necessary neglect of the schools. Notwithstanding these disad- 
vantages, seven of the Potter family became school teachers, the oldest son finally becoming 
eminent as a Baptist minister. Still another son became an eminent physician and medical 
author. The subject of this sketch was the tenth child, and began teaching at the age 
of seventeen, and taught her first school in her native town. For this labor she received the 
astounding sum of seventy cents per week, and " boarded round! " On becoming more ex- 
perienced, her salary was actually' raised to one dollar per' week ! As late as 1845, she taught 
in her native town for the last named price per week. Her higher education was acquired 
at the academies of Courthind and Courtlandville (two different institutions in the same 
county), and teaching in the intervals of her attendance. She gave up the principalship of 
the Union Schools at McGrawville to care for her aged father in his decline, who died in 
February, 1849. After next teaching a select school, she secured a position in Elmira 
Female Academy, where she taught and studied two terms. In the summer of 1850, she 
opened a female seminary in Penn Yan, but abandoned that enterprise to care for her aged 
and infirm mother till her death in 1851. In the spring of 1851 she began teaching as the 
principal of Syracuse Female Seminary, continuing till the winter of 1852-3. She entered 
Oberlin College, Oliio, the following fall, in which institution she remained till the fall of 
1855, studying Greek and Latin, while herself teaching the higher English branches. In 
November of that year she married Mr. J. T. McKibben, a former student of Oberiin. Mrs. 
McKibben continued teaching in Oberlin till 1864, when she accompanied her husband on 
his tour to Iowa and Missouri, finally locating with him in Greene county. [See Biog. of 
J. T. McKibben.] Here her time and attention were taken up in the discharge of duties 
incident to the opening of a new farm, in which she took great interest. Still attached to 
her former vocation, in 1878, 1880 and 1882, she again taught in the intervals of her other 
duties. On account, however, of a partial deafness, she was forced to abandon teaching, 
and has since given close attention to her household duties. Though still she visits schools 
and writes and canvasses for educational journals in her spare time. Mrs. McKibben is a 
member of the Calvary Presbyterian church of Springfield, and is a member of the order of 
Patrons of Husbandrj-. In early lite — at the age of fifteen — she had connected herself 
with the Baptist church. She took great interest in Sabbath schools and missionary enter- 
prises, organizing such schools, societies and benevolent institutions, and was often selected 
to write essaj's on anniversary occasions of missionary societies. Since joining the P. of H. 
she has held important oflices in the subordinate and county grange. She was elected sec- 
retary of Springfield district grange in 1878, and has held that position for five consecutive 
terms. In 1880 she was chosen lecturer by the last named grange, and also deputy of 
Greene countjs and was recommissioned for the same in 1881. In 1879-80, she was dele- 
gate to the State Grange, at each session of which she delivered an address. She has de- 
livered many addresses at grange meetings, picnics, Farmers' alliance meetings, etc., always 
with a view of benefiting her race. Want of space forbids the extended mention, together 
with quotations from many favorable press comments, that Mrs. McKibben has received 
and so justly deserves. She has studied well the laws of correct living, and has put her 
hygienic theories into beneficiary practice. This has made her a woman of great physical 
endurance and mental activity, and it is a remarkable fact that during a life of forty-five 
years as student and teacher, she never lost a day on account of sickness ! The winter of her 
sixtieth year, this remarkable woman taught a school two and a half miles from home, to 
which she walked back and forth every school day for four months, aggregating a distance 
of 400 miles, at the same time doing her own housework, including laundrj'! Taken all 
and all, this lady is one of the most decided characters in Greene county ; and her 
many labors of love in the cause of human elevation, will be remembered here and 
hereafter. 

42 



658 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

AMOS G. MOUNT. 

This gentleman is the son of Amos and Charlotta (Woodsmall) Mount, and was born in 
Oldham county, Ky., May 17, 1841. He was educated in the common schools of his vicinity, 
and grew to manhood upon the farm. In October, 1861, he enlisted in company B, 6th Ken- 
tucky regiment, infantry, U. S. A., and participated in the battles of Shiloh, Murfreesbor- 
ough, and Woodbury, Tenn. January, 1863, he was severely wounded in the right arm, 
breaking the bone and disabling him for active service for some time. After his wound 
healed he returned to his regiment and served until his three j-ears' term of service had ex- 
pired, and was discharged at Nashville in October, 1864. He then returned to Kentucky, 
and in 1865 he came to Scotland county, Missouri, and in 1868 he came to Greene county, 
where he has since resided and followed farming, owning two farms of 100 acres each. He 
has been a Mason since 1865, and a member of the Baptist church since 1858. In 1869 Mr. 
Mount was married to Miss Ellen Hacker, of this county. She died December 25, 1870, and 
November 3, 1872, he was married the second time to Mrs. Kate Frazier, nee Tatum, daugh- 
ter of Lewis F. and Sarah (Robinson) Tatum, of this county. She was born in 1846 and 
has never eaten a Christmas dinner outside of her father's house. She was first married to 
Samuel Frazier, who died ten months thereafter. Mr. and Mrs. Mount are blessed with three 
children, Frank C, Sallie C, and Amos L. 

PLEASANT T. PROPHET. 

The subject of this sketch is a son of Arnton and Jemima (Brigham) Prophet, and was 
born in McMinn county, Tennessee, August 31, 1835, where he continued to reside till 1852, 
Avhen he moved with' his parents to Greene county, Missouri, and settled at the head of 
Clear creek. Here he engaged in farming till 1881, when he sold his farm and embarked in 
the mercantile business at Bois D 'Arc, of which place he is one of the leading business men, 
as well as a highly respected citizen. He joined the M. E. Church South, at twelve years of 
age, and has constantl}^ adhered to the faith since then, filling creditably the several func- 
tions of steward, secretary, class-leader, and trustee of the church. He was one of the orig- 
inal members in the organization of the church on Clear creek. He was married in 1858, to 
Miss Nancy Barrett, of Greene county. She died in 1862, having had two children, one — 
Sarah J. — still survives her. Mr. Prophet was a second time married in 1868, to Miss Black- 
well, daughter of Sylvester and Martha Blackwell, of this county. Seven children have 
been born to this union, all of whom are still living, and are an honor to their parents. 

JESSE 6. REDFEAKN. 

Mr. Redfearn is the son of Josiah and Lucy K. (Bennett) Redfearn, old settlers of Greene 
county, the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter of North Carolina. Jesse was born 
in this county, April 10, 1856, and was reared on the farm and educated in the common 
schools. Like his father, fie, too, became a farmer, and continued in that vocation till 1882, 
when, moving to Bois D 'Arc, he engaged in the mercantile business with Messrs. Hoyal and 
Johnson, the firm style being Hoyal, Redfearn & Johnson. Mr. Redfearn was married De- 
cember 21, 1877, to Miss Catherine H., daughter of Benjamin R. and Celia D. Johnson, of 
Greene county. Mr. and ilrs. R. have had three children, named respectively. Bertha C, 
Carrie J., and William R. Mr. Redfearn has amassed what he possesses by his own industry 
and thrift, and owns, besides other property, a well-improved farm of sixty-five acres. 

JOSIAH F. REDFEARN. 

Mr. Redfearn is the son of Townley and Sarah (Mason) Redfearn, and was born in Robert- 
son county, Tenn., July 23, 1830. His parents were natives of North Carolina, but were 
reared in Tennessee. They emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1887. His father died 
in 1838, leaving his mother with a family of six children. His mother died in 1880, being 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 659 

eighty-three years of age. His grandfather, Jesse Mason, preached the first sermon in the 
western part of the county, at the house of Josiah's father. Josiah received his education 
in the county, going to the first school taught in the township. He has always followed 
farming, and served as school director several terms. He saw six months' active service in 
the militia in his brother's company. He owns 160 acres of good land, the result of his in- 
dustry and perseverance. Mr. Redfearn was married February 3, 1848 to Miss Lucy K., 
daughter of Perminter and Sarah (Kelsey) Bennett. They were natives of South Carolina, 
but moved to Greene county, Mo., in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Redfearn have had ten children, 
seven of whom are now living. Mr. Redfearn is one of the best citizens of Center township. 

DAVID M. RITTER. 

Mr. Ritter is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Ritter, and was born in St. Joseph 
county, Indiana, February 10, 1843. His grandfather was a soldier of the Revolution, and 
was one of the men who threw the tea overboard in Boston Harbor. David grew to man- 
hood upon the farm, and in July, 1862, he enlisted in the 21st Indiana battery, and was at 
the battles of Rome, Gainesboro, Carthage, Hoover's Gap, Cattle Gap, Chickamauga, 
Nashville and Columbia, besides many smaller engagements. He held the rank of corporal, 
and was mustered out June 26, 1865. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1866 and 
located upon Leeper prairie, where he lived two years, and then came to the farm upon 
which he now lives, containing two hundred and seventy acres, Avell watered and stocked. 
It has fourteen hundred bearing apple trees, one thousand of which were of his own 
planting. Mr. Ritter was married May 30, 1872, to Miss Josephine, daughter of Joseph and 
Lucinda Martin, of Greene county. Her father was a soldier in the Mexican war. Mr. 
and Mrs. Ritter have three children, Howard J., Clara L. and Ethel. 

JOHN B. ROBINSON. 

This gentleman is the son of Charles and Sarah (Barham) Robinson, and was born in 
Stokes county. North Carolina, March 2, 1810. His parents were natives of that State, and 
his grandfather was a soldier in the Revolution. The parents of John B. moved to Lyon 
county, Kentucky, the same year he was born. It was here he grew to manhood upon the 
farm and received his education. For some time after he was grown he drove the stage 
between Russellville and Bowling Green, Kentucky. In 1837 he came to Polk county, 
31issouri, and engaged in farming. In 1844 he moved to this county and settled upon the 
place where he now resides. He is one of the pioneers of the county and has seen many 
changes come to the people and the face of the country. He owns a fine farm of four hun- 
dred acres, and has accumulated it all since coming to the county. Mr. Robinson was 
married in 1840 to Miss Louisa E., daughter of Geo. H. and Susan (Gee) Irwin, of Polk 
count}', Missouri. Her parents were natives of North Carolina, and her father was a soldier 
in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of New Orleans. They have had seven children, 
five of whom are now living, Geo. W., James F., Sarah S., Mary L. and Martha J. They 
are all married and living in Greene county. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have been members of 
the Baptist church for over fort} years. He is regarded as one of the best citizens of the 
county. 

EDWIN D. ROBINSON, M. D. 

The professional gentleman whose name heads this sketch is a native of this State, 
and was born in Chillicothe November 2d, 1854. His parents were Edwin and 
Eliza {nee Cravens) Robinson. He grew up in the town of his birth, and there 
acquired his elementary education. Subsequently he attended Central college at Fayette, 
Missouri, and in 1875, commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Ross of Springfield. He 
entered the Missouri medical college, of St. Louis, in 1877, graduating with the degree of 
M. D. in 1879. Soon after he located for practice at Bois D'Arc, this county. In 1881, he 
entered Bellevue hospital medical college of New York, graduating from there in March, 



660 HISTORY OF GHEKNE COUNTY. 

1882. After practicing tiiree months in the hospitsil department he returned to Bois D'ArC, 

where he is enjoying a tine practice and taking a leading rank among the M. D.s of the 

Southwest. 

LEONARD M. SIMS, M. D. 

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is a native of Polk county, this State, born 
January 16, 1855, and a son of B. D. and Eliza'A. Sims, the father being a native of North 
Carolina, and the mother of Virginia. They came to Missouri in 1832, and the year suc- 
ceeding the birth of Dr. Leonard M., moved to this (Greene) county where they remained 
till 1870. The family then removed to Benton county, Arkansas, where the doctor grew up 
and completed his general education, attending Pea Ridge high school three years and the 
State Industrial University for one year. During the years 1877-8-9, he taught school and 
read medicine, his preceptor being Dr. Clark, of Bentonville, Arkansas. In 1880 he entered 
the Missouri medical college at St. Louis, graduating 'with the degree of M. D. in 1882. 
He then located for the practice at Bois D'Arc, in November of same year, where he is 
building up a fine practice. Few young physicians enjoy the confidence of the people to a 
greater extent than Dr. Sims. He is a hard student, and keeps well "read up" in his 
profession. He was married September 10, 1882, to Miss Mattie Bond of Greene county. 
Both Dr. Sims and wife are members of the Methodist church. 

JAMES SQUIBB. 

This gentleman is the son of Caleb and Susan (Johnson) Squibb, and was born in Wash- 
ington county, Tennessee, December 15th, 1813. His grandfather upon his father's side 
came from Ireland, and upon his mother's side from England. Mr. Squibb's father was a 
soldier in the war of 1812, and both of his parents were natives of Tennessee. James grew 
to manhood in Washington and Greene counties, Tennessee, and was educated in the sub- 
scription schools of that section. He followed farming in Greene county Tennessee, until 
1851, when he moved to Greene county, Missouri, where he has since lived, and is one of 
the most substantial, honorable citizens of the county. He has been a member of the 
Methodist church since he was seventeen years of age, and his wife has also been a member 
of that church for over forty-five years. He has filled the office of justice of the peace for 
fourteen years, school director for thirty years, and township clerk for five years. He haa 
always been a strong Union man, and lost heavily during the war. Price's men stripping him 
of all but his land. He owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirty acres of land, and has 
given eight of his children one thousand dollars each. He was married February 14th, 1837, 
to Miss Rachel, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Bacon) Shields, of Washington county, 
Tennessee. Their union has been blest with eleven children, nine sons and two daughters. 

GEORGE STONES. 

Mr. Stones is the son of George and Sarah (Walbank) Stones, and was born at Blackburn, 
Lancastershire, England, May 28th, 1836. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed for 
seven years to learn the trade of a bricklayer. He worked at his trade in England until 1874 
when he came to the United States and settled in Greene count3% Missouri. Since coming 
here he has been engaged at his trade and in farming. He helped to build Drury College 
and some of the best residences in thecount\', being an excellent workman. Mr. Stones was 
married July 28lh, 1861, to Miss Mary A., daughrerof James and Mary (Arnold) La wson, of his 
native county in England. Their union has been blest with eleven children, seven of whom 
are living, viz.: Richard, Fielding, Mary, .James, Sarah E., George and Hannah. 

ANDREW C. SWINNEY, 

Is a brother of R. H. Swinnej"^ (see sketch) and was born in Rockcastle county, Kentucky, 
February 19th, 1843. He was reared in East Tennessee, and received his education partly 
there and partly in his native State. He began learning the mercantile business as a clerk in 



i 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 661 

1866, and the succeeding year went into business for himself in partnership with a man by 
whose dishonestj' Mr. Swinney lost heavil}'. In 1873, he moved to Greene county, engaging 
in farming, in which vocation he hasby thrift and economy again placed himself in good cir- 
cumstances. In 1882, he purchased a half interest in his younger brother's drug store, but still 
continues to operate his farm. He was married November 14th, 1863, and has seven children, 
four of whom, — Benjamin A., Vinton, and a pair of infant twins, still survire at this writ- 
ing. Mr. Swinney has been a member of the Christian church since he was fifteen years old, 
and is a worthy and exemplary citizen. 

R. H. SWINNEY 

Was born in Rockcastle county, Kentucky, August 1, 1850. His parents Robert andLydia 
Swinney, were both natives of Kentucky, and his paternal grandfather served as a soldier 
in the Revolution of 177G, dying at the age of one hundred years. R. H. Swinney was edu- 
cated at Gilmore Seminary and the University of Kentucky, and subsequently engaged in 
teaching and farming. In 1877, he came to Ash Grove, in Greene county, and served as 
principal of the school there till 1880; then after teaching two terms at Bois D'Arc, he en- 
gaged in the drug business, and still successfully follows that vocation. At fourteen years 
old, he joined the Christian church, and soon became leader of the choir. At twenty-five 
he was made an elder in the church. March 19, 1874, he married Miss Susan, daughter of 
Thomas G. and Elizabeth Lawrence, with whom he had been intimate in early childhood, 
she being a native of same county, and her parents also being Kentuckians. They have had 
three children, two of whom still survive. Mr. Swinney is noble grand of the I. O. O. F. 
lodge at Bois D'Arc, and his wife, like himself, i^ a member of the Christian church. 

LEWIS F. TATUM. 

Mr. Tatum is the son of Rev. William and Phoebe (Barham) Tatum. His father was a 
native of North Carolina, and died in Greene county, Mo., in 1856. His maternal grandfather, 
James Barham, was a native of Virginia, and a soldier of the Revolution. He, too, died in this 
county, aged 103 years. Lewis F. was born in Logan county, Ky, Nov. 4, 1812, where he Sc.c 
grew up and resided till his removal to this county in 1836. He settled on the Leeper f*} 6ll 
prairie fourteen miles from Springfield, there being no house at that time between his and 
that town. In 1812, he moved to the farm where he now resides, and has steadily followed 
the vocation of farming. Though he was three hundred dollars in debt when he first came 
to the county, he is now out of debt, and owns a good farm of 160 acres in Center township 
all made by his own industry and economy. At the outbreak of the war, he joined Capt. 
Campbell's company of Confederate State Guards, and although fifty years of age. he served 
out his term of enlistment, and was in the battle of Dry Springs and Wilson's Creek, and at 
the latter had his horse killed under him. Mr. Tatum was married December 22, 1855, to 
Miss Sarah Robinson, daughter of Littleberry Robinson, of Logan county, Kentucky. 
Her grandfather, like his, was also a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. and Mrs. Tatum had 
eight children, four of whom — Cornelia B., Phoebe C, Jemima E., and Henry T. — 
still survive. They had two sons in the Confederate army — Columbus, who was killed at 
Glasgow, and John who died in Arkansas. Mr. Tatum is remarkably active for a man of his 
age. He has been a Freemason for 16 years, and was a charter member of Bois D'Arc lodge. 
He also belongs to the Baptist church, and is a worthy and honorable citizen, respected 
by his neighbors and loved and honored by his family. 

S. SPENCER TRACY. 

Mr. Tracy is the son of Seymour and Ellen (Kelland) Tracy, and was born in Yates 
county, New York, July 25, 1844. His father was born in 1804, and from 1839 to 1879 did 
an extensive milling and grain business at Penn Yan, New York, with a mill of four hun- 
dred barrels capacity per daj'. Spencer grew to manhood and was educated in his native 



662 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

county. He began learning the machinist's trade at the age of sixteen, and in 1862 he went 
to Springfield, Massachusetts, and worked in the United States armory. In 1864, he took a 
course in Burman's commercial college, graduating in lb65. He was then appointed gov- 
ernment inspector, to inspect cavalry equipments at Newark, New Jersey, which position 
he held until the war closed. In 1866 ho went to Kansas City, Missouri, and that fall went 
to Galva, Illinois, where he clerked in a store for two years and then went to Van Buren, 
Arkansas, staying there four years, and in 1873, he moved to Greene county, Missouri, 
where he has since resided. He owns a farm of two hundred acres, and is one of the rising 
young farmers of the county. Mr. Tracy was married November 3, 187o, to Miss Jennie, 
daughter of Ellis C. and Parthena (Bryant) Powell, of this county. By their marriage they 
have five ciiildren, viz. : Maud, Ellen, Seymour, Clara and Freddie. Mr. Tracy has been a 
member of the A. F. and A. M. society since he was twenty-one years of age. 

HON. WILLIAM H. WADE. 

This gentleman is the son of Isaac S, and Eleanor (Lamb) Wade, and was born in Clarke 
county, Ohio, November 3, 1836. His father was a native of Virginia, and was for thirty years 
a justice of the peace. His mother was born in Ohio, and her father was a captain in the war 
of 1812. William H. grew to manhood in his native county, where he was educated, finish- 
ing his education at Antioch college. He followed farming and teaching until the civil war 
began, and went out at the first call of troops as 1st lieutenant of a company in the 16th 
Ohio regiment. He was mustered out as lieut. colonel in April, 1866, having served 
five years and nine days. He was at the battles of Corinth, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and 
all the battles in the department of the Cumberland. On May, 1866, he moved to Saline 
county, Missouri, where he lived until 1874. He then came to Greene county, and in 1880 
he was elected to the Legislature, and re-elected in 1882. He was one of the ablest members 
of that body. Mr. Wade was married in 1867 to Miss Mary, daughter of William and Lydia 
(Price) Knott, of Clark county, Ohio. Their union has been blest with six children, four 
of whom are living. 

GRANVILLE H. WATTS. 

This gentleman is the son of Joseph and Patsey Watts, and was born in Halifax county, 
Virginia, July 6th, 1818. His parents were native Virginians, and his father was a soldier 
in the war of 1812. He grew to manhood in his native county upon the farm, and at the 
age of twenty-five he learned the saddler's trade, which he^has followed in connection with 
farming until the present. In 18.57 he went to Lincoln county, Kentucky, where he carried 
on the saddler}' business at Crab Orchard until 1879. He then came to this county, settling 
at Ash Grove, but in 1880 removed to Greenfield, and in 1881 came back to Greene and 
located permanently at Bois D'Arc, where he and his nephew carried on the saddle and har- 
ness business very successfully. Mr. Watts has reared two of his nephews, though never 
married. He has been a consistent member of the Methodist church for forty years, and is 
regarded by all as an upright. Christian gentleman. 

HENRY WATTS. 

Henry Watts is the son of Milton and Lucinda (Brown) Watts, who were natives of Vir- 
ginia, and his grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. Henry was born in Scott 
count}% Virginia, March 7th, 184.5, and when twelve years of age he went with his uncle, 
Granville H. Watts, to Lincoln county, Kentucky, where he was reared, working on the 
farm and at the saddler'a trade with his uncle. He lived in that county until 1879, when he 
came to Ash Grove, Greene county, Missouri, where he engaged in the harness and saddlery 
business. In 1880 he went to Greenfield, and in 1881 located at Bois D'Arc, where they are 
now doing a flourishing business. He also owns one hundred and twenty acres of land, the 
result of his industry and energy. Mr. Watts is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is one of 
the most substantial citizens of Bois D'Arc. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 663 

JAMES T. WEST. 

Mr. West is the sou of Edward and Elizabeth (Gilmore) West, and was born in Greene 
county, Missouri, March 7th, 1844. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and were 
among the earliest settlers of Center township, in Greene county. James grew to man- 
hood here, where he was educated. In 1862, when he was but eighteen years of age, he en- 
listed in company H, 3d Missouri cavalry, C. S. A., and served until the close of the war. 
He was under Gen. Marmaduke for over two years. He was in the battles of Little Kock and 
Cape Girardeau, and in Price's raid. He was wounded at Jenkin's Ferry, Ark., in 1864, 
and surrendered at Shreveport, La., in 1865. He then went to Pettis county where he 
lived until 1868, when he returned to Greene, and has since been engaged in farming. He 
owns one hundred and ninety acres of good land, and is one of Greene's most respected and 
useful citizens. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., and is a trustee in the Baptist church. He 
was married Sept. 1st, 1870, to Miss Margaret E., daughter of Andrew and Susan (lled- 
feran) Leeper of this county. Their union has been blest with four children, three of 
whom are now living, viz. : Albert E., Hugh G. and Stella C. 

EDWARD WEST. 

This gentleman is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Thompson) West, and was born in 
Grainger county, Tenn., Nov. 18, 1807. His parents were natives of Virginia, and his 
father was a captain of a company raised for the war of 1812, but was not called into active 
service. Edward West grew to manhood in his native county, where he lived until 1839, 
when he moved to Greene county, Missouri, and settled upon thejplace where he now re- 
sides. He was married March 10th, 1832, to Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh and Sarah (Gal- 
lion) Gilmore, of Grainger county, Tenn. She died in 1873, and Mr. West was married the 
second time to Mrs. Nancj^ Nelherton, tiee Morris, of Lawrence county, Mo., upon the 18th 
of February, 1879. He reared a family of five sons and four daughters. Mr. West came 
to Greene county when game was abundant and neighbors lived far apart. He has seen 
many changes come over the face of the country, and to the people, and went through all 
the trials of pioneer life. He has been a consistent member of the Baptist church for over 
fifty years. He has always given liberally to the church, and his hand is ever ready to as- 
sist any deserving enterprise. He owned a farm of over six hundred acres of land, but 
has given it all, except eighty acres, to his children. Mr. West is yet active for a man of 
his age, and reads without spectacles. 

JOHN D. L. WILEY. 

Mr. Wiley is the son of Elijah and Ann B. (Waddill) Wiley, and was born in Cocke 
county, Tennessee, November 1, 1832. His parents were natives of that State, and his father 
was a soldier in the war of 1812. Both of his grandfathers were soldiers in the Revolution- 
ary war. John came to Greene county, Missouri, with his parents in 1837, where he grew 
to manhood and has since resided. His parents moved to Texas in 1858, where his mother 
died in 1863, and his father in 1868. In July 1862, John D. L. Wiley enlisted in company 
A, 8th Missouri cavalry, U. S. A. He was in the battles of Prairie Grove, Little Rock, and 
Ashley Station, and numeraus skirmishes in Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. In the spring 
of 1865 he lost his health and was discharged on account of disability in June of that year. 
He then returned home and has been engaged in farming. He owns a farm of one hundred 
and twenty acres of land, made by his own industry and energy. Mr. Wiley was married, 
September 20, 1854, to Miss Rufina J., daughter of James and Jane (Stockton) Hughes, of 
this county, formerly of Alabama. Her father was a soldier of the Mexican war, and was 
in the Union service during the rebellion, as was four of his sons. He was wounded at the 
battle of Pea Ridge, and died from its effects within a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have 
had nine children, eight of whom are living, viz. : Nettie J., Jesse M., Martha M., Nancy 
E., George S., Lillie E., Lucy M,, and Charles E. Mr. Wiley has been a member of the 
Methodist church for thirty years, and is one of the best citizens in the county. 



664 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

GEORGE J. WILEY. 

Mr. Wiley'is tlie son of Elijnh and Ann (Waddill) Wiley, and was born in Cocke county, 
Tennessee, July 27, 1820. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, a» was his grand- 
father upon his mother's side. His mother was a sister of Judge Waddill. His parents 
moved to Greene county, Missouri, in 1837, and built the house in which the first school was 
taught in Center township. He moved to Texas in 1858, where he died in 1868, and his 
wife died in 18G3. He was a strong Union man, but had two sons in the Federal army, and 
two in the Confederate army. George J. has lived in this county since coming here with hie 
father in 1837. In 1862 he enlisted in the 8th Missouri cavalry, U. S. A. He served under 
Gens. Herron and Davidson in Southwest Missouri ;ind Arkansas. He was at the battle of 
Little Rock, and upon man}' skirmishing and scouting expeditions. He was promoted to 
sergeant and served until the war closed. He then returned to Greene count}', where he has 
since been engaged in farming. He has a good farm of two hundred acres and is well fixed 
to enjoy life. He was married September 24, 1848, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of James 
and Jane (Stockton) Hughes. Her father was a soldier in the Mexican war, and in the Fed- 
eral service during the civil war. He was wounded at the battle of Pea Kidge and died 
from the effects of the wound. The married life of Mr. and Mrs. Wiley has been blest with 
twelve children, nine of whom are still living, viz. : JohnH., James F., Lenora A., Rachel 
J., George L., Margaret C, Mary E., Nancy and William. 51r. Wiley has been a member 
of the Methodist church for twenty years. 

JACOB WOODWARD. 

Mr. Woodward is the son of Edward and Mary Woodward, and was born in Robertson 
county, Tennessee, September 13, 1820. His parents soon after moved to Callaway county, 
Kentucky, where he grew to manhood. He learned the shoemaker's trade when he was 
fourteen years of age, which, in connection with farming, has been his calling ever since. 
In 1843 he moved to Ash Grove, Greene county, Missouri, where he bought out a distillery 
and carried on the business for some time. In 1859 he moved to the farm where he now 
lives, where he has since followed farming and shoemaking. He served in the militia from 
1863 to the close of the war. He owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and has 
made all he has by his own industry and perseverance. Mr. Woodward was married in 1846 
to Miss Susan E., daughter of Charles N. and Sarah G. Robinson, of Greene count}', Mis- 
souri, formerly from North Carolina. Their union has been blest with seven children, all 
of whom are living, viz. : Sarah A. P., William H. S., .James R., Ransom B. J., Charles K. 
E., John A. S., and Mary R. 



CHAPTER XXII. 
POND CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

Description — Early Settlers and Settlements — Tragedies of the Civil War — M. E. 
Church — Hopewell Baptist Church — Christian Church — Biographies of Old Settlers 
and Prominent Citizens. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Pond Creek township is in tiie southwest corner of Greene county, 
and comprises the north thirty sections of township 28, range 24. A 




cSm ctJ}. cAY&^/^. 



* 

* 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 665 

considerable portion of the township is prairie, but by far the greater 
part is timbered hind, and some portions are very rough. Ak)ng 
Pickerel creek discoveries of lead have been made and certain quanti- 
ties mined. When the country is developed, as it can be, and will 
be, lead mining will be a leading industry in this township. 

Ponk Creek township was first organized in April, 1859, after 
Christian county had been cut off of Greene. (See general his- 
tory, events of 1859.) 

EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS. 

According to the Greene County Atlas, published in 1876, David 
Reynolds was the first settler of Pond Creek township. He came 
from East Tennessee in 1834, and settled in section two, of township 
twenty-eight, range twenty-four. His death occurred a few years ago. 
Edward Blades, the father of R. D. Blades, settled in section ten, in 
the year 1836. He was a native of North Carolina, but emigrated to 
Missouri from McMinn county. East Tennessee. William McDaniel 
settled in 1836, on section eleven, coming at the same time with 
Blades. Robert Batson settled in section three, in 1840. Samuel 
Garroute emigrated from Greene county, Tennessee, to Gasconade 
county, Missouri and after living there perhaps ten or fifteen years 
came to Pond Creek in 1837, and located in section twenty-seven. 
Anthony Garroute and William D. Garroute came from Ohio in 1838. 
James Garroute came about the same time. The Garroutes have been 
public-spirited citizens of the township. They are all descended from 
an old soldier of the Revolution who came over with the French troops 
to assist in securing the independence of the Americans, and after the 
war was over remained in this country, and settled in New Jersey, 
whence his descendants have emigrated West. A man named Connor 
lived at an early date for a period of two years on Pickerel creek. 
John Loose lived on a branch of the Pickerel, near the southern line 
of the township, but he also only remained two or three years. Ma- 
gruder Tannehill came about 1840 and settled in the southeast corner 
of the township. In the southwest corner Robert Carr settled on the 
waters of the Turnback. G. W. Brittain, now one of the leading 
farmers of the southwest part of the county, emigrated to Missouri in 
1833 or 1834, first settled ten miles west of Springfield, and after- 
wards came to Pond Creek township. N. B. Neil, from East Ten- 
nessee, settled in section seven in 1836. Stephen Batson came from 
Ohio in 1842, and lived on the Pickerel, near the south line of the 



6QB HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

■» 

county, but afterward removed. Esquire John Laney was one of the 
old settlers. George M. Laney came to Greene county in 1848. 

The first school taught in this township was by Robert Batson in a 
private house built by R. D. Blades on his father's pUicc on the north- 
west corner of section ten. Stephen Batson also taught school in the 
township, as did also William B. Garroute. The first school house 
was built on section ten ; it was a log, 14x15 feet in size. The first 
church erected was the Bethel church, a frame meeting house, used 
for meetings of various denominations, which stood on section sixteen. 
It was burned down in May, 1872. 

The first white child born in the township was either William 
Blades, son of Edward Blades, or Jackson McDaniel, the son of Wil- 
liam McDaniel. The latter was born Aug. 30, 1837. 

The first female child was Betsey Blades, born in May, 1837. She 
was a daughter of Edward and Penelope Blades. In the Atlas, it is 
set down that in Pond Creek township the first marriage was that of 
Duncan Hood to Nancy Blades, but old settlers say that a marriage 
antedating this was that of Harvey Hazelton and Martha Reynolds. 
The marriage service was performed by Rev. Thos. Ashley. The 
couple afterward removed to Oregon, where an unfortunate disagree- 
ment occurred, and a separation followed. Mrs. Hazelton returned 
to Pond Creek township and died in 1879. The first death was a child 
of David Reynolds that died immediately after its birth, May 9, 1844 ; 
a few days afterward Edward Blades died. Both bodies were buried 
in the graveyard on the old Reynolds place. 

The first sermon preached in the township was by Rev. Thos. Ash- 
ley, a Methodist, who held services in the house of old David Rey- 
nolds in the year 1838. 

TRAGEDIES OF THE CIVIL WAR. 

Some of the fearful murders growing out of the civil war were per- 
petrated in this township. Each side furnished victims, and the 
bloody incidents are remembered with horror to this da3^ 

The first victim was John S. Reynolds, a Union man. Mr. Rey- 
nolds was a worthy citizen, and was generally respected and held in 
high regard by those who knew him. He was a Republican in poli- 
tics and one of the ten men in Pond Creeek township who voted for 
Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He was killed on the night of November 
22, 1861, Avhile the Confederates occupied the country, their head- 
quarters being at Springfield. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 667 

At about 8 p. m. on the night named, two or more men came to the 
house and coming in told Mr, Reynolds that they had come to hang 
him for voting for Lincoln. The man who said this was standing near 
the fire-place, where also Mr. Reynolds was. Reynolds caught up a 
fire-shovel and struck the intruder over the head and then threw him 
out of doors. He then fastened the door and held it to keep the 
murderers out. While leaning against the door one of the diabolical 
assassins broke a window on another side of the house, put a musket 
through and fired, shooting Mr. Reynolds through and killing him 
almost instantly. He held to the door with a strong grip and sank 
down slowly. Mrs. Reynolds sprang from her bed, caught her dying 
husband in her arms, and he died on her breast. He muttered, " O ! 

that ," naming a Confederate enemy of his from Lawrence 

county, whom it was thought he recognized. 

The next man murdered was a Confederate sympathizer named 
Daniel McCray, who, in the summer of 1862, was waylaid and shot 
and killed by two boys, neither of whom was over 16 years of age.. 
The boys hid in the bushes and did their work effectively. 

On the nisht of Nov. 8, 1862, Joel M. Skelton was murdered. Mr. 
Skelton had removed from Georgia to Pond Creek township in 1854. 
His sympathies were with the Confederate cause, but he w^as a harm- 
less and inoffensive man, without an enemy among his immediate ac- 
quaintance, so far as he knew. On the night in question two men, 
believed to be from Lawrence county, came to Mr. Skelton and began 
abusing him shamefully, threatening to kill him, in retaliation for the 
killing of John Reynolds, and forcing him to dance, turn somersaults, 
and perform other humiliating and shameful antics in the presence of 
his wife. 

Mrg. Skelton, poor woman, was greatly terrified and implored the 
miscreants not to murder her husband, and when they said he had 
done enouofh to deserve death, she declared he had done nothins;, and 
begged them not to kill him until she could run half a mile away and 
bring the- old pioneer, David Reynolds, well known as a staunch 
Union man, who would come and testify as to the harmless character 
of her husband. The villains promised to spare him until Mr. Rey- 
nolds should come, and away the poor lady ran as fast as her weak, 
trembling limbs could carry her. 

Reaching Mr. Reynolds' house, and imploring his help, the old man 
refused to return with Mrs. Skelton, saying he was afraid of his own 
life, but that his wife might go, and so the two women started. But 



668 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

they had not gone far when they heard the report of a revolver, and 
on arriving at her home, Mrs. Skelton found her husband a corpse, 
weltering in his blood, almost in his own doorway. Ever since Mrs. 
Skelton has been ]i)artially deranged — and what wonder? 

The same night that Joel Skelton was killed, Andrew Owen was 
inhumanly butchered, presumably by the same brutes that murdered 
Skelton. Two men came to Owen's house, called him out, shot him 
down, and rode way singing merrily. 

Soon afterward, Kichard Owen, a citizen of this township, was 
killed while on his Avay to Springfield by some Federals. Mr, 
Owen's son was driving the team and Mr. Owen himself was walkins: 
behind the wagon. Two soldiers rode past Mr. Owen and past the 
wagon, and then turned back and riding to where the unsuspecting 
man was walkins; alono; suddenlv shot him dead. 

A Union man named John Gower was murdered at his home by 
Confederate bushwackers in 1863. 

In 1864 a young man named Lum. Johns, a nephew of Mrs. Town- 
ley Rose, was visiting his aunt, was waylaid and killed. He was a 
Southern sympathizer. 

In 1865, James Everhart, an ex-militiaman, was killed by Lieut. 
Harshbarger, of the 16th Mo. Cavalry, in Nathaniel Batson's door- 
yard, and was there buried. Everhart had won for himself the name 
of a horse thief, a robber and rascal. It was believed that the killing 
was authorized by Gen. Sanborn. 

RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. 

M. E. Church. — The M. E. Church congregation, which former- 
ly met at Bethel church, was organized in 1867. The origi- 
nal members were George Laney, Amy Laney, George W. Brit- 
tain, Betsay Ann Brittain, James Brittain, Elizabeth Brittain, Mrs. 
Martha Skelton, Wm. McDaniel, Sarah A. McDaniel, R. D. Blades, 
Mrs. Gillis Blades, James C. Mc Daniels, Adeline Mc Daniels, 
John W. McDaniels, and Sarah McDaniels. The congregation wor- 
shiped at Old Bethel church until it was burned down in May, 1872. 
Since that time, meetings have been held at the Grandview school 
house, in section 14. 

This congregation was first organized at the time of the division of 
the M. E. church of the United States, in 1844. The first members 
were Anthony Garontte, Margaret Garoutte, James Garoutte, 
Charlotte Garoutte, John Laney, Sophia Laney, R. D. Blades, and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 669 

Frances Blades. Services were first held at the residence of Anthony 
Garoutte, afterwards at Bethel. During the war the congregation 
was broken up, and was reorganized in 1867. In 1882 the congre- 
gation numbered fifty members. 

Some of the pastors that have served the church are : Revs. J. J. 
Bentley, H. Gardner, B. F. Pool, E. E. Condo, James M. Darby, S. 
Warner, and A. A. Lawson. 

Hopewell Baptist Church. — The congregation of the Hopewell 
Baptist church was first organized in section 19, on the 15th of June, 
1867. The original members, or some of them were: Elizabeth, 
Jane, Martha, and Mary Garoutte, Ann Skelton, Susan Batson, and 
E. M. Howard. The first church building was erected in 1873, at a 
cost of nearly $600. It is a frame and stands on section 15. The 
committee appointed to see after the building funds was appointed 
December 18th, 1872, and consisted of W. W. Garoutte, 'Dallas 
Thurman, John Etheridge, and Alpha Hazelton. The pastors that 
have served Hopewell church have been : D. R. Clark, Geo. Long, 
Isaac Stanley, and D. T. Balcom. The present membership is twen- 
ty-five. 

Christian Church. — A congregation of the Christian Church meets 
at St. Elmo school house, on section 8, in this township. It was or- 
ganized May 1st, 1881, with the following among other members: 
A. C. Greene and wife, James W. Hargus, Margaret J. Hargus, 
Franklin Porter, Mary Porter, Mary Porter, James Porter, and 
Mary Ann Porter. The pastor has been Rev. Clark Smith ; the 
elders : A. C. Greene, James W. Hargus, Franklin Porter. The 
number of members is thirtv-two. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

^ M. F. BRITAIN. 

Mr. Britain is the son of George'W. and Betsy A. (Bailey) Britain, and was born in 
Greene county, Missouri, July 19, 1849. His father is one of the leading fanners of the 
county, and the largest tax-payer in Pond Creek township. Mark, as he is familiarly called 
by his friends, is an energetic, active business man and prosperous farmer. He owns 240 
acres of good land, which he keeps in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Britain was appointed 
deputy sheriff in 1880, and reappointed in 1883, discharging the duties of his oflSce satisfac- 
torily. He was married March 5, 1872, to Miss Mary J., daughter of John and Christiana 
Jackson, of this county, formerly of Tennessee. Their union has been blest with four 
children, Hubbard M., Pearle M., Zillah R., and Mary C. 



670 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

GEORGE W. BRITAIN. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Catherine (Hensley) Britain, and was born in McMinn 
count}', Tenn., June 20, 1827. His parents were natives of that State. His father was a soldier 
of the war of 1812, and his grandfather was a soldier intheRevolutionarj' war. In 1836 his pa- 
rents moved to Greene countj', Mo., where his mother died in 1837, and in 1838 his father 
moved to Bates county. Mo. In 1840 his father died, while on atrip back to this county, so 
George was left an orphan at the age of thirteen years. The children were brought back to 
this county, and George was bound out to Royal Hazelton, then of Brookline township 
When twenty-one years of age he was oflfered eighty acres of land for one hundred dollars, 
which he took, and upon which he has since resided. He now owns over fourteen hundred 
acres of land, besides giving a thousand acres to his children. He is next to the largest 
farmer in the county, and the largest tax-payer in Pond Creek township. He is a liberal, en- 
terprising citizen, and his hand is ever ready to help the deserving. 'Starting in life as a 
" bound-boy," his rise to wealth, position, and honorable and useful citizenship is almost 
without a parallel, and is a fine example to those who have energy and determination. Dur- 
ing the war he served for a year in Capt. Redfearn's company of militia. He has been a 
member of the Methodist church for over thirty years. ]\Ir. Britain was married in 1849 to 
Miss Betsy Ann, daughter of Alexander and Margaret Bailey, of this county, formerly of 
Tennessee. Their union has been blest with nine chilldren, eight of whom are living, viz. : 
Marcus F., John W., Eli H , Melissa A., James A., Sarah E., Albert A., and Amanda B. 

WILLIAM B. GAROUTTE. 

Mr. Garoutte is the son of James S. and Mary (Bobington) Garoutte, and was born in 
Washington count}', Ohio, May 9, 1820. His grandfather was a French soldier, who settled at 
Tuckahoe, N. J., after the Revolutionary war was over. France sent some of her best sons to 
aid us in securing our independence, and many of them staid in America. In 1829 his 
parents moved to St. Joseph county, Indiana, and in February, 1830, his mother was frozen 
to death. She was an eminent practitioner in midwifery, and had gone nine miles to see 
a patient. She was caught in a snow storm, and it is supposed she dismounted to walk so as 
to keep warm, and her horse got away from her. She was found the next day dead. In 
1837 he and his father came to Greene county, Mo., and settled in Pond Creek township. 
His father died in 1876. William went back to Indiana in 1848, and in 1849 went lo Califor- 
nia and returned in 1852, and has since resided in Greene count}'. He was elected justice of 
the peace when he was twenty-one years of age. In 1856 he was a candidate for the State 
Senate upon the Benton ticket, but was beaten by Judge Price by seventy-seven votes. In 
1859 he was a candidate for Congress, and in 1882, he was a candidate for the Legislature 
upon the Democratic ticket, and though his district was Republican by three hundred ma- 
jority, he reduced it to fifty-six. He was a Union man until the war actually came on, and 
then took the position that the Jackson troops were the law and authority troops. He was 
otfered and refused a brigadier general's commission. In 1862 oast his fortunes with the 
Confederacy, and went South with Gen. Price. In the fall of 1862 he returned to Greene 
county, as provost marshal for the county, but was taken prisoner at his home before the 
Confederate troops arrived. He was taken to St. Louis, then to Johnson's Island, and from 
there to Fort McHenry, and held prisoner two years. Just before the war closed he was 
exchanged at Demopolis, Alabama, and sent by Gen. Hardee, with dispatches to Gen. Price 
in Arkansas. He was there when the war closed. He lost about twenty thousand dollars by 
the vrar, and has since labored to repair his losses. He owns over seven hundred acres of land. 

Mr. Garoutte is a Master Mason. He has been married twice, the first time to Miss Amanda 

» 

daughter of Royal and Mehitable (Arms) Hazelton, of this county. They were blest with 
five daughters. Mrs. Garoutte died April 7, 1857, and he was married the second time, Oc- 
tober 15, 1857, to Miss Mehitable, daughter of Magruder and Theresa (Hazelton) Tannahill, 
also of Green County. They have by this union eight children. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 671 

W. W. GAROUTTE. 

His name indicates his French extraction. His grandfather came over from France as 
one of the soldiers wlio helped us so gallantly in the Eevolutionary war. After the close of 
that war he settled at Tuckahoe, New Jersey, where William, the father of W. "W., was 
born, in 1798. William moved to Ohio, where he was married in 1829 to Elizabeth Dutton. 
This marriage was blest with ten children, Warren Werter Garoutte being the fifth child. 
He was born in Washington county, Ohio, July 23, 1839. When he was eight months old 
his parents moved to Green county, Missouri, and settled in Pond Creek township, a sparsely 
settled portion of the county. His father died in 1863, and his mother in 1869. Mr. 
Garoutte was married in September, 1860, to Miss Martha, daughter of John S. and Mary 
(Chastaine) Richmond. Her parents were natives of Tennessee, but she was born in Mis- 
souri. Their union was ble; ' with ten children, nine of whom are living, William S., John 
L., Anthony S., Mary E., Susan R., Marcus D., George L., Franklin L. and Lillie'M. Mrs. 
Garoutte died October 19, 1882. She had been a consistent member of the church since 
eighteen years of age. Mr. Garoutte settled where he now lives in 1866. He owns a farm 
of two hundred and forty acres, besides one-third interest in another tract of the same size. 
He has always followed farming and blacksmithing. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a 
member of the Baptist church since 1868. 

WILLIAM McDANIEL. 

This gentleman is the son of Thomas and Rebecca (Britain) McDaniel, and was born in 
Jefferson county, Tennessee, June 23d, 1810. His father was a soldier of the war of 1812, 
and was with Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. In 1818 they moved to Roane 
county, Tennessee, and in 1821 they again moved to McMinii county and lived there and in 
Monroe county until 1836, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled in Pond 
Creek township. When he came, there was but one man living in the township, David 
Reynolds. He has passed through all the experiences, hardships and excitement of pioneer 
life. He had his milling done forty miles south of him, taking a week to make the trip 
with an ox team. He settled the place upon which he now lives in 1838, and improved a 
fine farm of two hundred and forty acres. He reared a large family. Four of his sons were 
in the Union army, and one rose to the rank of captain. Mr. McDaniel has been a mem- 
ber of the Methodist church for over forty years, part of the time class-leader. He was 
married August 28, 1836, to Miss Sarah A., daughter of Edward and Penelope (Maynard) 
Blades, of McMinn county, Tennessee. Her parents were originally from North Carolina, 
and came from Tennessee at the same time, 1836, and settled in Pond Creek township. Mr. 
and Mrs. McDaniel were blest with ten children, nine of whom are living: Jackson, John 
W., James C, Jesse W., Ransom T., Elijah A., William, Henderson C, and Sarah J, M. 

JOHN REYNOLDS (deceased). 

Mr. Reynolds was the son of David D. and Polly (Kelly) Reynolds, and was born in Monroe 
county, Tennessee, November 28, 1824. His parents were natives of that State, and emi- 
grated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1834, and settled in Pond Creek township. At their 
house was held the first religious services in that part of the county. It was here that John 
grew to manhood upon the farm. He was married October 31, 1850, to Miss Hannah E., 
daughter of William and Sarah (Squibb) Likens, of this county. Their union was blest 
with six children, four of whom are now living : William F., James H., Thomas B. and 
Susan J. Mr. Reynolds was one of the prosperous farmers of his neighborhood, owning a 
farm of two hundred and thirty-four acres. He was a member of the Methodist church, 
and was a quiet, peaceable citizen. He was a member of the Home Guards, and was the 
first man murdered in that part of the county. He was killed in his own house on the night 
of November 22, 1861. About eight o'clock a party of men, three or more, came to his 
house and one of them came in, saying, '* We've come to hang you for voting for Lincoln!" 



fi72 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Mr. Reynolds hit him upon the head with >\. shovel and put him out, and, while holding the 
door he was shot through the window, dying in a few seconds. His widow is yet living, and 
reared her little ones under difficulties which only a fond mother and noble woman could 
surmount. 

JOEL M. SKP]LTON (dkckased). 

This gentleman was the son of Noel and M. (McGeo) Skelton, and was born in Franklin 
county, Georgia, March 1, 1822. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812. .loel grew to 
manhood in his native county, where he was married February 28, 1845, to Miss Martha E. 
A., daughter of Tavner and Elizabeth (Wades) Rucker. Their marriage was blest witli 
eight children: Mary E., Sarepta E., Sarah A. C, deceased, George V., Annie M. .7., Wil- 
liam .J. W. R., Martha H. A. and James M. T., all of whom are married. In 1857 Mr. 
Skelton moved, by wagon drawn b^' oxen, to Greene county, Missouri, and settled where his 
widow now resides. He was an inoffensive, quiet gentleman, a member of the Baptist 
church. He took no part in the civil war, but his sympathies were with the " sunny South," 
wiiere he had been born and reared. Upon the night of November 8, 1862, he was wan- 
tonly and cruelly murdered in his own yard by two men dressed in Federal uniform. They 
made him dance, and otherwise subjected him to indignities, and while his devoted wife had 
gone to get a Union neighbor to intercede for her husband, the fiends murdered him. The 
shock dethroned the reason of his beloved wife, and she yet lives under that great affliction. 

THOMAS W. WADE. 

Mr. Wade is the son of Rev. .Tames and Nancy (Herron) Wade, and was born in Franklin 
count}', Georgia, November 12, 1847. His father was a native of Virginia, and mother of 
Georgia. His father was a local Methodist preacher for over fifty years, a man of sterling 
integrity and one beloved by all who knew him. He moved with his family to Greene 
county, Missouri, in 1850, where he lived until 1868, and then went to Arkansas and died at 
the age of eighty years of age in 1881. Thomas W. grew to manhood here in Greene 
county, where he has since resided, except in 1869 and 1870, when he lived in Arkansas. 
During the war he was in the employ of the government for fourteen months. Mr. Wade is 
an enterprising farmer, and owns a good, improved farm. He was married September 15, 
18fiO, to Miss Sarepta E., daughter of Joel M. and Martha E. (Rucker) Skelton, of Greene 
county. Their union was blest with eight children, Marth E., Nancy J., Mary M., Eda S., 
Laura E., Jula A., Ira C. and Charles W. Mrs. Skelton's father was killed November 8, 
1862, by a party of men in blue uniform who hated him for his Southern principles. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 
BROOKLINE TOWNSHIP 



Description — First Settlements — The Town of Brookline — Churches — Masonic Lodge — 
Republic — Churches — Miscellaneous — Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Cit- 
izens of Brookline Township. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Brookline township comprises the nortli thirty sections of Congres- 
sional township 28, range 23, and the sonth twelve sections of town- 
ship 29, same range. When the township was organized, in Jannar}', 





Tj/z^O^J 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 673 

1873, the metes and bounds were defined to he a line commencing at 
the northeast corner of section 1, tp. 28, range 23; thence south to 
the southeast corner of section 25 ; thence west to the southwest cor- 
ner of section 30 ; thence north to the northwest corner of." section 6 ; 
thence east to the northeast corner of section 1, the place of begin- 
ning — all in township 28, range 23. Subsequently the sections in 
township 29 were added. The township was named for its chief 
town. 

In the northern and western portions of the township there is con- 
siderable prairie land, some of which is very excellent, and there are 
many fine farms. Some of the timbered tracts are rough and unpro- 
ductive. No doubt there is a gr^at deal of valuable mineral land in 
this township. In January, 1875, both lead and zinc were discovered 
a mile south of Brookline. Three men took out a ton and a half of 
zinc. Considerable mining has been done here and in other parts of 
the townshi[), and ought to be continued in a more thorough manner 
and on a more extensive scale. The resources of Brookline township, 
like those of many another bailiwick in Southwestern Missouri, are 
^ery imperfectly developed. 

It was on portions of sections 23, 24, 25 and 26, jn township 28, in 
Brookline township where the battle of Wilson's Creek was fought. 
Many of the present citizens of the township resided here at that time, 
and have a vivid recollection of that memorable day. 

FIRST SETTLEMENTS. 

In congressional township 28 of Brookline, the first settlers were 
Thomas Hazeltine, who came in about 1834, and settled on section 4 ; 
John McCall, of Tennessee, who came also to section 4 ; N. D. Mc_ 
Call, from Tennessee, to section 3 ; Joel Phillips, of Tennessee, to 
section 2 ; Wm. Herrington to section 9 ; Thomas Dodd, to section 7. 
John Boyd settled on section 17, and was the first on the prairie in 
that quarter. Other pioneer settlers were Wm. Kerr, L. Robertson, 
Ben. Hagewood, Magruder Tannehill, Thomas Dodd, and Henry 
Small. These settlers came in at different periods, from 1834 to 
1849. 

The first school of any sort within the present confines of the town- 
ship was taught by David Boyd, in Mr. Haseltine's barn. It was a 
subscription school and Mr. Boyd received a dollar a scholar per month. 
The first resident physician remembered is Dr. R. C. Pruuty, now 
living in Wilson township. 
43 



674 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ITEMS. 

February 25, 1878, John R. Willitims, living ii few miles south of 
Brookline, and tui old citizen of the township, was hauling a load of 
wood. The mules he was driving became frightened at a hog and ran, 
throwing Mr. Williams from the wagon and fracturing his skull. He 
died in a few days, aged 64. 

Mr*. Margaret D. Boyd is now (March, 1883,) the oldest inhabitant 
of Brookline township. Her age is 88. She has been living at her 
present home since 1849, and has been a resident of the State for 
more than 70 years. 

The oldest burying ground in the township is situated on what is 
now known as the Lindsey Robertson farm, section 20. 



THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE. 

The town or village of Brookline stands on the west half of sec- 
tion 2-28-23. It was laid out by the railroad company upon the 
completion of the road to this point, in the tall of 1871. The first 
building was erected by T. M. Mills, in October of that year. It 
was a store and dwelling house combined. Then John Potter built 
a store and dwelling, and soon other houses went up, churches fol- 
lowed, and the town became what it is. 

The village contains two general stores, a drug store, a grain ele- 
vator, a school house on the e«sst line of town, three churches — 
Cumberland Presbyterian, Congregational and Baptist — and a popu- 
lation of perhaps 150. It is a station on the " Frisco " railway, and 
there is here a good switch and other conveniences. A great deal of 
shipping is done from this point, and it is of great convenience to the 
people in the region around about. 

Brookline is about ten miles west of Springfield, and is surrounded 
by a gently undulating and beautiful prairie. The soil is fertile and 
when thorouijhlv tickled with a hoe lauo;hs with an abundant harvest. 
The zinc iyid lead mines near the town, tjiough only partially de- 
veloped, are of an important character. In 1875 these mines were in 
irood workins: condition, and a orreat deal of both lead and zinc was 
shipped. The shipments from this station that year of grain and 
mineral were reported to be 48 car loads of corn, 150 car loads of 
wheat, 74 car loads of zinc, and 242,441 pounds of lead. Of course, 
this did not include other articles of produce, etc. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 675 

Since the completion of the raih"oiid three men have been killed 
near Brookline. In 1872, tin engineer accidentally shot himself at 
the Winfield crossing, about one mile and a half north of town. He 
was on his engine at the time, and seeing some prairie chickens, he 
caught up his gun to shoot them, when the weapon was accidentally 
discharged, and the unfortunate man was instantly killed. 

In the spring of 1881, Frank Root, a brakeman, was killed near 
the town. The particulars of his case are to be found elsewhere. 

In the spring of 1882, a tramp, named A. J. Dobbs, was killed 
while stealing a ride on a freight train. This happened at the water 
tank, about a mile south of town. 

CHURCHES IN BROOKLINE TOWN. 

The Cumberland Union. — This church was first organized in the 
spring of 1841. The original members were: C. Ward, M. M. 
Chapman, E. Langston, P. Martin, W. G. Perkins, J. P. Steele, Y. 
A. Anderson, J. A. Chapman, J. P. McCorkel, Mary Thompson, E. 
McCorkel, M. M. McCorkel, E. Thompson, Thos. L. Bone, E. Bone, 
N. M. Bone, J. D. King, Mira King, M. W. Sims, Margaret Sims, 
Mary Steele, Jonathan Carthel, Rebecca Steele. The fir^t church 
building, a frame, was built in 1867 ; the present, also a frame, was 
completed in 1881, at a cost of $2,500, and dedicated June 5th, of that 
year, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. R, V, Atkisson. 
The pastors that have served the church have been : Revs. C. C. 

AVilliamson, McKenzie, R.J. S.imms, David Amos, J. N. Edmis- 

ton, J. C. Sheppard, T. H. Henderson, and the present pastor, Rev. 
J. B. Fly. Mr. Edmiston died within a few days after preaching his 
first sermon. This church is now in good working condition, is finan- 
cially healthy, and the interest felt, is in every respect very good. It 
employs its pastor all of his time. Present membership, 90. 

Baptist Church. — The Union Baptist Church of Brookline, was or- 
ganized in 1862 (?) at Little York (then a hamlet of a few houses, 
about two miles a little south of west of the present site of Brook- 
line), the original members being Charles McClner and wife, T. D. 
Fain and wife, Joel Phillips, J. Gartner, Mr. Craney, H. Small, 
Henry Hill and wife, Mr. Cribbs, Mrs. Letter, Ruth Phillips, W. 
Fain, and Wm. Phillips. The latter gentleman was the moving 
spirit in the first organization. The church building, a frame, was 
erected in 1872, and cost about $700. It was built by subscrip- 
tion, but many of the subscribers proved poor paymasters, and the 



676 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

building was sold by the carpenters who had built it, and to whom 
the church Avas indebted for work done. The structure was redeemed 
by Mr. Charles McCluer, and given. to the church. The pastors have 
been John D. Shelton, Geo. Long, Abram May, Thos. Balcom, Wm. 
Phillips, George Black, Elisha. Clark, and Solomon Forrester. The 
present membership is 22. 

First Congregational CJiurch. — This is, comparatively speaking, a 
new church, for its organization did not take place till on the first day 
of June, 1880. The number of original members was 102. For want 
of space the names have been omitted, although kindly furnished. The 
church is a frame structure. It was erected in the year 1882, at a cost of 
$2,300, and was dedicated by Rev. James Harwood, D. D. The pas- 
tor of this church is John Vetter. There has been one other church 
organized from the members of this church, by withdrawal by letter, 
in an adjoining town. The present membership is 59. 

MASONIC LODGE. 

Relief Lodge No. 341, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by R. W. 
J. Y. Fulbright, D. D. G. M. The charter is dated October 13th, 
1870. The charter members were J. W. Wilhoit, F. W. Laker, 
John H. Young, Townly Rose, H. A. Noe, M. B. Loyd, M. T. Mc- 
Cluer, W. B. Searcy, A. N. Green, B. L. Noe, A. G. Mount, and L. 

F. Tatum. The first oflicers were J. M. Wilhoit, W. M. ; W. B. 
Searcy, S. W. ; F. W. Laker, J. W. ; M. B. Loyd, treasurer ; J. 

G. Dollison, secretary ; L. F. Tatum, S. D. ; J. H. Young, J. D. ; 
A. G. Mount, tyler. The present ofiicers are W. B. Searcy, W. M. ; 
J. P. Steel, S. W. ; Townly Rose, J. W. ; John Potter, treasurer; 
S. F. Gibson, secretary ; Peter Blackwell S. D. ; P. G. Perkins, J. 
D. ; L. M. Shankle, S. S. ; L. T. Robertson, J. S. ; J. M. Green, 
tyler. The lodge was organized and \yorked in the Cumberland 
Union church, until about January Ist, 1882, when the present hall 
was purchased at a cost of $300. It is situated over W. T. Adams' 
store. The present membership is 31. 



REPUBLIC. 



The village of Republic is situated at about the center of the eastern 
line of section 19 (28-23). It is located in the midst of a rich, thick- 
ly populated, and well settled prairie, and has an excellent local trade. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 677 

It is a station on the " Frisco " railroad, and a well known shipping 
and trading point. 

Republic was built after the completion of the railroad. Tlie first 
building was put up by W. H. Noe, and was a store house ; then H. 
A. White built a store and hall. The first dwelling house was erected 
by John Summer and Rev. Loping. The second was by Dr. Bartlett. 
The railroad company refused to build a depot or a switch for the 
accommodation of the people, until the village and the surrounding 
country raised $1,000 and pnt in the switch. This was done by sub- 
scription. The project was set on foot and carried to success by Mr. 
W. H. Noe, to whom the town is very largely indebted, not only for 
its advantages, but perhaps for its very existence. Mr. Noe's name 
and fame are co-existent with those of the town. 

At present (March, 1888), Republic contains two general merchan- 
dise stores, two drug stores, one hardware and agricultural implement 
house, one shoe shop, three blacksmith shops, a livery stable, two 
grain houses, a good grist mill with three run af burrs, two churches — 
Baptist and Congregational — and a population of 150. Sometimes 
one of the churches is used as a school house. 

CHURCHES OF REPUBLIC. 

Congregational. — The Congregational church at Republic was organ- 
ized in the month of September, 1876. The original members were P. L. 
Anderson and wife, Edward Howell, Phoebe Tibbetts, W. S. McCleary 
and wife, Arminta Criswell, Mary Hackett, Mrs. J. F. Brooks, Minnie 
Smith, and Hattie Brooks. The church building was completed in 
September, 1880, at a cost of $2,000, and dedicated in the same 
month by Rev. Robert West, at that time president of the Home 
Missionary Society. Its pastors have been Rev. S. G. Elliott and N. 
M. Wheat, the latter the present pastor. The present membership 
is 40. 

First Baptist Church. — This church was organized June, 11, 1874, by 
Elder J. M. Lappin, and is situated in Republic on section 20, town- 
ship 28, range 23. The original members were W. B. Searcy, W. H. 
Harrison, J. P. Youngblood, A. E. Searcy, T. J. Harrison, P. A. 
Youngblood, Anna Newljerry, Celia Stamps, and Ella Decker. The 
church is a frame building, built at a cost of $1,200. It is beautifully 
located and is out of debt. The pastors that have served the church 
have been Eld. J. M. Lappin, Eld. J. W. Burgess, Eld. Z. T. Eaton, 
Eld. Geo. W. Black, and Eld. D. T. Balcom, each of whom served one 



678 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

year. The present pastor is Eld. S. Forester. The deacons are W. 
B. Searcy and J. P, Youngblood. The present membership is 3(5. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

PETER L. ANDERSON. 

This gentleman is the son of James and Hetty (Looney) Anderson, and was born in 
Marion county, Tennessee, July 28th, 1820. He grew to manhood in his native count}', 
where he received his education. In 1850 he moved to Missouri, and reached Greene 
county the 6th of December. He rented land upon which he raised six crops, and then, in 
185G, he purchased his present farm from a Mr. Rose, where he has since lived and added 
many valuable improvements. Mr. Anderson was married in Marion county, Tennessee, 
in 1837, to Miss Martha Hollaway. By this union there were five children, viz. : Hetty, 
Wm. H., John, Zaney and Elijah, three of whom are living. His son Wra. H. was a 
member of Kelsoe's cavalry company in the regular service, U. S. A., and was taken 
prisoner in Newton county by some men who were disguised as Federal soldiers, and was 
never heard of afterwards. It is supposed he was put to death by his captors, as no word 
or trace of him ever reached his friends. Mr. Anderson's first wife died in January, 1853. 
He was married the second time in December, 1865, to Mrs. Sarah Luce, of this county. 
Their marriage was blest with four children, viz. : Alexander, Henry, George and Martha 
Jane. Alex, died in 1880. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Congregational church at 
Republic. He is a member of the Greenback part}-, and is an honored citizen of the 
county. 

JAMES WILSON BISHOP, M. D. 

Dr. Bishop is the fourth son of David F. and Eunice (Wilson) Bishop, and was born at 
Derby Centre, Orleans county, Vermont, May 27th, 1828. He leaned toward the medical 
profession, when quite a cliild interesting himself in the anatomy of all animals killed upon 
the farm. He received his education at Oberlin, Ohio, and began the study of medicine 
under Dr. Baxter of that place, where he took one course of lectures. He practiced one 
year, and then entered Ann Arbor medical school, graduating in the class of 1854. He then 
resumed practice at Tower Hill, Shelby county, Illinois, where he lived six years, and then 
removed to Story count}^ Iowa, remaining there in active practice for thirteen years. He 
then took two courses of lectures at the Keokuk medical college, where he graduated in 
medicine, surgery and therapeutics. He returned to Story county, Iowa, and resumed 
practice, but at the end of eight months he came to Greene county, Missouri, and located 
for the practice of his profession at Republic, making a specialty of obstetrics and diseases 
of women. He was mai-ried in Williams county, Ohio, February 22d, 1850, to Miss Mary 
Meade. Their union has been blest with three children, two boys and one girl. The 
doctor is a Mason in good standing and a most agreeable gentleman. 

WILLIAM PARISH CAMP, M. D.. 

Is the son of William G. and Lucy C. (Foster) Camp, and was born in Hawkins county. 
Tennessee, March 22d, 1841. His parents emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, when he 
was quite young. At the death of his father, the famil}' being poor upon account of unfor- 
tunate ventures, he was thrown upon his own resources, and set about fitting himself for the 
profession of medicine. He worked upon the farm in the summer, went to school in the 
winter, and soon began teaching, which he successfully carried on until the breaking out of 
the war. He enlisted at the first call for troops in Phelps' regiment, and served until 
Phelps' term expired and then re-enlisted under Colonel Geio;er, — 8th Missouri cavalry, — and 
served until the end of the war. At the battle of* Prairie de Han the doctor was put in com- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 679 

mand of his company, and received a dangerous wound in the right side. He was trans- 
ferred to an ambulance corps, where he had fine opportunity to study medicine and surgery. 
At the end of the war he came home and resumed teaching, and attended college as his 
means would allow. He practiced for some time in Arkansas, and S. soon as he had acquired 
money sufficient he took a regular course of medicine, graduating from the Missouri medi- 
cal college in 1875. He then located at Ozark, Christian county, where he practiced three 
years. He then settled permanently in Brookline where he has built up a large^and lucra- 
tive practice, and where he enjoys the confidence of all. He was married August 15th, 
1880, to Miss Alice G'Bryant. J^heir union has been blest with one child, Fred. O. He and 
his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He is a member of Relief 
Lodge, No. 341. A. F. and A. M. The doctor is Eepublican in politics and generally liberal 
in all questions. 

WILLIAM CLIBORNE. 

Mr. Cliborne is the son of Jubal and Charlotte (Williams) Cliborne, and was born in 
Knox count}', Tennessee, January 30th, 1820. He was reared upon a farm in Tennessee,' and 
in 1851, he emigrated to Missouri, settling in Greene county, where he has since resided. 
When he reached here game was abundant and the settlers never knew what it was to be 
without fresh meat. As late as 1860 a large herd of deer passed over Mr. Cliborne's farm- 
When the war of the rebellion came on he was elected second lieutenant of Captain V. 
Abernathy's company of Home Guards. After the battle of Wilson's Creek, a party of 
rebels went to Mr. Cliborne's house and put a rope around his neck and threatened to hang 
him, because they said he had signed a petition for the Dutch soldiers to come to the county. 
They released him .upon the condition of his leaving the country. He went to Rolla, but 
returned with the'army. He suffered at the hands of both armies who " pressed " his stock 
and feed. Mr. Cliborne was elected justice of the peace in 1860, and served until 1876. 
He was a soldier in the the Black Hawk war. He was married the first time in Monroe 
county, Tennessee to Miss Drucilla Ann Gilbreth. That union was blest with four children* 
three of whom are living. He was married the second time in March, 1855 to Mary Logan. 
They have three children, two boys and a girl. Mr. and Mrs. Cliborne are Methodists, and 
he is a Democrat in politics. He gave the first ground for the town site of Republic, and is a 
gentleman who takes active interest in the good of the county. ^ 

WILLIAM W. COOVER. 

Mr. Coover is the son of S. H. and Catherine (Wilhelm) Coover, and was born at Van- 
dalia, Montgomery county, Ohio, September 16, 1850. His parents moved to Iowa, and 
settled near Muscatine in 1857, where they lived about nine years, and then came to Spring- 
field, Greene county, Missouri, where his father was a contractor and builder for some time. 
William W. was educated in the common schools of the county. His first mercantile employ- 
ment was with Sheppard & Co., in Springfield. After being in their employ three years, they 
puthira in charge of a stock of goods at Brookline, he receiving one-third of the profits. In 1875 
he, with his father and John Potter, sold goods for themselves at the same place. In 1878, 
Mr. Coover moved to Republic, and opened the same line of goods in partnership with M. 
P. Johnson, a commercial traveler, who continued to travel, and Mr. Coover managed the 
business. At the end of three years that partnership was dissolved, and now Mr. Coover 
owns the whole business. Besides his merchandizing Mr. Coover deals largely in grain 
shipping last year about one hundred thousand bushels of wheat. Mr. Coover was married 
December 27, 1876, to Miss ]\Iary E., daughter of S. F. Gibson, of Brookline. Their union 
has been blest with one child, Samuel Clyde. Mr. Coover is one of the staunch business 
men of the county, and enjo3's an enviable reputation. 

THEODORE F. CRISWELL. 

This gentleman is the son of Gregory and Sarah (Baer) Criswell, and was born in Stark 
county, Ohio, November 30, 1844. He was educated in his native county, and upon the 7th 



t)80 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of August, 1862, enlisted in Company D, 115th Ohio volunteer infantry, in the army of 
the Cumberland, under Gen. " Pap " Thomas. He was mustered out July 6, 1865, at Cleve- 
land, Ohio. During the war he participated in the battles of Stone River and Block House. 
In April, 18G7, he, with his brotlier, H. G. Criswell, came to Greene county, Missouri, and 
bought the Sharp farm, which was the Wilson's Creek battle ground. Previous to engaging 
here in farming, he taught school in Lawrence and Christian counties of this State. In 
March, 1874, they sold the Sharp farm and purchased and moved to their present home, 
two miles north of Republic, upon the Mt. Vernon and Springfield road. It is a splendid 
farm containing one hundred and eighty-seven acres. Mr. Criswell was married February 
4, 1869, to Miss Arrimba, daughter of Thomas Greene, one of the old settlers of Greene 
county. Their union has been blest with two sons and two daughters. He and his wife are 
members of the Congregational church at Republic. Mr. Criswell's parents are yet living 
in Stark county, Ohio. They had ten children, two daughters and eight sons, Theodore F., 
being the third child. 

REV. THOMAS D. FAIN. 

This gentleman is the son of Jesse and Nancy (Doil) Fain, and was born October 24, 1821, 
in Johnson county, Illinois. He was educated in the common schools of his native county. 
In June, 1856, he came to Greene county, Missouri, and lived near where Brookline now is 
until the close of the war. In 1866 he moved to Lawrence county, where he remained until 
1879, when he returned to this county and purchased a small farm. Mr. Fain was licensed 
to preach by the Baptist church in 1865, by George Long, moderator, and Wiley W. Fain, 
clerk. He was ordained to preach the third Sabbath in April, 1869. by Elders Elisha Clark 
and George Young, withT. B. Youngblood, church clerk. Mr. Fain was married in Novem- 
ber, 1842, to Miss Nancy ToUor, of Johnson count}-, Illinois. Their union was blest with 
four children, three of whom are living. Mrs. Fain died December 22, 1857, and in Febru- 
ary, 1858, he was married the second time to Miss Mary R., 'daughter of William Phillips. 
They have one son, Calvin C, by this marriage. Mr. Pain joined the Baptist church at the 
age of eighteen, in Illinois, and both his wives were of the same faith. His father was a 
native of Georgia, and went to Illinois when six years of age, where he died at the age 
of sixty. His mother was a native of Kentucky, and died in Lawrence county, Missouri. 
They had eight children, six of whom are living, Thomas D., being the second child. 

WILLIAM H. GOTT. 

This gentleman is the son of Richard S. and Nancy (McChesney) Gott, and was born 
October 10, 1843, at Van Buren, Ark., while his parents were on their way from Tennessee 
to Greene county. Mo. In 1852 his parents moved to Lane county, Oregon, where William 
received mostof his Education. They lived in Oregon some two or three years, and then re- 
turned to Springfield, Mo., where he worked at printing for about three years. At the age of 
eighteen he joined the militia, and then joined company E, 16th Missouri cavalry, and served 
about two and one-half years : He was at the battles of Springfield, Jefferson City, Boonville, 
Independence, and Westport. He was mustered out at Springfield in July, 1865. Mr. Gott 
was married March 1, 1866, to Miss Almira ,h, daughter of Thomas Green. They were 
blest with six children, five girls and one boy, one daughter dying in infancy. Mr. Gott 
owns a good farm near Brookline, upon Grand prairie, and eight miles southwest of Spring- 
field. He has been a successful farmer, and is one of Greene's substantial citizens. He and 
his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. 

JUDGE JAMES N. HOSEY. 

This gentleman is the son of Samuel M. and Sarah (Newell) Hosey, and was born Septem- 
ber 25, 1832, in Clarion county. Pa. lie was educated at Allegheny college, Meadeville, Pa., 
graduating in 1856. From 1857 to 1861 he was principal of the academy at Freedom, Pa. In 
August, 1861, he was made captain of company E, 78th Pennsylvania volunteers, and served 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 681 

two and one-half years with that rank, and in February, 18G4, he was commissioned major. 
He was in the battle of Stone river, and all through Sherman's campaign. After the war he 
returned to Pennsylvania, and for some time was engaged in the oil business in different 
parts of the State. In April, 1872, he came to Greene county, Mo., where he has taken rank 
as one of the best citizens of the county. He was elected associate justice for the western 
district of Greene county in 1882, upon the Kepublican ticket, and as county judge is mak- 
ing an enviable record. Judge Hosey was married November 15, 1860, in Pennsylvania, to 
Miss Lawson. Their union has been blest with nine children, eight of whom are living. 
He and his wife are members of the Methodist church. The judge's father is a native of 
Clarion county. Pa., and is still living. His mother died in 18.51. They had six sons and 
two daughters, James N. being the oldest. 

EDWARD HOWELL. 

Mr. Howell is the son of Benjamin and Nancy (Bishop) Howell, and was born in South 
Hampton, Long Island, June 20, 1824. When he was about twelve years of age his parents 
emigrated to Michigan, and settled in Wayne county. He grew to manhood in that county 
and has always followed farming. He received his education in Long Island, and in Wayne 
county, Michigan. He came to Missouri in December, 1870, and stopped in Audrain 
county until the following May, when he moved to this county, and lived in Springfield 
nine months. He then purchased the farm upon which he now lives in Brookline township. 
He owns one hundred and forty-five acres of the best land in the county, and has the best 
farm house in his section. Mr. Howell's mother died in September, 1870, in Michigan, and 
his father died in this county, in 1874. He has been married twice, the first time to Miss 
Leona Moore, in 1849. This marriage was without issue, Mrs. Howell dying in the fall of 
1849. Mr. Howell was married the second time to Mrs. Jane M. Tibbets. This union has 
been blest with four children, all of whom are living. He is a member of the Congrega- 
tional church at Republic. He is Republican in politics, and has always acted with that 
party. No man in Greene county stands higher in the estimation of the people than he, and 
all regard him as one of Greene's mostsubstant*ial citizens 

WILLIAM McCLEARY. 

Mr. McCleary is the son of Joseph C. and Margaret (Smith) McCleai-y, and was born in 
Jefferson county, Ohio, March 31st, 1840. He was educated at Libert}' academy, Virginia. 
He emigrated to Iowa, where he remained four j'ears, and then came to Greene county, 
Missouri, where he engaged in farming, making a specialty of wheat. His health becoming 
impaired he naoved to Republic, engaging in the hardware and agricultural implement 
business. There was no station upon the road where Republic now stands when Mr. Mc- 
Cleary first came, not even a switch. He has been largely instrumental in building up the 
town, and had a highway established to Springfield. He was married the first time in 
Morgan county, Ohio, to Miss Annie, daughter of Robert Gray. Their union was blest with 
three girls, all living. He was married the second time to Eliza K., daughter of David 
Smith, of Belmont county, Ohio. They have had three children, one boy and two girls. 

WILLIAM H. NOE. 

ilr. Noe is a son of L. F. and Catherine M. (Holmes) Noe, and was born in Monmouth 
county, New Jersey. He was educated in the public schools of Livingston county, New 
York, and followed farming until his eighteenth year, when he dealt in horses for some 
time, and then he engaged in railroad building, taking charge of the horses used in the 
transportation of track and building material. After this he became a contractor and 
builder of railroads, and built first the road from Housatonic to Danbury, Connecticut. He 
then took a contract upon the old Duchess and Columbia R. R., then upon the Stamford and 
New Canaan railway, and many smaller contracts upon leading roads. He laid the foundation 



682 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 

for the Rockland Print Works, taking a contract to remove seven thousand j-ards of " hard 
pan " in thirty days. He finished the work in just twenty days. Mr. Noe made the beautiful 
and extensive improvements upon the grounds ofW. T. Garner, onStaten Island. He then 
came West, taking contracts and handling stock. He bought land in Greene county, and 
lias one of the best improved farms in this section, stocked with the finest breeds of horses, 
cattle and hogs. In politics Mr. Noe is a Democrat. 

WILLIAM B. O'NEAL. 
Mr. O'Neal is a son of Jesse and Annie (Brown) O'Neal, and was born March 30th, 1841, 
in Carroll county, Arkansas. In 1861 he enlisted in the 24th Missouri volunteers. Col. 
Boyd, and remained in the service three years and four months. His regiment was assigned 
to Gen. Curtis' command, operating in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. He was at the 
battles of Pea Kidge, Fredericktown and many skirmishes. He was with Gen. Baldy Smith 
at the charge of Fort DeRussy, Sabine Pass, and the various engagements of the Red river 
expedition. His regiment was at the battle of Wilson's Creek, but was not called into the 
action. He was mustered out at Sti Louis in October, 1864. At the close of the war he 
located upon a farm in Greene county, near Republic. He was the founder of the town, 
making the original plat. Besides farming, he has been engaged in general merchandise, 
and is a large property holder in the town. Mr. O'Neal has filled the office of constable of 
the township for ten years, and received the Greenback nomination for sheriff" in 1878. He 
was married the first time, August 5th, 1865, to Miss Sophrina, daughter of John Luce, of 
Greene county. She died August 16th, 1881, and Mr. O'Neal was married upon the 30th of 
January, 1882, to Elizabeth Hainer, also of this county. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON PATTERSON, M. D. 

Dr. Patterson is the twelfth son of Lewis and Mary Y. (Pearson) Patterson, and was 
born in Hamilton county, Tenneseee, March 7th, 1850. He was educated at the Sale's 
creek academ}-. He was engaged in farming until 1875, when he began the stud}' of medi- 
cine under Dr. H. C. Rose, of Rhea county, Tennessee. In 1876 he entered the Kentucky 
school of medicine, at Louisville, and aftei»vard practiced under Dr. Rose, and graduating 
from the Nashville medical college in 1878. He then started west, overland, making a 
short stop at Springfield, Missouri. Then continued west, and when the party got to the 
head of Clear creek they were stricken with malarial fever. As soon as they were able to 
travel they went to Newton, Kansas. The doctor returned to Greene countyand began the 
practice of his profession at Cave Spring, where he remained a year and then removed to 
Bois D'Arc, and in partnership with Dr. E. D. Robinson practiced for a year. He next 
moved to Republic, where he practiced a year, and then went to Bellevue hospital medical 
college and graduated in the class of 1881-82, and returned to Republic, where he is gaining 
the professional reputation he so well deserves. 

JOHN POTTER. 

Mr. Potter was born in Eurzig, Prussia, and emigrated to America in 1857, and located 
at Jeff'erson City, Missouri. He moved to Greene county in 1860, locating where Brookline 
now stands, where he remained until 1862, when he went to Springfield and worked in the 
government wagon-shops until 1865. Mr. Potter was married upon the 30th of March, 1862, 
to Elizabeth Phillips. Their union has been blest with four children, one girl, Mary Jose- 
phine, and three boys, Freflerick William, Lyman Theodore and Roy. Mr. Potter was tke 
first man sworn in Captain Abernathy's Home Guards and his sympathies were always with 
the Union. When General Marmaduke attempted to enter Springfield in the fall of 1863, 
he with all the hands of the shop, was called out to repel the attack. At the close of the 
war he engaged in the manufacture of wagons at Springfield, but at the end of a year 
removed to Little York, one and one-half miles from Brookline, where he embarked in the 
grocery business until November, 1871, when he moved to Brookline and engaged in general 
merchandise. He has been postmaster of Little York and Brookline for sixteen consecu- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 683 

live years, and station and express agent at the depot for eight years. In politics Mr. Potter 
is a Kepublican and has the confidence of all. 

JOHN P. STEELE. 

This gentleman is the son of Richard and Margaret (Grimes) Steele, and was born January 
10th 1822, in Williamson county, Tennessee. In the fall of 1834 he came with his parents 
to Greene county, xMissouri, and settled upon Kickapoo prairie, where he lived with his 
father upon the farm until he was twenty-one years old. He then went to White river, in 
Tannev county, where upon April 13th, 1843, he married Miss Jane Ramsey. That mar- 
riage was productive of five children, four of whom are living. Soon after his marriage he 
came back to Greene and settled near his father, where he lived until 1866. He then went 
to Stone county, where he lived five years, when he came back to this county and settled at 
Brookline. Mr. Steele's first wife died October 9th, 1858, and he was married again April 
19th 1859, to Martha M. Gibson. By this union they had three children, two are living. 
Mr. Steele is a Mason and a member of the Congregational church. He was compelled by 
General Lvon to actas one of the guides to Wilson's Creek battle ground. His father was a 
native of North Carolina, and died in Missouri at the age of eighty-two. His mother died 
in 1856 upon the old homestead in Greene. They had twelve children, John P. being the 
tenth. Mrs. Steele is a devout member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and Mr. 
Steele is one of the most worthy citizens of the county. 

HARVEY A. WHITE, M. D. 

Dr. White is a son of John Wesley White, and was born in the township of Westmins- 
ter, Canada, November 27th, 1838. His parents moved to Illinois in 1839, and settled in 
McHenry county, where his father was engaged in milling and merchandising. Harvey 
farmed until he was twenty-one vears of age, and then enlisted in the army, joining at the 
first call for troops, and continued until discharged upon account of disability. He then 
went to Chicago, where he was engaged at the carpenter's trade for about four years. He 
moved to Missouri in the fall of 1866, slopping in Greene county for a short time, and then 
goin- to the counties of Christian and Taney, building the Cedar Valley Mills in the last 
named county, where he was employed in milling and the practice of his profession tor 
about eight years. He then removed to Greene county and located at what is now known 
as Republic, and took an active part in the building of the town, and was one of its first 
trustees. He received his medical education in the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati. 
The doctor was engaged in the mercantile business at Republic for seven years, but closed 
out in December, 1880, and resumed his profession. He was married m February, 186< , in 
this county, to Miss Jane, daughter of P. L. Anderson. Their union has been blest with 
three children, two sons and a daughter. • 



CHAPTER XXIV. 
WILSON TOWNSHIP. 



Description, Etc. — Early History — Pioneer Life, Etc. — Biographies of Old Settlers and 

Prominent Citizens. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Wilson township comprises the north thirty sections of township 
28, vano'e 22. It contains a considerable portion of the Kickapoo 
prairie, on which are some of the best farms in Missouri. The wheat 



684 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

lands in this township are unsurpassed and in favorable seasons many 
tracts produce more than thirty bushels to the acre. Some of the 
best and most substantial citizens of Greene county have lived and 
still live in this township. 

Wilson township was organized in 1859, upon the formation of 
Christian county (see general history), and was named for old James 
Wilson, the early settler so frequently named in the pioneer history 
of this volume, who came to Greene county with the Delaware Indians 
and lived with a squaw of that tribe on the creek which now bears his 
name. Wilson's creek runs through the northwest part of the town- 
ship, and the James makes a horseshoe in the southern part of the 
township* in sections 27 and 28. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

As has been stated on previous pages of this history (see Chapter 
I.), the settlements on the James in Wilson township were the first 
made within the present limits of Greene county. Albert G. Patter- 
son came to this township in 1822, and there lived until his death, a 
few years since ; it is said he died on the place he first settled, having 
lived there continuously from 1822, except from 1829 to 1831 when 
the whites were not permitt/ed to inhabit the country on account of 
its being the reservation of the Delaware Indians. Then the Pattons, 
John and Nathaniel, and David Wallace were among the very first 
settlers. 

Among other settlers who came in later years was John Briscoe, 
who arrived in 1831, or 1832, from Tennessee, and settled where the 
widow of William M. Ward now lives, and died there. His sons-in- 
law were Jacob and Andrew Roller. The former settled the farm of 
Elijah Gray, and the latter the place where Scott Fry afterward lo- 
cated. The Rollers and Briscoes left in a few years. Elijah Gray 
was from Halifax county, Virginia, removed to Tennessee, and in 1840 
came to Greene county, and in 1841 removed to Wilson township. 
Dr. Jewett lived on this same farm before the Grays came. When 
Elijah Gray moved into his house in December, 1841, it was then 
called the finest house in Wilson township. It was built of hewn 
logs, with a shingle roof and a rock chimney, while most of the old 
settlers' houses boasted only of board roofs and wooden chimneys, 
daubed up with mud. 

L. A. D. Crenshaw came to Greene county in 1841 from Nashville, 
Tennessee, and settled near Springfield. In 1845 he eame to Wilson 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 685 

township, and 1848 settled in section three of township twenty-eight, 
range twenty-two. He had no capital when he came, but has now 
reached a foremost position among the solid citizens of Greene county. 
In Wilson township he owns 1,200 acres of land, all lying in one 
body, forming one of the finest farms in the county. 

William T. Ward recently deceased, was an old settler of the town- 
ship. W. B. Anderson began improving his farm in the northeastern 
part of the toAVushii^ in 1842. 

The O'Neals are pioneer settlers of this township. Mrs. Mary 

O'Neal, wife of O'Neal, gives many interesting reminiscences 

of her life in the primitive days of this township's existence. When 
she and her husband first came here the Delaware Indians passed back 
and forth throuo^h the neiirhborhood on their visits to the difl:erent 
hunting and trapping grounds. They were always orderly and never 
gave the settlers any trouble. 

The settlers had their grinding done at Marshall's old mill, on the 
James. No saw-mills were in existence here and all wooden articles 
or implements used were hewn out with an ax. Spinning wheels were 
made at Sidney Ingram's shop, in Springfield, but looms were usually 
made by the settlers themselves. Nearly every lady of 18 and over 
at that date could spin and weave. 

Game was abundant, and venison steaks were staple articles of the 

pioneer's bills of fare. Wolves were plenty and predatory, and the 

•sheep-folds were always placed convenient to the dwelling in order 

that the sheep might be protected from the ravages of the lupine 

marauders. 

Among the early marriages was that of Lee Yarbrough and Louisa 
Gray, who were married March 29, 1843. John H. Miller, whose 
newspaper articles on the early history of this county have been con- 
sulted in the pioneer chapter, and Margaret Bhikey were married July 
14, 1843, on the McDaniel farm. Mrs. O'Neal remembers that the 
wedding came ofl:' in a little cabin 14 xl4 feet in size, and that about 
one hundred and fifty guests were present at the wadding jteast, all 
of whom were bountifully fed and generously cared for. Mrs. O'Neal 
is of the opinion that no more enjoyable wedding ever occurred in 
Greene county. Mr. Reson Hayden owned a still-house in the neigh- 
borhood and supplied whisky to all who cared to indulge in that 
beverage. 

There are no towns or villages in Wilson township, and no churches 
reported. The farthest point in the township from Springfield is not 



68B HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

more than ten miles, and the people are so convenient to that city 
that they do not care to be bothered with a town of their own. They 
are also so moral and upright that they can dispense with churches. 



BIOGRAPHIES, 

W. B. ANDERSON 

Is the son of William H. and Asenath (McCorkle) Anderson, and was born in Sumner 
CDunty, Tennessee, March 6, 1820. When he was about fourteen years of age his parents 
moved to Greene county, Illinois, where they lived three years, removing thence to Bond 
county, in which the family resided till 1841. They then came to Greene county, Mo., 
and entered land on what is now known as the " McCracken place," in Clay township. 
They sold out there in 1855, and went to California, where both the parents of W. B. 
iiied. The subject of this sketch entered the land of his homestead from the government, 
and at this writing owns about 492 acres in this county, and 200 acres in Christian county. 
He was reared upon the farm, and has always followed farming as a vocation, with the ex- 
ception ot two years spent in California in mining. In July, 1855, Mr. Anderson married 
Miss Caroline Murphy, of Greene county, a native of Tennessee. Eleven children have 
been born to them, eight of whom still survive. Both Mr. A. and wife are members of 
the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Springfield. He has always been a Democrat, and 
votes in accordance with the principles of that party. 

GEORGE T. BEAL. 

Capt. Beal is the son of Daniel and Nancy (Gibson) Beal, and was born in that part of 
Greene ^jounty that is now Lawrence county, Missouri, Nov. 10, 1832. His father settled 
the place upon which the town of Verona now stands. When George was about a year 
old, his parents moved to near Springfield and settled upon the place that is now known 
as the Wingfield place, where he grew to manhood. In 1854 he took the "gold fever," 
and went to California and remained two years. He again crossed the great plains to Cal- 
ifornia in 1857 with a drove of milk cows, and returned the same year. He was married 
March 20th, 1860, to Miss Ann Eliza Rountree, daughter of Junius Kountree, one of the 
pioneers of the county. Their union has been blest with seven children, viz. : Thos. M. 
(deceased), Edward L., Marshall F., Joseph S., infant (deceased), Carrie M. and Nettie R. 
At the battle of Wilson's Creek Mr. Beal was one of the four guides who directed Gen. 
Lyon to the memorable battlefield. In the fall of 1861 betook his family to Carlinville, 
111., and remained near there until the spring of 1862, and then returned to his farm. In 
August of 1862, he enlisted in the Enrolled Missouri Militia, and was elected captain of 
company F, 72d regiment. After six months' service he resigned and took no further part 
in the war. Since that time he has been continuously engaged in farming, owning two 
hundred acres of land in Wilson township. Capt. Beal, his wife and oldest son, are mem- 
bers of the C. P. church. The Capt. thinks he is the oldest citizen of the county now liv- 
ing, who was born in the county. 

ISAAC N. BROCKMAN. 

This gentleman is the son of William and Harriet Brockraan, and was born at Greens- 
burg, Indiana, May 8th, 1833. His parents took him to Kentucky when he was but a 
year old, and located in Lafayette county, where Isaac grew to manhood. He came to 
Missouri in 1854, and stopped at Weston, in Platte county, where he lived thirteen years. 
. He was married April 5, 1855, to Miss Rachel K. Fry, of Platte county, a native of Ken- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 687 

tucky. This union was blessed with seven children, one of whom is dead. His oldest 
daughter, Eliza A., married A. E. Mack, of this county, but died December 12, 1882. Be- 
fore the war Mr. Brookraan was a slave owner, and carried on extensive farming opera- 
tions in Platte county. When the war came on, he entered the E. M. M. in 1862, and 
served three months. He was elected justice of the peace in Platte county in 1882, and 
served four years. In 18(J7, he sold out in Platte and came to Greene county, purchasing 
the old Dick Steele place southwest of Springfield, and again engaged in farming and stock 
raising. He was elected justice of the peace for this county in 1870, on the Democratic 
ticket, serving eight years. In 1882 he was again elected to the same office. Mr. B. owns 
280 acres of land in Greene and Christian counties. 

ELIJAH GEAY, (deceased.) 

This venerable pioneer was a Virginian, born in Halifax county, December the 14th, 
1799. When he was about seven years old, his parents (John and Anne Gray) moved to 
Williamson county, Tenn., where he lived till 1827, and then emigrated to Callaway 
county. Mo. Here he remained but one year, then returned to his old home in Tennessee. 
In 1840 he sold out there and came direct to this county, settling two miles west of Spring- 
field, where he remained a year. He next removed to t^ie place where James Price Gray 
now resides, and that continued to be his home till the time of his death, which occurred 
May 23, 1882. He had been married, September 25, 1823, to Annie Brooks, of Tennessee, 
and when he died left four livii^g children, of whom James P. is the only son. Elijah 
Gray lies buried in the Gray family cemetery on his old homestead in Greene county. 
James Price, the son above mentioned, was born in Williamson county, Tenn., January 10, 
1832, and came with his parents to this county in 1840, and when he was grown up, settled 
upon the place owned, at this writing, by Mrs. J. P. Campbell. He sold out in 1864, and 
moved to Montgomery county. Mo., but the succeeding year returned to his father's old 
homestead in Greene county, which place he fell heir to on the division of property left by 
tlie elder Gray. Mr. Gray was twice married, his first wife being Mary E. Blakey, to whom 
he was married January 2^, 185(5. She died in 1857, leaving one child, who also died when 
four years old. He was married a second time on January 10, 1859, to Sallie Gilmore, of 
Cass county, Mo. By the last marriage, Mr. Gray has had seven children, six of whom 
still survive. 

JAMES P. EDWARDS. 

His parents were William B. and Mary (RatlifF) Edwards, and James P. was born in 
Newton county, Mo., November 10, 1840. When he was quite a child his father came with 
his family to Greene county, and located in Wilson township, on Wilson creek. James was 
reared on the farm, and acquired his education in the schools of the county. In 1862, he en- 
listed to aid the Union cause of the civil war, under Col. Jones in the E. M. M.. and served 
for nine months. He then enlisted in the regular U. S. army, joining the 16th Mo. cavalry 
under command of Col. McMahan, and served thus till the war closed. He was in the fight 
at Springfield when Marmaduke attacked that place in 1863, and a number of other fights 
and skirmishes. After the war, he took a government contract to furnish the Cherokee In- 
dians with meal, during the famine that fell upon them. He then returned to his farm, and 
has made farming and stock trading his chief vocation ever since. Mr. Edwards was married 
September 16, 1866, to Miss Sarah F. O 'Neal, of Greene county. They have had seven chil- 
dren, five of whom still survive. The children's names are : James C, William R.. Mary E., 
Harry A., Annie Belle, Fidelio J., and Tillie May, Mr. Edwards owns 110 acres of the best 
land on Kickapoo prairie. He has been a citizen of this county from earl}- childhood, and 
is a successful farmer and a fine business man generally. 

JACOB GARTON. 

Mr. Garton is a native of Tennessee, born in Dixon county, November 14, 1822, and is a 
son of John and Elizabeth (Condrey) Dixon. When he was twenty-four years old, he went 



688 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

to Marshall county, Miss., and there took charge of a large plantation, which he managed 
successfully for two years. Returning to Tennessee, he engaged in the cotton culture for 
seven years in Maury county. August 12, 1855, he married Miss Penelope Elizabeth 
Rainey, a native of the above county. Five children were born of that union, three of whom 
are living at this writing. His first wife died in September, 1865, and he was again married, 
March 5, 1870, to Miss Alzany Wallace, a native of this county. Six children — four sur- 
viving and two deceased — were born of the latter marriage. It was in November, 1855, 
that Mr. Garten carae to Missouri, stopping the first three years on the "Blakey place," in 
this county, before purchasing the place on which he now resides in Wilson township. He 
has added to his original purchase from time to time, till he now owns some 380 acres of fine 
land in Greene and Christian counties. Mr. Garton built a hotfel and some bath-houses at 
Eaudevia Springs in Christian count}', the waters of which are good for neuralgia, rheuma- 
tism, and sore eyes, and is also a specific fur growths of a cancerous nature. During the 
war Mr. Garton enlisted, in 1862, in the Home Guards under Gen. Holland, and served 
about eight months. Both Mr. G. and wife are members of the Congregational church at 
Brookline. Politically, he is a Democrat, and holds allegiance strictly to that party. He 
has always been a farmer, and his industry has been well rewarded. 

ABNER HAMBLEN 

Is the son of Hezekiah and Nancy (Holt) Hamblen, and was born in Hawkins county, Ten- 
nesseee. May 16, 1820. He grew to manhood in his native county, and was there educated 
at McMinn academy, of Rogersville. August 19, 1841, he married Miss Matilda Beeler, 
also of Hawkins county, Tennessee. He emigrated to this county (Greene) in September 
1848, settling on Kickapoo prairie, where he purchased land. Two years later he bought 
the place (his present homestead) on which he has lived thirty-three years. For two years, 
after coming to Missouri, he utilized his education by teaching, but since that time has de- 
voted himself to farming. He was elected justice of the peace for Campbell township in 
1850, when Wilson was a part of Campbell. In all, he has served twelve years in the two 
townships. In polities Squire Hamblen has always been a Democrat. During the latter 
part of the great war he served in the 46th Infantry, U. S. regulars, commanded by Col. 
Fyan. His original sympathies were with the South, as he was a slaveholder. Several 
times his life was attempted at his home by robbers and camp-followers. On one occasion 
Mrs. Hamblen forcibly ejected one of the robbers from the house. Since the war Squire 
Hamblen has held no office, though often solicited to accept official positions by his friends. 
His married life has been blest with nine children, five of whom still survive. The county 
was sparsely settled when Squire H. first came, and he has lived to see many changes come 
over both the country and the people. He relates that, in early times, the chief topics of 
conversation were " pre-emption claims " and " bull yearlings." Immediately after the war 
when the schools were being reorganized, out of a total of thirty votes cast for director, 
Mr. Hamblen received twentj'-nine of them, himself being the only maawho cast his vote 
for another candidate. 

CHARLES BAKER OWEN. 

Capt. Owen is the son of Solomon H. and Mary E. (Bushong) Owen, and was born in 
Marshall county, Tennessee, February S8, 1827. At the age of about nine years his parents 
came with him to Greene county. Mo., and the father entered land four miles north of 
Springfield. 

Charles Baker grew up on the farm, and received his education in the neighborhood 
schools. When he arrived at manhood he began trading in stock for himself, and at the age 
of twenty-seven was made deputy under Sheriff Sam. Fulbright, In April, 1855, he went 
on " Pool's Gold Hunt " out to Kansas, on which the party made quite a trip, killing plenty 
of game, but finding none of the metal which is heavy to get, but light to hold. They were 
gone about four months. In September, 1850, Mr. Owen was married to Miss Sarah Ellen 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 689 

Garbrough, a native of the same county as himself. Two sons — John S. and Stephen A. 
Douglas — were born of that marriage, both of whom still survive. His first wife died 
March 18, 1862, and he was a second time married, January 31, 1865, to Nancy C. McCros- 
key. Eight children were born of this second marriage, all of whom are living at this 
writing. Until the civil war began, Capt. Owen was continuously engaged in farmino- and 
stock raising. Being Union in principle, he at once became a supporter of the national 
government, enlisting in the Home Guards in the spring of 1861. On the night of the 9th 
of August, 1861, he guided Gen. Sigel to the Wilson Creek battle ground. On the 
19th of the same month, he enlisted in 24th Mo. Infantry, U. S. A., but saw no 
active service till the next year. March 1st, 1863, Mr. Owen was promoted to the capitancy 
of company D, and thus served till mustered out, October 14, 1864, He was at Fort 
De Russey, Pleasant Hill, and Yellow Bayou. At the close of the war he returned to Greene 
county and engaged in farming. In 1856, he went to Texas and soon after traded for a lot 
of cattle from the Chickasaw Indians, which herd he drove to Leavenworth, Kansas. In 
1868, Mr. Owen was defeated as the Democratic candidate for sheriflF. He was elected as an 
independent candidate in 1870, but beaten as the Democratic nominee in 1872, by only five 
votes. In 1874, he was elected by 154 majority. He again received the Democratic nomi- 
nation in 1882, but his Republican opponent was elected. Captain Owen owns 1,133 acres 
of land in this and Christian counties, the best of which lies along the James river, the bot- 
tom of that stream being exceedingly rich and productive, 

ROBERT COATS PRUNTY. M. D. 

Dr. Prunty is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Rives) Prunty, and was born in AVarren 
county, Kentucky, July 7, 1820. His grandfather, Robert Prunty, was born in Franklin 
county, Virginia, and emigrated to Kentucky in 1806. His grandfather, upon bis mother's 
side, Burwell Rives was also of Franklin county, Virginia, and came to Kentucky about the 
same year. Robert Coats Prunty lived in that State until he was nineteen years of age, re- 
ceiving his education at Bowling Green. In 1839 his parents moved to Greene county, Mis- 
souri, and purchased the place upon which the doctor is now living. His father died 
September 10, 1860, upon the homestead, and his mother died in McLean county, Illinois, 
March 18, 1864. Robert read medicine under Drs, Shackleford and Perham, and began the 
practice in 1845 at Ash Grove. His health failing he went to Virginia, and on his return 
stopped in Warren county, Kentucky, and practiced four years in the vicinity of his birth- 
place. While making his home in Kentucky, he attended the medical department of the 
Missouri State University, at St. Louis, that department of the University being then in 
that city, and graduated in 1847. He was married January 18, 1848, in this county, to Miss 
Mahala S., daughter of Col. Nathan Boone, who was the eighth child of Daniel Boone. She 
died November 2, 1849, leaving one child, now Mrs. Belle Boone Cowden, of Springfield. 
The doctor was married the second time to Miss Olevia Shipp, of this county, in January, 
1854. She died in 1859, and he married Mrs. Mary F. McGown, on the 22d of March, 1863. 
Their union has been blest with four children, viz. : Burwell R., Matilda P., Amanda J., 
and Mary F. In 1863, Dr. Prunty went to McLean count\-, Illinois, and sold goods atLeruy 
for some time. He then sold out and practiced medicine at Down's Station until his return 
to this count}^ in 1868. He practiced two years at Ash Grove, and then moved back upon 
the old homestead, where he has since been engaged in farming and stock trading. 

JACOB THOMAS. 

Mr. Thomas' parents were Christian and Martha Thomas, and he was born in Lancaster 
county, Pennsj'lvania, January 2, 1809, He grew to manhood in his native county, and 
there received his education. For three years of his life he worked at the tanner's trade, 
which he learned in youth, and subsequently engaged for two years in the distillery busi- 
ness. For the next six or seven years he worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1834 he moved 

44 



690 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

to Ohio, stopping for a short time in Wayne county, going thence to Pickaway county, 
where he continued two years. He spent several succeeding years in various parts of that 
State, engaged chiefly in farming. In 18G8 he crossed the plains with a drove of horses. 
Returning the same year, he made another trip, in 18(34, to the same place and for the same 
purpose. Again, in 1865, he repeated this operation, returning in 1866. He had sold his 
Ohio farm in 1864, but his family remained there till he brought them out to this (Greene) 
county in 1866. After a short sojourn in Springfield, he invested in lead mines in Christian 
county, which proved, however, not to be a financial success. From that time he turned 
his whole attention to farming. He bought the farm he now owns in 1868, and has lived 
there ever since. May 4, 1858, he married Emiline Brockley of Marion county, Ohio. 
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, four of whom are still living. In 
politics, Mr. Thomas is a life long Democrat, and always acts with that time honored 
party. 



CHAPTER XXV. 
CLAY TOWNSHIP. 



Description — Springdale (or Fisher's) Cave — Early History — Tragedies of the Civil 
War. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Clay township includes all that portion of township 28, range 21, 
that is in Greene county — to-wit, the north thirty sections. It was 
organized in April, 1859, and named in honor of Henry Clay. Two of 
the county justices at the time, J. W. Gray and J. R. Earnest, were 
old Clay Whigs. 

The Kickapoo prairie extends into Clay township, and there are 
some very superior farms here. It is fortunate, too, that so many 
intelligent and enterprising farmers have located in this township and 
have made thorough and practical development of its many natural 
advantages and resources. Some of the best and most progressive 
farmers of Southwest Missouri have their homes here, and their im- 
proved lands grow year by year more valuable. 

The James fork of White river — usually called " the James," and 
sometimes " the Jeems," — flows through the township from north- 
east to southwest and adds no little to its beauty and general advan- 
tages. There are numerous fine springs and some beautiful caves, 
and, indeed, much beautiful scenery. For not all of the land is here 
level and valuable for agricultural purposes, but much is broken and 
rough and wild, though picturesque. The White river branch of the 
*' Frisco " railway, or Springfield and Southern, has recently been 
built through the township, and is of great value and advantage to the 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 691 

people. Trains stop at Gallaway, a station established for the con- 
venience of the citizens in the lower part of section 9. 

SPKINGDALE CAVE. 

About six miles from Springfield, on the Springfield and James river 
bridge road, and on the line of the Springfield and Southern R. R., about 
three-quarters of a mile above Gallaway station, is a cave of consider- 
able note. From it issues one of the finest streams of water in Greene 
county and the Southwest, and on account of this spring it became 
the site of one of the earliest settlements, having been entered in 1840 
by Jacob Painter. During the war it was owned by Benj. Brashears, 
a Confederate soldier and ranger, who is said to have contracted a 
cold which caused his death while hiding in the cave from his enemies, 
the Federals. Sometime after the war it came into the possession of 
T. B. Fisher and bore his name until recently. 

From Mr. Fisher the present owner, P. F. Vaughan, bought it in 
November, 1881. It is Mr. Vaughan's intention to add much to the 
beauty and convenience of the place by setting out evergreens and 
vines, constructing ponds for fish and boat-riding, clearing and seat- 
ing groves to be used by picnic parties, and adding many other 
attractions. 

But the cave itself is and will be the chief attraction. The little 
valley through which the Springfield and Southern R. R. fijidsitsway 
to the James is bordered on the east side by an abrupt limestone 
bluff, into which the cave enters in a northeasterly direction. At the 
mouth it is about 35 feet wide and the roof is about eight feet above 
the water, and the water from one to two feet deep. At a short dis- 
tance from the mouth is the chimney, which is a round hole extending 
upward some 30 or 40 feet and from the lower edge of which hangs a 
huge pear-shaped stalactite. About 12 rods from the mouth hangs a 
group of very large stalaclites, reaching nearly to the water. Groups 
of various sizes can be seen all along the roof. At about 25 rods 
from the mouth the cave widens to from 75 to 100 feet, and here is a 
row of stalactites 30 or 40 feet long, which are beautiful, indeed. At 
about 29 rods a spring enters from the east side, and here is a singular 
formation on the floor, reminding one of a huge evaporating pan with 
its various sections and divisions. A few rods farther the roof sud- 
denly raises to about 15 or 18 feet. In the center of this high roof 
is a circular group of stalactites arranged as if by a scenic artist, while 
the edge of the lower roof is draped most beautifully. 



692 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

At 40 rods from the mouth there is a natural dam, over which the 
water falls about 3 feet. Above the fall the cave forks, the right hand 
branch bearing nearly east, while the left bears nearly north, the 
water flowing through both branches and uniting just below the fall. 
Each branch is about one-half the width of the main cave, and the 
left one is al)out 7 feet high at the fall and gradually lowers until the 
" serpent's attitude " ends the exploration at about 90 rods from the 
mouth. The right or east branch is entered by a mere hole, but it 
soon becomes wider and higher and then lowers to about 4 feet, 
which height it holds nearly to the end. At about 10 rods above the 
fall the water disappears (or rather appears as the visitor ascends the 
stream) and the cave continues dry to within about six rods of the 
end, when the water reappears and is remarkably clear. At the ex- 
treme end the water comes from the rock and falls about six feet to 
the bottom of the cave. This fall is 92 rods from the mouth. A boat 
runs to the first fall, and by lifting it over can be run in the east branch 
about 10 rods. 

Springdale cave will well repay a visit, and if Mr. Vaughan carries 
out his plans it will be one of the most attractive places in Southwest 
Missouri. Already it has attained considerable reputation, and the 
attractions of " Fisher's cave, "as it was formerly and is now fre- 
quently called, are known to many. 

EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 

Mention has already been made in the general history of this volume 
of the settlements that were made at an early date along the James 
within the limits of this township. The Thompson family was prob- 
ably the first. Edward M. Thompson came to the county in 1830 and 
settled south of the James. Chas. A. Haden is one of the pioneers 
and is prominently identified with the history of the township. Samuel 
McCorkle, came in from Tennessee in 1839, and first settled in Camp- 
bell township, southeast of Springfield. Wm. H. Anderson located 
here in 1841. A Mrs. Page and family are reported to have located 
here in 1830 or 1831. This family was of French descent and came 
from St. Genevieve. Jacob Painter entered the land whereon 
Fisher's cave is in 1840. 

TRAGEDIES OF THE CIVIL WAR. 

The civil war bore hard on Clay township. Its citizens wore 
preyed upon by both armies and much of their property taken and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 693 

destroyed. At the same time nearly all of the able-bodied men were 
in the army as soldiers, on one side or the other. 

Not always did the people escape with the loss of their property. 
Some of the men of the township were inhumanly murdered. The 
case of Mr. James Thompson is the most prominent instance of this 
sort, and is fully recorded on another page. (See history for 1864.) 

On the night of March 22, 1864, Elijah Hunt, a citizen of this town- 
ship, was inhumanly murdered by a party of Union militia. Mr. 
Hunt was a " Southern man " as the Confederates were called. He 
was at his home on the evening in question when his murderers came 
up. One of them went in the house and Mr. Hunt accompanied him 
to the door, where the miscreant suddenly turned upon him and shot 
him down. 

The same night Joel Dodsoa, another " Southern man," was 
murdered, presumably by the same party that killed Hunt. Mr. 
Dodson was at home, seated at his fireside, playing on a violin. The 
jDarty rode up, called out, and Mr. Dodson went to the door, with his 
violin in his hand, and was shot down in cold blood. It has not been 
learned of what either Hunt or Dodson was accused, except that each 
was not considered " loval." 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JOHN J. CAMPBELL. 

'Squire Campbell is the son of Robert and Sarah (Mills) Campbell, and was born in 
Maury county, Tennessee, May, 1818. His parents were natives of South Carolina, and his 
grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He lived in his native county, engaged 
in farming until 1850, when he moved to Texas, and in 1853 he moved to Greene county, 
Missouri, where he has since resided and followed farming. During the war he served in 
the Home Guards. His oldest son, William, was killed at the battle of Springfield, Janu- 
ary 8, 1863, when it was attacked by Gen. Marmaduke. His son John R. served through 
the war. Mr. Campbell has been a justice of the peace for seventeen years, and has never 
had a decision reversed by a higher court. He was married in 1839 to Miss Julia J., 
daughter of William and Mary (Blair) Mack, of Maury county, Tennessee. Her parents 
were from Virginia, and her grandfather was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war. 
Squire and Mrs. Campbell were blest with nine children, six of whom are living, John R. 
M., Mary R., Margaret E., lantha A., George W. and Ida, all of whom are married. No 
man in the county is more highly regarded than 'Squire Campbell. 

CALVIN M. CLOUD. 

This gentleman is the son of AVilliam and Rebecca (Mitchell) Cloud, and was born in 
Hawkins county, Tennessee, June 24, 1820. His father was a native of Virginia, and a 
soldier of the war of 1812. His mother was a native of South Carolina. In 1887 his 



694 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

parents moved to Jefferson county, Mo., and in 1838 to this county, and settled at the Hunt 
Spring, where they took a large tract of land. Mr. Cloud, Sr., lived there until 1856, and 
then moved to California, where he died in 1857. Calvin M, has lived in Clay township 
since 1838, and consequently is one of the oldest settlers in that part of the county. He was 
badly wounded by bushwhackers during the war. They were trying to steal some of his 
horses, and shot him while he was in his own yard. He carries the bullet in his body to this 
daj'. Mr. Cloud has held the office of justice of the peace for eight years, and only one of 
his cases has ever been reversed by a higher court. 'Squire Cloud is one of the prosperous, 
reliable citizens of the count}', and one in whom all have implicit confidence. He was 
married April 8, 1847, to Miss Kershner, daughter of John and Martha (Amos) Kershner, 
of Greene count}', Missouri. Their union has been blest with ten children, all living, viz. : 
Susanna F., John J., Mary E., Martha M., Thomas H., Sarah E., Lucy A., William B., 
Harriet E. and Edward C. Squire Cloud has had twenty-seven grand-children, twenty-five 
of whom are living. 

DANIEL B. GATES. 

This gentleman is the son of Zebediah and Betsy (Maxon) Gates, and was born in Court- 
land county N. Y., March 11th, 1836. His mother is the daughter of General Maxon of 
Revolutionary fame, and his great-grandfather was General Gates, whose name and deeds 
ar« familiar to every schoolboy. Mr. Gates' grandfather enlisted in the Continental army at 
the age of fourteen, and his father was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. Daniel lived at 
home until he was seventeen years of age and then went to Chicago where he was engaged 
in railroading for several years. He speculated largely in Missouri lands by buying and 
laying land warrants, owning at one time twenty thousand acres of land. He raised a com- 
pany for the 111th 111. Volunteers, but resigned the captaincj' and was appointed by General 
Yates assistant provost marshal for the 11th 111. congressional district, where he remained 
until the close of the war. In 1866 he went to Kansas City and Fort Scott, and in 1867 pur- 
chased the place where he now resides. He owns a finely improved farm of eight hundred 
acres, besides other lands in difi'erent parts of the State. He is one of the most substantial 
citizens of Greene count}', and is regarded as a thorough gentleman. He has been a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity for twenty-five years. Mr. Gates was married December 28, 

1858, to Miss Mercy "Wells, of Lafayette county, Wisconsin. They have had four children, 
two of whom are living, E. E. and Henry. 

COL. CHARLES A. HADEN. 

This gentleman is the son of Joel H. and Marth. (Smith) Haden, and was born in Bourbon 
county, Kentucky, May 9, 1813. His mother was a native of that State and his father of 
Virginia. His grandfather was a captain in the Revolutionary war. His father, the Rev. 
Joel Haden, was a Christian minister and organized nearly all the older churches of that 
denomination in Southwest Missouri. In 1824 he moved to Howard county Missouri, and 
in 1835 he and his son Charles came to Springfield, where he was appointed register of the 
land office, which position he held several years, and also carried on the work of organization 
of Christian churches. He returned to Howard county, where he died in 1862. Charles 
worked here in his father's office until 1841, when he removed to the farm upon which he now 
resides, where he has been farming and dealing extensively in stock. He now owns a fine 
farm of five hundred acres, besides giving to his children some three hundred. Mr. Haden 
is one of the pioneers of Greene county, and was a colonel of militia in the early days of 
the county. He has been a member of the Christian church since a young man, and a 
Mason since 1842. He was married May 6, 1841, to Miss Louisiana, daughter of Major 
Joseph and Judith Weaver, Their union was blest with eight children, six living, Martha 
H., Judith M., Gabrella S., Joel H., John S. and Mollie E. Mrs. Haden died August 18, 

1859. Her parents were among the earliest settlers in Greene county, and her father was a 
soldier in the war of 1812. 



\ 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 695 



HENRY B. HILL 



This young gentleman was born in Tioga county, New York, February 22d, 1856, where 
he grew to manhood and received a good education. In 1877 he came to Christian county, 
Missouri, where he engaged in teaching and farming. In 1881 he embarked in the mercan- 
tile business at Ponce De Leon Springs, and in 1883 he located at Galoway Station, in this 
county, where he and Mr. Ethan Miller are doing a general merchandising business. They 
are building up quite a trade, and deserve the success they meet. 

REV. JOSEPH W. LANGSTON. 

This gentleman is the son of R. N. and Martha A. (Gallon) Langston, and was born in 
Logan county, Kentucky, October 5th, 1829. He is of Scotch descent, and his grandfather 
was a colonel in the Revolutionary war. Joseph's parents moved to Greene county, Mis- 
souri, in 1831, and settled first upon what is now known as the Turner place, on the Rock- 
bridge road, upon the James. In 1859 they moved to Howell county, Missouri, where Mr. 
Langston, Sr., was killed in 1863, by "rebel" bushwhackers. Joseph W. grew to manhood 
in this county, and in 1859 removed to Howell county. He returned to Greene county in 
1862, where, as a Union man, he was much safer. He represented Greene county in the Leg- 
islature in 1872 and 1873, and was one of the most intelligent men of that body. He is a 
minister of the Methodist church, and has preached for twenty-seven years, and organized 
churches all over the Southwest. He owns a fine farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Langston 
was married in 1853, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Joel and Elizabeth (Collins) Cargile, of 
this county, formerly of Alabama. Their union has been blest with ten children, eight of 
whom are living, William M., Thomas H., Willis J,, Martha A., Mary E., James H., Ed- 
ward A., and Robert R. 

ASA LYMAN. 

This gentleman is the son of Asa and Sarah (Davis) Lyman, and was born in New 
Hampshire April 25, 1811. Hisgrandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. When 
Mr. Lyman was a small boy his parents moved to St. Lawrence county. New York, where 
he grew to manhood. At the age of sixteen he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he has 
followed until a few years ago. In 1834 he moved to near Cleveland, Ohio. In 1840 to 
Parke county, Indiana, from there to Arkansas, and in 1844 he came to Greene county, 
Missouri, where he has since resided. He had the first shop in that part of the county. 
He owns a good farm, and spends most of his time reading at home. He was postmaster for 
about eighteen years, and has been a consistent member of the Christian church for forty 
years. He enjoys fine health, which he attributes to his temperate habits. Mr. Lyman was 
married in 1831 to Miss Rhoda, daughter of Ezra and Nancy Young, of St. Lawrence 
county. New York. She died in 1839. He was married the second time in 1840 to Miss 
Margaret K., daughter of Peter and Isabella Myers, of Parke county, Indiana. By his first 
marriage there were three children, Calvin, John, and Mary. Five children bless the last 
union, viz. : William, Lawson, Susan, Isabella, and Margaret. 

JUDGE JOHN W. D. L. F. MACK. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Sarah V. (Mack) Mack, and was born in Maurj^ 
county, Tennessee, January 15, 1821. His great grandfather was a soldier in the Revo- 
lution, and his great uncle was one of the men killed at the battle of New Orleans. 
His father was a native of North Carolina, and his mother of Virginia. He grew to man- 
hood in his native count}* and lived there until 1852, when he moved to Greene county, 
Missouri, and located at Springfield. In 1855 he accepted the position of deputy circuit 
clerk, which position he held until 1859, when he was elected circuit clerk and served until 
1861. He read law before and during his clerkship and was admitted to the bar in 1856. 
From 1863 to 1866 inclusive, he was a member of the State Senate, and for some time was 
adjutant of the 46th Missouri regiment, U. S. A. He was editor of the Springfield Journal 



696 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

from 1862 to 1865, and from 1867 to 1870 he was prosecuting attorney for Greene county. 
He then practiced his profession until 1875, when he retired from law and politics and 
moved out to his farm in Clay township where he has since given his time and attention to 
farming. He has a fine farm of tliree hundred and forty acres. He is a Eoyal Arch Mason, 
and has been a member of the Christian church since the age of twenty-two. He is a self- 
educated, self-made man, never having gone to school a daj' in his life. He was married in 
1842 in Maury county, Tennessee, to Miss Sarah E., daughter of Nathaniel G., and Char- 
lotta Murphy. She died in 1849 leaving three children, Francis J. E., Sarah R., and .John 
D. L. W. Judge Mack was married the second time in 1850, to Mary J. Murphy, a sister 
of his former wife. Their marriage was blest with nine children, seven of whom are now 
living, Nathaniel C, James B., Mary M., Robert A., Charles L., Minnie L., and William F. 

ALBERT G. McCRACKEN (deceased). 

This gentleman was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Holmes) McCracken, and was 
born in Williamson county, Tennessee, Jan. 28, 1823. His parents were natives of North 
Carolina, but were reared in Tennessee. Albert was one of a family of thirteen children, 
and the ninth son in rotation. His grandfather a was soldier in the war of the Revolution, 
and his father in the war of 1812. When Albert was twelve years of age he hurt one of 
his legs, and as it gradually grew worse he had it amputated after he came to Polk county, 
Missouri, in 1844. He came to this county in 1845. He went to school after he lost his 
leg and fitted himself for business. In 1854 he was elected clerk of the circuit court, which 
oflSce he held until 1860. In 1855 he bought out W. H, Anderson, in the nursery busi- 
ness, then the only nursery in the Southwest, and carried on that business until 1875, hav- 
ing branches in Kansas and Arkansas. In 1859 he went into partnership with S. M. In- 
gram in the milling business, upon the James river, and so continued until his death, Sept. 
28, 1878. The last fifteen years of his life he was a devoted Spiritualist, and died in that 
belief. He left a handsome estate. Commencing life a poor boy and a cripple, he rose to 
wealth and honor by his energy and good management. Mr. McCracken was married Jan. 
23, 1855, to Miss Jane, daughter of Martin and Annie (Howard) Ingram, of this county. 
Their union has been blest with six children, all living, William F., James S. R., Laura E., 
Edward E., Benton H. J. and Albert G. 

ETHAN MILLER. 

Mr. Miller is the son of David and Susan (Warner) Miller, and was born in Westmore- 
land county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 2d, 1850. His grandfather was a soldier in the Revolu- 
tionary war. Ethan grew to manhood in his native county, and was educated at the South 
western Normal College. He then taught school for a short time, and in 1872 he came to 
Greene county. Mo., and followed teaching and farming. In 1883 he, in partnership with 
Mr. H. B. Hill, engaged in general merchandising business at Galoway Station in Clay 
township. They are deserving young men and enjoy the confidence of the people. 

JOHN W. PLANK. 

Mr. Plank is the son of Jacob and Barbara (Zook) Plank, and was born in Wayne county, 
Ohio, January 27th, 1824. His parents were originally from Pennsylvania. John W. grew 
to manhood in his native county, and learned the cabinet-maker's trade with his brother-in- 
law, but worked for a number of years at the carpenter's trade. In 1847 he moved to Elk- 
hart county, Indiana, where he lived until 1868. He then came to Greene county, Missouri, 
and purchased the farm upon which he now resides. It is a splendid place of four hundred 
and eighty acres, and he is also the owner of an improved farm in Cedar county, containing 
two hundred and eighty acres, all of which was made by his industry and perseverance. He 
is one of Greene's most substantial citizens, and enjoys the confidence of all. Mr. Plank 
was married March 30th, 1848, to Miss Mary, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Blough) 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 697 

Stutzman, of Elkhart county, Indiana. Their union was blest with eleven children, nine of 
whom are living, Chancy, M.., Lavinia A., Amanda J., Lucy A., Milo J., James M., Harvey 
A., Leander D., and Jerome N. 0. 

WILLIAM L. THOMPSON. 

Mr. Thompson is a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Dollison) Thompson, and was born in 
Henry county, Tennessee, December 13, 1822. His father was a native of Maryland and 
his mother of Kentucky. After their marriage they moved to Henry county, Tennessee, 
where they lived until 1829, when they came to Greene county, Missouri. He purchased a 
claim, but soon sold it and in 1831 moved to what is now known as the Crabtree Price farm, 
where he lived until 1841, when he moved to Clay township and settled upon the farm where 
he died in 1850. "William was reared and educated in this county, where he has lived, except 
from 1863 to 1868, he resided in Kentucky. When the war began he owned a farm of five 
hundred acres, but owing a few hundred dollars his land was sold to pay his debts in his 
absence. He returned a poor man and has since endeavored to recuperate his fallen fortunes. 
He has now a good farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres, and is regarded as one of 
Greene's best citizens. Mr. Thompson was married March 27, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth P., 
daughter of John M. and Elizabeth (Blakley) Hagan. She was a native of Logan county, 
Kentucky, and was married while upon a visit to this county. They are blest with five 
children, M. E., Mary A., Edward R., Georgia Ann and Willie Douglas. 

JACOB R. D. THOMPSON. 

This gentleman is the son of Edward M. and Elizabeth {Dollison) Thompson, and was 

born July 12, 1836. His father was a native of Maryland and his mother of Kentucky. His 

father was among the very first settlers, coming to this county in 1829, where he died in 1851. 

Jacob R. D. Thompson grew to manhood in the county and has always followed farming and 

stock rearing. He has a fine farm of two hundred and twenty acres, all but sixty of which 

he acquired by his own industry and energy. He was married in 1866 to Miss Eliza, 

daughter of Junius T. and Mary A. (Blackwell) Campbell, who were among the early settlers 

of Greene. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson where blest with three children, Mary J., James C. 

and Elizabeth A. 

JAMES M. THOMPSON (deceased). 

This gentleman was the son of Edward and Elizabeth (Dollison) Thompson, and was 

born in Henrj' county, Tennessee, and when he was quite a child his parents moved to 

Greene county, Missouri, reaching here in 1829, and were thus among the earliest settlers. 

James grew to manhood here and made it his home until his death. He was married May 

21, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth R. Dabbs, and settled in Clay township. He became a very 

prosperous farmer, dealing largely in cattle, and owned a farm of eight hundred acres. 

He was assassinated October 5, 1864, while upon his way home from Springfield. He had, or 

was supposed to have, a large amount of money upon his person. The money was never 

found and it is supposed the murderers got it. He left a widow and four children, which she 

reared to be grown, and kept the estate intact. She was killed by the cyclone of April 17, 

1880. Her oldest son, Abner, was born Jul}' 28, 1855, and was married December 4, 1879, 

to Miss Jane, daughter of Major Charles and Susan Galoway of this county. Her mother 

was killed in the same cyclone. Their union has been blest with two children, Jesse L. and 

Susan E. Besides Abner, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson left three children, James P., Mary L. 

and Betty C. 

JOHN E. TISDELL. 

This gentleman is the son of Burrell and Elizabeth (Barrett) Tisdell, and was born in 
Sumner county, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1836. In 1840 his parents moved to Arkansas and in 1843 
to Greene county, Missouri, where he grew to manhood and has since resided. From 1852 
to 1860 he was engaged in dealing in cattle, and selling principally to the government. 
Since then he hag given his entire attention to farming. Mr. Tisdell was married May 12, 



698 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

1862, to Miss Jennie, daughter of Crawford and Francis (Bagby) Crenshaw, of this county 
formerly of Tennessee, to which State her father went from Virginia, They are blest with 
five children, Allie, Frank E., John T., Hannah B. and Fannie. Mr. Tisdell is one of the 
substantial citizens of the county. 

P. F. VAUGHAN. 

This gentleman is the son of Philander and Harriet (Page) Vaughan, and was born in 
Vermont, Feb. 9, 1843. In 1847 his parents moved to Summit county, Ohio, where he 
grew to manhood. He was educated at Hiram College, when James A. Garfield held a 
professorship there. In 1862 he enlisted in company G, 42d Ohio, Col. Jas. A. Garfield, 
and was at the battles of Chickasaw Bayou and the seige of Vicksburg. He served until 
the three years men were mustered out and then went into the Pennsylvania oil regions, 
where he remained until 1878. He then moved to Springfield, Mo., and in the spring of 
1879 engaged in the well-drilling business. He has been eminently successful in obtaining 
water, knowing all the time that it was only a question of depth. The drilling outfit is of 
his own design and construction. Some of the deepest wells in the State are here, in South- 
west Missouri, and drilled by Mr. Vaughan. In 1881, he bought the farm upon which is the 
celebrated Fisher cave, and moved out to the place in the spring of 1883. Mr. Vaughan in- 
tends fixing it up as a pleasant resort. He was married in* 1871, to Miss Sarah, daughter of 
Samuel and Sarah McCunkey, of Warren county. Pa. Their union is blest with two chil- 
dren, Clarence and Florence. Mr. Vaughan has been been a member of the Christian 
church since seventeen years of age, and is one of the substantial citizens of the county of 
' his adoption. 

THOMAS J. WATTS, M. D. 

Dr. Watts is the son of James and Delilah (Tabor) Watts, and was born in Tennessee* 
Aug. 10, 1837. His parents were natives of North Carolina. His great grandfather was a 
soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his grandfather of the war of 1812. His parents 
moved to Greene county, Missouri, and settled on the James river, near the Webster county 
line. Thomas grew to manhood here, and was educated at the Ozark High School. He 
taught school for some time, and in 1858 commenced the study of medicine under Drs. 
Robinson and Barrett, and took lectures at the St. Louis Medical College. In 1861 he com- 
menced the practice in Webster county, and in 1864 he removed to where he now lives. He 
enjoys a large and lucrative practice, and is one of the leading physicians of the county. 
He owns a fine farm of four hundred acres, and deals extensively in stock. He began life 
poor and has arisen to dignity and wealth by his own exertions. Dr. Watts was married in 
1863 to Miss Martha A., daughter of Wiley and Charlotta (Edwards) Hedgheth, of Chris- 
tian county. Mo., formerly of Tennessee. Their union has been blest with two children, 
James W. and Lula T., deceased. 

JAMES G. WOOD. 

Mr. Wood is the son of John and Elizabeth (Morris) Wood, and was born in Madison 
county, Alabama, February 24, 1832. In 1834 his parents moved to Illinois and took up a 
claim where the city of Rockford now stands. In 1836 they moved to Lawrence county, 
Tennessee, where James grew to manhood and learned the trade of tanner and shoemaker. 
He moved to Greene county, Missouri, in 1852 where he was engaged in farming and stock- 
rearing until 1861. He then went to Arkansas where he followed tanning and shoemaking 
until 1864, when he came back to this county, and has since been engaged in the rearing of 
stock and farming. He owns a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres, finely improved. 
He was married in 1857 to Miss Susan, daughter of Henderson and Sallie J. (Hail) Dishough. 
Her father was a native of North Carolina and her mother of Tejinessee. Her grandfather 
was a native of France, and herself of Lawrence county, Tennessee. Her father was killed 
by lightning in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have had two children, one living, Susan J. 
Mr. Wood's parents came from England to the United States in 1827. His father was a 
skilled mechanic and cotton-spinner. He operated the first cotton mill in Tennessee, and 
became quite wealthy. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 699 

CHAPTEK XXVI. 
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 

Description — Early Settlers — Kelley Chapel — Biography of Jacob E. Bodenhamer and 
Abel J. Neaves. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Washington is the southeast township of Greene county, and com- 
prises the north thirty sections in township 28, range 20. It is con- 
sidered the least important township in the county. For the most 
part its soil is poor and unproductive, and its people are not of the 
most thrifty and enterprising, having little taste for books and news- 
papers and but a meager acquaintance with the outside world. 

Pioneer life, in many respects, is lived by the people of Washington. 
The old log cabins, with the mud-and-stick chimneys, the carpetless 
floors, the rough interiors and rougher exteriors ; the homespun and 
home-made clothing, the guns, and dogs, and other adjuncts of 
frontier life are still to be seen here. There is no progress or de- 
sire for any improvement. The people are mostly uncommunicative, 
suspicious of strangers, and seemingly desire nothing but to be let 
alone. Their motto is " laissez faire,'' and while in obeying it they 
are singularly persistent and consistent, they are often ridiculous. 
Perhaps the best thing a large majority of the old fogies of this town- 
ship could do would be to die and go straight to heaven, and give 
room on earth to others who would not become mere cumberers of the 
ground. 

But it must not be supposed that thirty sections of land can be 
found in Green county whereon live none but Yahoos. A few men 
of intelligence and enterprise abide in Washington township, have 
comfortable homes, pleasant surroundings and are hospitable, and 
generous. There is also one church reported. 

^ EARLY SETTLERS. 

Washington township was early settled. One of the first settlers was 
James Thompson, from Tennessee who came to the county in 1836, 
settled in Taylor township a few months, and then moved to a place 
on the James. A man named Phillips was also an early resident, and 
made a settlement in the southwest corner of the township, afterward 
moved to Wester county and is said to be now living at the head of 



700 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the James. John Gwin settled in the southeast corner of the town- 
shij) in 1836. Robert Beattie arrived from Middle Tennessee in the 
spring of 1837, and settled on section eleven. William Dillard has 
been mentioned as one of the early settlers of Taylor township. His 
son, R. D. Dillard, came to this township in 1849. William Sawyers, 
since deceased, came to the township in 1840 from Virginia, and 
settled in the northeast corner. D. M. Logan, lived on section eight 
since 1847, although he came to the county from Tennessee in 1836, 
and first settled in Campbell township, five miles northeast of Spring- 
field. 

THE CHURCH. 

Kelley Chapel. — The church congregation at Kelley chapel belongs to 
the M. E. Church South and was first organized in 1847. The first mem- 
bers were Jessy Evans, Peggy Evans, Dennis Evans, James Gray, W. 
M. Rogers, E. B. Garrison and wife, John Refar and wife, and David 
Cosby and wife. The first church building was a log, built* in 1847. 
The second was a frame, completed in 1872. It stands on section 23. 
The present membership of the organization is reported at 18. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JACOB E. BODENHAMER. 

This gentleman is the son of Jacob and Nettie Bodenhamer, and was born in Giles county, 
Tennessee, November 20th, 1834. His father came to Greene county, Missouri, when Jacob 
was six months old. He grew to manhood and received his education in this county. He 
began teaching at the age of seventeen, and has taught nearly ever since, farming part of the 
time. During the war he was in the Home Guards for three weeks, but was always called 
a " rebel," He was married September 3d, 1867, to Mrs. Sarah A. Neaves, widow of Abel 
J. Neaves, whose sketch also appears in this work. Since his marriage, Mr. Bodenhamer 
has been engaged in farming and teaching. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church. Patrons of Husbandry, Brothers of Freedom, and Good Templars. Politically he 
is a Democrat. 

ABEL J. NEAVES (deceased.) 

Mr. Neaves was a native of Kentucky, born October 12th, 1833. His parents brought 
him to Missouri when he was an infant. His father, Thomas B. Neaves, was sheritf and 
representative of this county. Abel grew to manhood and was educated in this county. 
He was a farmer and stockdealer, and one of Greene's best citizens. The farm he owned 
is the one his surviving wife, now Mrs. S. A. Bodenhamer, resides upon. He was married 
in Arkansas, January 29th, 1854, to Miss Sarah A., daughter of Philip C. Holledger, of Pope 
county, Arkansas. They were blest with four children, three of whom still survive, all 
daughters. Mr. Neaves was a Southern man during the war, and was a recruiting captain 
for Waldo P. Johnson, He was killed at Yellville, Arkansas, in October, 1863, During his 
lifetime he was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 701 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
TAYLOR TOWNSHIP. 

Description — Important Springs — Indian Graves, Etc. — Early Settlers and Settle- 
ments — Items — The "Firsts" — Old Jerry Pearson's Mill — "The Jeems" — Drown- 
ings in the James River — Organization — Notes of the Cyclone of 1880 — Biographies 
of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Taylor township is in the eastern part of Greene county, and com- 
prises one Congressional township — 29, in range 20. The six north- 
ern sections running up to the base line are " long sections," how- 
ever, — that is two and one-half mifes long by one mile wide, instead 
of being one mile square. Taylor township, therefore, contains 
27,200 acres. 

By fiir the greater portion of the area of this township is timbered 
land, much of which is rough, broken, and unproductive. A great 
many tracts have never been entered, and still belong to the general 
government. The prevailing rough and rocky character of the land 
in Southwestern Missouri finds no exception here. Many fine farms 
have been made in Taylor, however, and their owners are men of 
thrift and prosperity. 

The township is well watered by springs. The James fork, of 
White river, runs through from northeast to southwest, and its small 
branches extend in every direction on both sides of the stream. 
Pearson creek, which rises at the Powell spring, in the southern part 
of section 5, has water enough as a rule to turn a mill, and was so 
used by old Jerry Pearson, when he first came to this country, in 
1828, when the Indians were still here. The Sayers branch or fork 
of the James is another small stream. 

Springs. — Taylor township contains many springs, some of which 
are remarkable. The old Pearson spring (now called the Powell 
spring) in section 5, turned a mill and ran a distillery. On the land 
of W. S. Dillard, in section 7, is situated a very large spring, known 
as the "spout spring," which flows out of a small cave under the 
root of a large tree, on the north side of Pearson creek, the cave 
being in the side of the bluff of the creek. The water is always cold and 
the supply abundant, the latter being subject to but little variation in 



702 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

volume ill the wettest or dryest seasons. A doorway has been made 
and a door hung in the mouth of the cave, and the cavern itself is 
utilized in summer as a milk house. Just above the *' spout spring" 
is a fine quarry of the species of magnesian limestone known as 
" cotton rock," much used in building everywhere, and of which the 
State House of Jefferson City is chiefly composed. The fine cream- 
colored and white beds of the " cotton rock," are regularly stratified, 
easily quarried, and can readily be converted into ashlers. Already 
this stone has been of much service to builders, railroad contractors 
and others. 

Indian Graves. — When the red men had possession of this 
country, in **the long ago, " they seem to have had a town in this 
township, near the "spout spring" before mentioned. On top of 
the bluff, above the " cotton rock" quarry, seems to be what once 
was an Indian " city of the dead, " consisting of mounds composed 
chiefly of heaps of stones, which, at one time, covered the remains of 
dead Indians. A few years since Mr. Dillard's sons opened one 
of these mounds and took therefrom a basketful of human bones — 
skulls, leg and arm bones, etc. These bones were restored to their 
original resting places by the Dillard boys, but a month or two since, 
upon the grave being re-opened, they could not be found. 

EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS. 

The very first settler in Taylor township was one Davis, mentioned 
in the first chapter of this work, who came, it is said, in 1822, or 
soon afterward, and located on the farm now (1883) owned by Col. 
John H. Price, in section 13-29-20. Mr. Davis was afterward killed 
by the Indians. Edward Thompson occupied the farm after Davis, 
and then came Samuel G. Martin, who held it until 1836, when 
Crabtree Price came into possession and lived thereon until his death. 
Rev. Mr. Mooney, a Baptist minister, came upon the Julian Foster 
place, on the James, about the year 1827 or 1828, and in the latter 
year rented his form from the Delawares. John B. and Edward 
Mooney were living here in 1830. Nicholas Darnold lived on this 
farm at the time of his death, in 1837. 

Other early settlers were Samuel Martin, presiding justice of the 
first county court and his brother, Cowden Martin, both from North 
Carolina, who came in 1829, to section 24; old Jerry Pearson, who 
settled a little below the Powell spring, on Pearson creek, in section 
5 ; and Nicholas Darnold and Benjamin Harper. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 703 

On the south side of Jtimes river, Edward Thompson, a Tennes- 
seean, settled in 1830, and four years afterward removed to the Kick- 
apoo prairie. Andrew and Richard C. Martin, sons of Samuel Mar- 
tin, lived on the James at an early date, the first in section 23, and 
the latter in 27. John L. McCraw came to the county in 1836, and 
settled the place where he died. The Galbraith place in section 31, 
was, sometime previous to 1836, occupied by the family of a French 
woman by the name of Mrs. Page. Rev. Thomas Potter, a preacher 
of the Christian church, was an early settler. James Martin, in 1836, 
settled the farm of Thomas W. Sawyers in section 36. Mr. Sawyers, 
one of the old and respected citizens of the township, came to the 
county in 1840. In the fall of 1837, William Dillard came from Mon- 
roe county, Tennessee, and setttled on section 17 on the place 
first settled two years before by Braxton Sams. Mr. Dillard died 
April 12, 1877, aged nearly 95. He was a native of Buncombe 
county. North Carolina. Immediately preceding his death, Mr. Dil- 
lard was the oldest citizen of Greene county. 

ITEMS. 

It is believed that the first white male child born in Taylor town- 
ship was Wm. Thompson, a son of Edward Thompson. The first 
white child of either sex was a daughter of Cowden Martin. Wm. 
Thompson was born in 1830; Miss Martin, a year earlier, in 1829. 
The first death was that of Thomas Martin, on the James, in 1831. 
The body was buried on the home place. Cowden Martin died of 
cholera, contracted in Springfield, in 1835. The first marriage re- 
membered was that of William Darnold and Sallie Thompson, in 
1833. The groom was a son of Nicholas Darnold, and the bride a 
daughter of Edward Thompson. Another early wedding was that of 
John Cardwell and Faith Darnold, at the residence of the bride's 
father, Nicholas Darnold, in the spring of 1837. Judge Samuel Mar- 
tin performed the ceremony in the latter instance. 

It is claimed that the first regular physician in the township was 
Dr. Wm. C. Caldwell, of Virginia, now living at Fair Grove. The 
first minister was Rev. Mr. Mooney, the Baptist preacher before men- 
tioned, who held the first services at private houses. Soon after came 
Rev. Thos. Potter, of the Christian denomination. The first school 
was taught in 1836, in an old log house on the Danforth farm, but 
the name of the first teacher has been forgotten. 



704 history of greene county. 

Pearson's mill. 

One of the very first mills in all Southwest Missouri was that built 
by old Jerry Pearson, somewhere between the years 1828 and 1831. 
The Delaware Indians were in possession of the county then, and 
and from them Mr. Pearson obtained permission to build his mill. 
Pearson was from Tennessee. He located near the large spring which 
is near the residence of Mrs. Letitia Powell, on section 5. The water 
from this spring forms Pearson creek, and it was this creek that 
turned the mill. Some idea may be gained of the volume of water 
that flows from the old Pearson spring (now called the Powell spring) 
by this circumstance. 

Pearson also set up a distillery afterwards, along in the '30's some- 
where, and this establishment was near the mill ; but the first still- 
house in the township was set up by John Burden, at the Burden 
spring. The hollow where it was situated is still called ** still-house 
hollow." 

Pearson's mill was an important institution in its day. It ground 
the corn of the settlers for a radius of several miles. The Camp- 
bells, the Fulbrights, the Kountrees, and others from Springfield came 
here for their grinding, until the little horse-mill was started — which 
was afterward owned by Judge Hendrick. The capacity of Pearson's 
mill was not large — perhaps fifty bushels a day, and quite often its 
patrons remained over night waiting their turns. 

THE " JEEMS. " 

The first settlements in this township were made along the James 
fork of the White river, now called simply the James river, but as 
well known by its oft-mispronounced title, " the Jeems. " Old set- 
tlers say that the James river was remarkably high in 1830 or 1831 ; 
higher by four or six feet than it has ever been since. The highest 
water since the country has been settled up was in June, 1855. Fish 
were formerly very abundant in the stream, but have become scarce 
by reason of the dams thrown across. 

DROWNINGS IN THE JAMES. 

In the month of March, 1849, Wm. Ireson, a school teacher, aged 
about 35, was drowned in the James, at the the Neaves ford, in try- 
ing to cross the stream on horseback. The water was high, and Mr. 
Ireson neglected to take ofi" the martiugals, and so the horse could 





^2^^:y 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 705 

not swim. The man's body was recovered the next day, about 100 
yards below the ford, and buried by Finley Danforth, at the Danforth 
church. 

In April, 1856, a young lady, the daughter of John Breedlove, was 
drowned in the James, near the Baughraan ford. Miss Breedlove 
and a younger companion were crossing the stream on a foot-log. 
The latter fell into the water and pulled Miss Breedlove after her. 
Singularly enough, the younger girl was washed ashore and saved, 
while Miss Breedlove was drowned. The alarm was given and her 
body was recovered and brought ashore while still warm, but life was 
extinct, and all efforts at resuscitation failed. Miss Breedlove was 
about 18 years of age. 

Another case of drowning occurred near the lower Neaves ford, the 
victim being a stone-cutter named Forrester. It was supposed that 
the unfortunate man was also trying to cross on a foot-log, as he^ 
had made inquiries for such a crossing. His dead body was found 
floating in the stream several days afterwards. 

ORGANIZATION. 

Taylor township was formerly a part of Mooney, and indeed, at 
one time a portion of it belonged to Campbell. At the April terra of 
the county court, 1850, on petition of sundry citizens of Greene 
county, the township of Taylor was organized, and by request of that 
staunch old Whig, John L. McCraw, and others, was named in honor 
of Gen. Zachary Taylor, then President. 

As established by the county court, the first boundaries of Taylor 
township were these : beginning at the northwest corner of section 
18, on the line dividing range 20 and 21 ; thence east eight miles to 
the northeast corner of section 17, township 29, range 19 ; thence 
south eight miles to the southeast corner of section 20, township 28, 
rano-e 19 : thence west eisrht miles to the line dividing ranges 20 and 
21 ; thence north to the beginning. All of the territory in range 19 
is now in Webster county, but that county was not created until 
in 1855. The first elections in Taylor township were held at Robert 
Beatty's, and Robert Dillard was appointed the first enumerator of 
school children. 

THE CYCLONE OF 1880. 

The greatcyclone of April, 18, 1880, which is described in full in the 
general history of this volume, was especially severe in Taylor town- 
ship. The house of John L. McCraw, sr., was unroolfed, the 
45 



706 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

kitchen blown away, and much valuable timber prostrated. The 
house of John L. McCraw, jr., was entirely destroyed, some 
of the debris being blown entirely away. The out-buildings were 
destroyed, and one cow, three head of sheep, and some hogs 
killed, while all of the horses were more or less crippled. The dam- 
age amounted to between $700 and $800. 

The cyclone struck the farm of T. J. Henslee, sweeping fences, 
houses, barns, and everything before it. Mr. Henslee was swept out 
of his house and dashed against a post twenty feet distant, sustaining 
severe injuries. His leg was fractured in two places, and his right 
arm badly sprained. From these injuries, Mr. Heuslee has not yet 
wholly recovered. Mrs. Henslee' s shoulder blade was broken, and 
James Baker, a farm hand, was injured in the back and bad three ril)s 
broken. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JOSIAH F. DANFORTH (deceased). 

This gentlemen was born in Maryville, Blount county, Tennessee, August 23, 1800. He 
was educated in the common schools of his neighborhood. On the 9th of December, 1830, 
he was married to Miss Letitia, daughter of Benjamin and Nancy Prather. He emigrated 
to Gasconade county, Missouri, in September, 1832, but soon after came to Greene county, 
and purchased thirteen hundred acres of land. At that time there were only four farms in 
Taylor township. He represented this district in the Legislature from 1844 until 1848, and 
was one of the ablest members of that body at the time. He established the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church in his neighborhood, and served as deacon until his death, upon the 
13th of August, 1849, at Las Vegas, New Mexico. He had started to California to regain 
his health, but only got as far as Las Vegas. He is buried at the American cemeter}' in 
that city. During his life he was an earnest, devoted Christian, kind husband and loving 
father. He was the father of seven children, only two of whom are now living, viz.: Josiah 

J., and Marv K. 

WILLIAM SMITH DILLARD. 

Mr. Dilhird is the son of William and Sarah (Gregory) Dillard, and was born in Monroe 
county, Tennessee. When he was about ten years of age his father moved to Greene county, 
Missouri, and settled upon the farm William and his brother George A. now own in part- 
nership. Here their father lived and reared his family, carrying on farming until his death. 
William acquired his education chiefly in the subscription schools of that day, which were 
were not very extensive or good. He has always been a farmer, and soon after his marriage 
began farming for himself on the old homestead, and that has been his chief occupation 
since. He has traveled considerably in his lime. In 1849 he took the "gold fever," and in 
the company made up for that expedition by Ex-Gov. McClurg, went to California as a gold- 
seeker. He remained there about twenty months, and then went by water to Mazatlan, Old 
Mexico, and from there came t« Texas and sold a drove of horses and mules which he had 
bought in Mexico. In 1852 he returned home, and his travels since then have been in In- 
diana, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas, Arkansas, Indian Territory and Colorado. During 
the war, Mr. Dillard was a Union man and served in the enrolled Missouri militia, 72d regi- 
ment, and was in the Marmaduke fight at Springfield. He married September 20, 1848, Miss 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 707 

Nancy E., daughter of Thos. Langley, of Illinois. They have had ten children, eight of 
whom are still living. Mr. Dillard is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Stafford lodge, 
No. 497. 

CAPT. GEORGE A. DILLARD. 

Mr. Dillard was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, December 4, 1826, and is the son of 
William and Sarah Dillard. When he was eleven years of age his parents emigrated to 
Greene county, Missouri, and settled upon section 8, township 59, and range 29. where 
George grew to manhood, and where he has always lived since coming to Missouri, with the 
exception of three years service in the army. In 1862 he was commissioned as captain of 
enrolled militia, and served as such until the war closed. He was engaged the most of the 
time in the defense of Springfield, and keeping the "bushwhackers" out of the country as 
far as practicable. Captain Dillard was married upon the 31st of May, 1849, to Miss Eliza 
J., daughter of J. H. and Gabella Gibson. Their union has been blest with nine children, 
six of whom are now living. Captain Dillard is one of the best farmers and most enterpris- 
ing gentlemen of this section, and no man is held in higher esteem in the county than he. 

BENJAMIN W. DILLARD. 

Perhaps no young man in Taylor township stands higher in a social or business point of 
view than Ben Dillard. He was born near Strafford, Greene county, Missouri, December, 
22, 1855. He was educated in the common schools of his neighborhood, and grew to man- 
hood upon the farm. In February, 1882, he formed a partnership with W. J. Williams, 
M. D., in the general merchandise and drug business in the town of Strafford, where he has 
since resided, taking foremost rank in business. He was married October 14, 1880, to Miss 
Mary F., daughter of John E. and Mary Pritchard. Their union was blest with one child, 
born, August 22, 1881, and died, January 31, 1882. 

"The fairest flowers the soonest fade, 
Else little graves were never made." 

During the latter part of December, 1880, Mrs. Dillard took a severe cold which settled 
upon her lungs. She had a slight cough until her baby's death, when she became rapidly 
worse. She was confined to her bed two months before her death, which occurred May 16, 
1882. March 8, 1883, he was married the second time to Miss Fannie, daughter of Dr. S. B. 
and Melissa (Rountree) Neil, of Polk countj', Missouri. Mr. Dillard bought his partner's 
interest in the store February 1, 1883, and now owns and controls the business alone. 

SAMUEL G. MARTIN (deckased). 

The subject of this notice was born in Cabarrus county. North Carolina, February 19, 
1808. He was educated in the common schools of his section, and in 1829 he, with his 
parents, emigrated to Greene county, Missouri. He entered eighty acres of land in section 
13, township 29, and range 20. He was married January 10, 1840, to Miss Cynthia, daughter 
of .lohn and Rachel Riley, by whom he had seven children, viz. : Rachel E., born Novem- 
ber 4, 1840; Daniel F., born July 30, 1842, and died in the army in July, 1864; James S., 
born September 20,1844; Margaret M., born February 20, 1848, and died September 22, 
1853; William C, born .January 6, 18)1; John A., born January 27, 1854, and Thomas R., 
born June 19, 1856. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Martin bought one hundred and sixtv 
acres of land in section 22, and made his homestead upon it, where he lived until his death, 
which occurred on the 20th of October, 1874, and Mrs. Martin and three of her sons still 
live upon the home-place. Mr. Martin was one of Greene's early pioneers, and was one of 

her substantial citizens. 

J. L. McCRAW, JR. 

John L. McCraw, jr., was born in Taylor township, Greene county, Missouri, September 
30, 1838, and till he left, the oldest man in the township who was born in it. He received 
such education as the log cabin schools afforded at that earlj' date. In July, 1861, he enlisted 



708 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

in Captain F. E. Watterson's company of Home Guards. On the 10th of August, 18G1, he 
was taken prisoner by rebels while reconnoitering near the Wilson Creek battlefield. He 
was held prisoner five days, and fed upon raw roasting-ears once a day by his captors. He 
was exchanged in the early part of 1862, and in May of that year he enlisted in Colonel 
Wood's battalion, 6th Missouri cavalry, but was mustered out in July, because the battal- 
ion had two more companies in it than were allowed. In the same month he enlisted in 
company L, 5th Missouri cavalry, under Capt. Robert V. Keller, and served as first sergeant. 
He was at the battles of Prairie Grove, Springfield, and Little Rock. He was in active 
service until the cl-jse of the war, the last was at the surrender of the Confederates at Cam- 
den, Arkansas, where there was a general handshaking and division of rations. He was mus- 
tered out at Little Rock, in August 1865, and returned home, where he resumed farming. 
Mr. McCraw was married in September, 18o9, to Miss Virginia A., daughter of Martin In- 
gram. He moved to Dakota in the Spring of 1883. April 18, 1880, his place in Taylor was 
struck by a cyclone, — buildings, fences and everything that would break, was swept away 
and crushed. Himself and wife found shelter under a bluff and escaped unhurt. 

COL. JOHN H. PRICE. 

Col. Price was born in Russell county, Virginia, in July, 1822. He went to the common 
schools of that county until he was fourteen years of age, when his parents emigrated to 
Greene county, Missouri, and settled in Taylor township. His father becoming afiiicted 
with rheumatism, the care and cultivation of the farm devolved upon John until 1843, 
when he commenced the study of law. His health becoming impaired he resumed active 
business and made several trips to Texas in 1844. In 1854 he took five hundred head of 
cattle to California, and returned to Missouri in 1855. At the beginning of the civil war, 
in 1861, he espoused the cause of the S uith. He was captured at the battle of Wilson's 
Creek and taken to St. Louis, where he was soon afterwards exchanged for Major White. 
He resumed service and was at the battle of Elk Horn. He was recaptured upon the 8th 
of March, and take to the Alton military prison, where he was confined six months and re- 
leased upon the 21st of September. Again he sought the armies of the Confederacy and 
was in Price's raid into Missouri. At the close of the war he went to Batesville, Arkansas, 
and lived there two years and then returned to Missouri, and resumed control of the farm, 
where he has since resided. Col. Price was married in September, 1869, to Mary, daugh- 
ter of Samuel and Eliza Caldwell. Their union has been blest with two children. He has 
one of the best farms upon the James river, and is one of the most prosperous farmers in 
that section. Col. Price is a gentleman of the old school and has the respect and confi- 
dence of all. 

CAPT. F. E. WATTERSON. 

This gentleman was born March 21, 1827, in Hawkins county, Tenn. At the age of six- 
teen he was elected major of a regiment of Tennessee militia. In July, 1847, he enlisted 
for the war with Mexico, and was elected 1st lieutenant of company E, 5th Tennessee volun- 
teers. He was mustered in at Knoxville in November, 1817, and discharged at Memphis, 
July 20th, 1848. During the war he served under Gens. Scott, Twiggs and Smith. Mr. 
Watterson was married November, 24, 1848, to Miss Martha E. Galbreath. In the fall of 
1851 he moved to Greene county, Missouri, where he engaged in farming until 1854, when 
he was appointed by the county court to fill a vacancy as justice of the peace, and acted 
until the general election. In 1858 he was appointed deputy sherifi", by Henry Matlock, 
and was deputy when a mob hung a negro in 1859. In 1860 he was reappointed deputy, by 
Sheriff T. A. Reed, and served until the spring of 1861. In May of that year he was 
elected captain of a company of Home Guards, and was on duty in Springfield when the 
battle of Wilson's Creek was fought. The Home Guards were then disbanded, and in No- 
vember, 1861, he went with the Fremont retreat, as a citizen, to Rolla. During the winter 
he was a scout for the commander at Rolla, and in February, 1862, he was guide and scout 
for Gen. Curtis from Rolla to Pea Ridge. The remainder of the spring he was engaged in 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 709 

recruiting for the 8th Missouri cavalry, and elected 1st lieutenant of company L, and 
served as such until Jan. 22d, 1865, when he resigned at Little Rock, Ark., and returned to 
Greene county, where he has farmed ever since. He has served as constable of Taylor 
township for six j-ears. Capt. Watterson is the father of eleven children, nine of whom 
are now living. Mrs. Watterson died March 3, 1878. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 
CASS TOWNSHIP. 



Boundaries — Description — Natural Features — First Settlers — Early Historical Items — 
Organization — In the Civil War — Capt. Julian's Fight with Bushwhackers — Cave 
Spring — Its "Firsts" — History of Mt. Zion Church, the Mother of Presbyterian Churches 
in Southwest Missouri — Mount Pleasant Church — Miscellaneous Matters — Biographies 
of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Cass Township. 

BOUNDARIES. 

At present Cass township is bounded by a line beginning at the south- 
east corner of section 36, township 30, range 23, running thence due 
north to the county line ; thence west along the county line between 
Greene and Polk counties to the northwest corner of section 18, 
township 31, range 23 ; thence south to the southwest corner of sec- 
tion 31, township 30, range 23; thence east to the beginning. The 
township is a perfect parallelogram, ten miles from north to south by 
six miles from east to west, contains sixty full sections of land, or 
38,400 acres. 

DESCRIPTION. 

The principal portion of the township is timbered land. There 
are within the confines of the township, however, the greater portion 
of the Whittenberg prairie, so named from Peter Whittenberg, one of 
the first settlers, and a considerable portion of the Grand prairie. 
The latter contains about fourteen sections in Cass township. It is a 
beautiful area of country, containing some excellent land. Since the 
first settlement of the country, ti rabered tracts have come into exis- 
tence where once was nothing but bare prairie. When the Indians 
held possession of this country they regularly burned the prairies 
every year, destroying everything growing or beginning to grow 
thereon, and thus preventing the spread of timber. When the whites 
came they did not burn the prairies, and also kept fire out of the 



710 HISTORY OP' GREENE COUNTY. 

wooded tracts along the creeks, and in time the timber crept up from 
the creek bottoms upon the prairies. 

This township is on the north side of the water-shed, and its 
streams flow northward into the Osage, and then into the Missouri. 
The principal streams flowing through this township are the Little 
Sac, Asher creek, and Clear creek. There are numerous si)rings in 
the township, and it may be said that it is well watered. The Wat- 
son spring, in 14-30-23, is the source of Asher creek. 

In 32-30-23 is the Lapham cave, or caves, a very interesting local- 
ity. In the north west part of 35-30-23, on a branch of Clear creek, 
is a good stone quarry. Plenty of stone is to be found anywhere in 
the township, however. The top of the ground, in many places, is 
covered with boulders 

A great deal of the soil of Cass township is rich and fertile, but 
very much of the territory is sterile and unproductive. No cases of 
starvation among the citizens have ever been reported, however, and 
the people generally" are well-to-do and thrift}^, the result of hard 
work, close management and persistency. 

FIRST SETTLEMENTS. 

The first settlements in Cass township were made in township 30, 
range 23, and on and near the Whittenberg prairie. The first settlers 
were Peter Whittenberg, Isaac Hasten, I. Cook, John Murray, 
James Gilmore, John Griffiths, James Adams, Jacob Perryman, 
Archibald Morris, Chas. Peck, J. Johnson, J. Simmons and Isaac 
Julian, who came in at various periods from 1830 to 1837. 

Wm. Johnson Avas also one of the first settlers, and so was Jesse 
Kelly. John Richardson made a settlement on the prairie as early as 
1834, and Charles L. Peck came in 1835. Wra. Killingsworth came 
to the prairie in 1839, and Charles McClure, in the same year. Wm. 
McClure, in 1837, came from East Tennessee, and settled on the prai- 
rie in section thirty-one, township thirty-one, range twenty-three, 
where he is still living in the enjoyment of a hale old age. 

Isaac Julian, father of S. H. Julian, arrived in 1837, and made a 
settlement on section thii-ty-four, of township thirty-one, range twenty- 
three. He was a native of North Carolina, l)ut came to Missouri from 
Tennessee, and his sons have been prominent and influential citizens. 
The place where Isaac Julian first settled was improved by a man 
named Payne. Archibald Morris was an early resident of the eastern 
end of the prairie. At Cave spring John Grigsby was an early resi- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 711 

dent. His location was immediately at the spring. The farm of Dr. 
L. T. Watson was first improved by John Dillard, an East Tennes- 
seean Thomas Fanon, from East Tennessee, was another early set- 
tler. Isaac Hastinsrs, likewise an emio-rant from East Tennessee, set- 
tied about a mile east of Cave spring about 1835. 

Esquire John W. Wadlow came to Greene county from old Virginia 
in 1837, and settled on section fourteen, of township thirty, range 
twenty -three, and has since lived in that immediate neighborhood. 
Isaac Cook, about 1835, came from Tennessee and settled on section 
thirty-six, township thirty, range twenty-three. Where Mr. Biggs 
now lives, on the Melville road, William Parish made a settlement in 
1837. He was a Kentuckian, and the last general muster ever held 
in the county came off at his place in 1844. 

Of these general musters a writer in one of the Springfield papers, a 
few years since, said : " These general musters were the scenes of con- 
siderable excitement, and brought together people from all parts of 
the country. Three of these musters were held yearly — the company, 
battalion and regimental musters. The two former were commonly 
held in the spring, and the regimental muster, the grandest occasion 
of all, came off in the autumn, and was a time long to be remembered. 
After the muster at Uncle Billy Parrish's the militia disbanded and 
never assembled together again on muster day." 

James Gilmore came from East Tennessee, in 1835, and lived in 
Cass township, on the place where he first settled, until his death in 
August, 1879. W. L. B. Lay, an East Tennesseean, but who lived 
in Indiana, settled on Clear creek, in the southwest part of Cass town- 
ship, in 1837, and after living there ten years removed to Center 
township. 

ITEMS. • 

One of the first, if not the first, marriages in Cass township was that 
of Archibald Morris and a daughter of old Peter Whittenberg, and 
her death, a few months after the marriage, was one of the first demises 
in the community. Dr. Constantine Perkins was the first physician. 
Rev. Jeff. Montgomery, a Cumberland Presbyterian, and Rev. E. P. 
Noel, O. S. Presbyterian, were the first ministers. Montgomery 
preached at old Isaac Julian's, and Noel at Grandma Renshaw's, and 
under the arbor that was the first temple of religious worship built in 
the township. (See history of Mt. Zion church.) A. D. White was 
a pioneer school teacher, and taught his first school at Charles Peck's, 
where there was a primitive school house, built of logs, by the settlers, 
without public aid of any sort. 



712 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

When the firet settlements were made in this township the pioneers 
often shot deer from their own door-yjirds. Wolves were very plenty 
and gave the settlers no little troul)le by carrying of their sheep and 
pigs. The usual privations of early settlers and pioneers were borne 
by those of Cass township. Many of the old pioneers, however, lived 
to see Greene county developed as at present, and enjoy its advantages 
and benefits. 

ORGANIZATION. 

Cass township was first organized by the county court. May 1, 1846, 
and named for Gen. Lewis Cass, of Michigan, who, two years later 
was the Democratic candidate for President. At the head of the peti- 
tion asking for the creation of the township was the name of Jacob 
Ferryman. The first boundaries of the township were as follows : 
"Beginning on the northern boundary of Greene county, six miles 
east of the eastern boundary of Dade county ; thence to the south 
boundary of Robberson township ; thence east seven and one-fourth 
miles ; thence north to Sac river ; thence down Sac river to the range 
line dividinff ranges 22 and 23 ; thence north with said range line to 
the north boundary of Greene county ; thence west with the line divid- 
ing the counties of Greene and Polk to the place of beginning." The 
boundary was afterward changed in the northeast corner to the present 
limits. 

The first voting place in the township was at the house of old Isaac 
Julian, and John W. Wadlow, John Grigsby, and Isaac Julian were 
the first judges of election. 

IN THE CIVIL WAR. 

During the civil war a large majority of the people of Cass town- 
ship were for the Union, and sent many men into the Union, or Fed- 
eral army. For particulars the reader is referred to the general his- 
tory department of this volume. 

A BUSHWHACKER FIGHT. 

In August, 1863, a party of bushwhackers, supposed to be under 
the command of one Captain Lotspeich, were attacked on the Ralph 
Lotspeich farm, in this township, by Capt. S. H. Julian and about 
30 Home Guards, or militia. The bushwhackers numbered 17, and 
were encamped in a dense thicket unconscious of danger. Capt. Julian 
surrounded the thicket and he and three of his men crawled in to 
reconnoiter. The bushwhackers were startled and began mounting 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 713 

their horses in an effort to escape. The captain and his three men 
opened fire with their pistols. The bushwhackers made a dash 
through the thicket, and as they came out were greeted with a volley 
from the Home Guards, who were waiting for them. This fire was 
returned, but none of the Home Guards were hit, and perhaps the 
bushwhackers escaped as well, although an uncorroborated story was 
current for some time that two weeks after the fight two newly-made 
graves were found in the timber near where the fight took place. 

The same party of guerrillas encountered by Capt. Julian were 
charo-ed with havinoj killed Solomon Daniels the night before. Julian 
and his men had followed their trail from Daniels' residence to their 
encampment in the thicket. As has been stated, Mr. Daniels was an 
inoffensive Union man, and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his 
neiofhbors. The bushwhackers went to his house late one night to sret 
his horses, and hearing a noise Mr. Daniels went out to see what was 
the matter, when he was shot down dead by the murderous miscre- 
ants, who then took away all of his horses that were of any value. 

CAVE SPRING. 

The village of Cave Spring is the only one in Cass township. It 
stands on the southeast corner of section 4, township 30. The town 
takes its name from a large spring flowing out of a sort of cave on 
Asher creek near by. The first house in Cave Spring was built by 
John Grigs by, a farmer and trader and an old settler, who afterward 
removed to California and died there. The house was of logs. The 
first store was established in 1848, by Alfred Staley. It contained 
probably $500 worth of goods, chiefly staple articles, which had been 
*' waggoned " in from Boonville. 

The first physicians who practiced in the village and surrounding 
country were Drs. Perkins, Wilson, Clinton, and Matthews. The 
first ministers were old E, P. Noel and Milton Renshaw, Presbyte- 
rians. 

The first school teacher is said to have been David Dalzell. In 1868 
a high school was established in Cave Spring. A Professor Perry 
was the first principal and taught for two years. After him came 
Prof. O. H. Griffin, of New York, who taught two years ; then came 
a Prof. McCord, who served one year, and he was followed by one 
Ward, who taught a portion of one year, when the small pox broke 
out and scared away teachers and scholars, and the school has not 
since been re-opened. 



714 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The first child born in the village was Lula Staley, daughter of the 
pioneer merchant, and now the wife of Dr. T. W. Coltrane. The first 
death was that of Lydia Staley, a sister of Mrs. Coltrane. 

The postoffice at Cave Spring was established about the year 1867 
or 1868. The only voting place in Cass township is at Cave Spring. 
The village now contains five stores and one blacksmith shop, and 
one church building belongins: to the Presbvterians. 

MOUNT ZION CHURCH PRESBYTERIAN 

This church was organized October 19th, 1839, at Mrs. Jane Ren- 
shaw's (familiarly called " Grandma Renshaw "), by Rev. E. P. Noel, 
of Hermon church, near Bolivar, Polk county. The original members 
were, Elizabeth Stowell, Stephen Dillard, Julia Ann Dillard, Jane 
Renshaw, Margaret A. Appleby, Joseph A. Renshaw, Robert S. Reid, 
Amanda F. Reid, David Appleby, and Catharine Appleby, — ten in 
all. The first ruling elders were David Appleby, Robert S. Reid, and 
Stephen Dilliard. The church was called Mt. Zion Presbyterian 
church. The congregation met and worshiped in private houses at 
first. In the spring or early in the summer of 1840, a brush arbor was 
put up a short distance south of Grandma Renshaw's house, and 
under this, meetings were held. In the summer of 1861 a shed was 
erected at Cave Spring, and was called Cave Spring camp ground. 
It was used by all demoninations for camp meetings. This shed be- 
ing too small, it was extended by a brush arbor. The first camp 
meetings were held the last days of July and the first days of August, 
in the year 1841. These' camp meetings were held annually, and at- 
tended by people from a great distance, who came in wagons, carts, 
on horseback and on foot. The first person received into the church 
was Margaret McElhanon ; she came in by letter November 17, 1839. 
The first on examination was James Appleby, on August 1st, 1841. 
Rev. E. P. Noel was the pastor from the organization of the church 
until November 14th, 1881. He held regular monthly services. Then 
came Rev. G. A. M. Renshaw, a graduate of Maysville college. East 
Tennessee. He died March 27th, 1857. On the 14th of June, 1857, 
Rev. A. E. Taylor took charge, and served until February 26th, 1860, 
when Rev. L. R. Morrison was called and served the church until 
April, 1861. From January 28th, 1866, to some time in the fall of 
1869, the Rev. J. M. Brown, of Illinois, who was sent by the Board 
of Home Missions, served as pastor ; Rev. Enos M. Halbert took 
charge on May 14th, 1870, and after him came Rev. George Davis, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 715 

who served as " stated supply" in the year 1881. The present pas- 
tor is C. C. Hembree. The ruling elders in their order from the time 
of its organization up to the year 1876, were, David Appleby, Stephen 
Dillard, David Dalzell, Charles Hughes, Wm. E. Thompson, Nathan 
Thompson, Newton A. McGill, Robert S. Reid, Alexander Stowell, 
Wm. Walker, David S. Dalzell, John R. Lee, Moses C. Anderson, 
and Samuel Hall. The first church building was erected in 1845. It 
was built of hewed logs taken from the forest near by. During the 
war this building was used for a dwelling house, and by the soldiers 
as a commissary and for quarters. The first meeting of the Osage 
Presbytery, after the war, was held in this building. The present 
building was erected in 1869, at a cost of about $3,500, including the 
school rooms. It was dedicated August 22d, 1869, by Rev. Dr. Hill, 
of Kansas City. Mt. Zion is one of the very oldest Presbyterian 
churches in Missouri, and lays claim to being the first regularly or- 
ganized west of St. Louis. It is the parent of three other churches — 
Springfield, Mt. Bethel, and Grand Prairie. Space forbids anything 
like a complete history of this church, which would be not only inter- 
esting, but highly instructive. 

MOUNT PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH. 

This church stands on section 29, township 30, range 23, and was 
organized in 1838. The original members were, Wm. Tatem, Elijah 
Williams, Rebecca Tatem, Andrew Simmons, Thomas Simmons, Re- 
becca Simmons, Agnes Davis, John Davis, Margaret Davis, B. Gil- 
more, Elizabeth Grantham, J. C. Johnson, A. Johnson, C L. Peck, 
and Louisa Peck. The first building was a frame, built in 1842. 
The present church is a frame, and was built in 1882, at a cost of $700. 
It was dedicated January 8th, 1882, by Eld. James Buckner. The 
pastors have been Elds. Wm. Tatem, E. Williams, George White, 
J. E. B. Justice, James Buckner, B. F. Meek, and George Wilson. 
The present membership is 95. Mt. Pleasant had a church building 
erected but not completed, when the storm of December 4th, 1880, 
completely demolished it. Mount Pleasant was one of the very first 
Baptist churches in Southwestern Missouri. For many years it was 
the only church in the neighborhood, and was attended by people from 
many miles around. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

School Houses. — The Murray school house is situated on section 35 
in township 30. The present building was erected probably in 1872, 



716 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



at a cost of about $1,000. It is the third building erected on the 
same site, which was donated by Mr. Murray. The first building was 
a log ; the next was a frame, as is the present, whose dimensions are 
24x40 feet. Chei-ry Grove sehool house is on section 7, township 30. 
It is a frame and was built in 1867. 

Cemetery. — The Murray cemetery is located on section 35, town- 
ship 30. It was first opened in 1845, and the first interment was 
that of Mrs. John Murray, on the 6th of January of that year. 

Mysterious Death. —About the 13th of September, 1876, the dead 
body of a stranger was found on the Whittenberg prairie, in this town- 
ship. A coroner's inquest was held, but the jury could not determine 
the cause of the death. No money or valnables were found on the 
person, but it is remembered that a slip of paper, bearing the address 
" Eaton, Lawrence county. Mo. ," was discovered. An individual name 
could also be faintly discovered, but not made out, distinctly, al- 
though supposed by some to be McClaffin. The corpse seemed to be 
that of a middle-aged man, of medium height, with light moustache 
and light hair. 

Murder. — August 3, 1877, at Cave Spring, at the celebration of 
negro emancipation in the* West Indies, there was a riotous time 
among the colored people. Whisky was plenty, and a number of 
fights occurred. In one row a negro named Jim Hendricks was killed. 
It was claimed, however, that this row was in no way connected with 
the celebration. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

GEORGE J. BIGGS. * 

Mr. Biggs is the son of Moses Allen Biggs, and was born in Giles county, Virginia, Octo- 
ber 20, 1827. He came with his father to Missouri in 1837, and in 1839 they located at West- 
port, Jackson county. Here George assisted his father and learned the wagon-maker's 
trade. His father died in 1848, and the following year he moved to Kansas City, and built 
the first blacksmith and wagon-shop in the place, and continued the business until 1853. 
He was married November 11, 1849, to Miss Louisa Jane Barnett. He left Kansas City in 
1853, and removed with his wife and little daughter, who died in her first year, to Fremont 
county, Iowa, and carried on his former occupation, until he was elected, in 1857, to theoflBice 
of treasurer, recorder, and collector of that county, all those duties being combined in one 
oflBce. In 1862 he went to the famous mines of Nevada, where he engaged in mining until 
1866. In the autumn of the same year he removed his family from Iowa to Greene county, 
and bought his magnificent estate in Cass township, where he has since lived and farmed 
very successfully. In 1872 his wife died, leaving four children, viz. : James H., Charles H., 
Cora H., and William W. Mr. Biggs was married the second time August 2, 1876, to 
Elizabeth E. Ernest, of Greene county. Two children were born to this marriage, a boy 
and a girl. The little boy died December 1, 1882. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 717 

THOMAS W. COLTKANE, M. D. 

This gentleman has been a citizen of Cnss township since 1867. He is a native of North 
Carolina, and was born in Guilford count}' August 16, 1842. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools of his county, at the Quaker college at New Garden and at Trinity college, 
North Carolina, from which institution he graduated in 1859. He left North Carolina that 
year, and after traveling considerably over the United States he found himself at Spring- 
field, Missouri. He then began teaching school in Walnut Grove township, and was so en- 
gaged when the war came up. He had previously studied medicine while at college, and 
had a natural bent in that direction. In 1865 and 1866 he attended the St. Louis medical 
college, and then went to Pennsylvania, where he attended the medical department of the 
Pennsylvania State university in 1869 and 1870. Then, in 1877 and 1878 he took a course 
at the celebrated Bellevue medical college in New York, and in 1880 and 1881 he took his 
last course at the Missouri medical college at St. Louis. He began practice at Walnut 
Grove in 1866, and removed to Cave Spring in 1867, where he has practiced ever since, save 
when attending medical colleges. October 10, 1882, he was elected professor of surgery and 
clinical surger}' at the Joplin college of physicians and surgeons, which position he still 
holds. They had a very successful term of the college the first year of the doctor's connec- 
tion therewith, and the institution is building up an enviable reputation. Dr. Coltrane was 
married November 24, 1867, to Miss Lucina, daughter of Alfred Staley, one of the first set- 
tlers of Cave Spring. There union has been blest with two children, viz. : Daisy (deceased), 
and Victor, born December 20, 1868. The doctor has, beyond question, the finest medical 
library in the county. In politics he is a Democrat, and is a member of the Presbyterian 
church. He is also a distinguished member of the Masonic fraternity. 

JAMES KENNON GILMORE. 
This gentleman is a native of Grainger county, Tennessee, and was born in 1827. He 
moved to Greene county, Missouri, in December, 1835, and has been engaged in farming 
ever since coming to the State. He was married in this count}' on the 24th of May, 1849, to 
Miss Sophronia E. Edmonson. They have ten children living, four of whom are married 
and living in Greene county. His father was one of the early settlers, and died in August, 
1879. Mr. Gilmore owns about seven hundred acres of land in the county, and is one of its 
most substantial citizens. During the war he was a Union man, and has since been identi- 
fied with the Republican party. He and his excellent wife are members of the Baptist 
church. They have passed through all the phases of poineer life, and now enjoy the fruits 
of their industrv. 

ISAAC N. HASTEN, J. P. 

Squire Hasten is a son of Carroll and Nancy (Leak) Hasten, and was born in Cass town- 
ship, Greene county, Missouri, January 22, 1844. His father emigrated from Knox county, 
Tennessee, to this county in 1835 and settled upon Grand prairie, and lived upon the farm 
he settled until his death in 1845. He was buried in the old Hasten family burying-ground. 
Isaac was educated in the common schools of the county. He grew up on the farm, and in 
1861 enlisted in the 72d Missouri militia. After six months he joined the 16th Missouri 
Rangers, and served with them two years. He then enlisted in the regular service under 
Capt. Isaac Julian, in the 46th Infantry of U. S. A. He was mustered out at the end of 
seven months. He was married January 29, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Jennings, of Neosho, 
Mo. Their union has been blest with three children, viz.: Alice Theodosia, John, and 
William (deceased). He was elected justice of the peace in 1878, and re-elected in 1882. 
The 'Squire is a Greenbacker, but had been a Republican. He and his wife are members of 
the Missionary Baptist church, and he is a member of both the A. F. and A, M., and I. O. O. 

F. societies. 

MICHAEL JOHNSTON (deceased). 

Mr. Johnston was born in St. Louis county, October 3, 1823. His parents emigrated to 
Greene county, when he was six years old, and settled upon Whittenberg prairie, where he 



718 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

grew to manhood. He was married April 13, 1848, to Lj'dia Simmons. Their union was 
blest with six children, live of whom are now livinsj;. Mr. Johnston settled upon the place 
where his widow now lives. He entered two hundred and forty acres of land in his home 
place and resided upon it until hisd^-ath, which occurred February 1, 1872, in the forty-ninth 
year of his age, and is buried in the cemetery at Cave Spring. He was a consistent member of 
the Baptist church, being a deacon of Mount Pleasant Church, where he died. He was a 
member of the Masimic fraternity, belonging to the lodge at Ash Grove. Mr. Johnston was 
a Republican in politics, and was an honored citizen of the county. 

ISAAC JULIAN (deceased). 

Among the prominent names that figured conspicuously in Greene's history, none is of 
greater note or better known than that of Julian. Isaac Julian was born April 2, 1786, in 
North Carolina. His parents brought him to Knox county, Tennessee, when he was ten 
y^;ars of age, and there he grew to manhood. He then went to Indiana and lived there three 
years, killing bear, deer, etc., near where Bedford now stands, in Lawrence county. In 
1821 he moved back to Monroe county, Tennessee, and lived there sixteen years. He 
moved to Missouri in 1837, and settled upon Grand Prairie, in Greene county, where he 
lived until his death, July 27, 1872. He married Nancy Wood, of Knox county, Tennessee, 
by whom he had twelve children, ten of whom, six girls and four boys, lived to be grown. 
Seven of his children are now living. Two of his sons, Isaac and Stephen, were captains in 
the U. S. armv in the late war. 

DENNIS KIME. 

Mr. Kime was born in Randolph county. North Carolina, September 25, 1836. He is 
the son of Abraham and Eliza (Brower) Kiuie. He came to Missouri in 1854 and settled in 
Cass township, Greene county. He was married August 11, 1859, to Miss Barbara C- 
Spoon, of this county. She was from the same part of North Carolina that her husband 
was, but came to Missouri three 3'ears later. Their union has been blest with four children, 
viz.: Mary Ellen, now the wife of Theodore Kelso, of Center township, this county; Wil- 
liam H., George W., and King Asa, all living. Mr. Kime is one of the best citizens of 
the county. He is a good farmer and deals largely in stock, particularly cattle. He and 
his wife are members of the Baptist church at Tatum's chapel. During the war Mr. Kime 
enlisted in the M. S. M., and served nine months. He has always been a Democrat. 

REV. GEORGE LONG. 

Mr. Long is the son of Maples and Mahala (Atchley) Lone, and was born in Sevier 
county, Tennessee, October 30, 1829. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. 
George grew to manhood and was educated in the common schools of his native county. 
He was reared upon a farm, but worked some at tbe carpenter's trade. In 1857 he moved 
to Boone county, Arkansas, and in 1868, he came to this county, where, for a time, he served 
in company H, 8th Missouri S. M. Mr. Long has been an ordained minister in the 
Baptist church since 1860, and since the war, has devoted most of his time to that most 
noble calling. He has organized quite a number of churches in Southwest Missouri. He 
owns a fine farm of four hundred and eighty acres, and enjoys the love and confidence of all. 
Mr. Long was married in 1818 to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Atchley) 
Lindsey, of Sevier county, Tennessee. Their union has been blest with thirteen children, 
ten of whom are living, and six are married. 

JOSEPH POLLACK. 

Mr. Pollack was born in Reidseltz, Province of Alsace, France, October 30, 1842. Wlieti 
he was about eighteen years of age, he emigrated to America, landing in New York city in 
November, I860. He came straight on to Dayton, Ohio, where he remained six months, and 
then moved to Springfield and embarked in the clothing business, and sold goods until 1866. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 719 

He then sold out and went to farming, which occupation he has since followed. Mr. Pollack 
was married March 1, 1866, to Miss Bettie Skeen, of Greene connty. Their union was blest 
with nine children, six of whom are now living. Mr. Pollack is a member of St. Nicholas 
lodge. No. 435, A. F. and A. M. He is a Democrat in politics, and is one of Greene's most 
substantial citizens. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church South. *• 

WILLIAM J. ROBERTSON (deceased). 

Mr. Robertson was born in Tennessee in 1806, and grew to manhood in his native State. 
He was married in 1836 to Miss Mary A. Lotspeich, of Monroe county, Tennessee, and ia 
1839 they emigrated to Missouri, and settled in Greene connty, where he entered three hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land. He was one of the poineers of the county, and helped to 
" make the wilderness bloom as the rose." During the late war farming in his neighborhood 
was carried on under difficulties. The girls would act as sentinels, and give the alarm at the 
approach of the soldiers, and the men would hide themselves. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson 
reared a familj' of nine children, seven girls and two boys. He died October 12, 1877, being 
nearly seventy-one years of age. His widow still survives him, living upon the farm with her 
daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. David Snider. One by one the fathers of the county 
are being called home, and their hardy descendants become the life-blood of the land. 

WELD ON E. ST ALE Y. 

This gentleman is the son of Alfred and Lucinda (Brower) Staley, and was born in Ran- 
dolph county. North Carolina, July 9, 1840. His father represented his county in the North 
Carolina Legislature, and was a very prominent member of that body. In 1847 his parents 
moved to Clinton county, Missouri, and in 1849 to this county, where Weldon E. grew to 
manhood and has since resided. His father died in 1852, and Weldon followed merchandis- 
ing in Cave Spring until 1878, and since that time has devoted his time exclusively to farm- 
ing and stock rearing. He has a splendid farm of one hundred and ninet}^ acres. Mr. 
Staley was married January 21, 1861, to Miss A. C. Evans, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth 
Evans, of this county. Her parents were natives of North Carolina, and among the early 
settlers of the countj'. Mr. and Mrs. Staley have eight children, viz. : William W., INIol- 
lie, DoUie, Fannie, John H., Joseph A., Katie and Bunch E. 

GEORGE W. THOMAS. 

Mr. Thomas is a son of Jonathan and Anna Thomas, and was born in Monroe county, 
Tennessee, December 15, 1819. His father was a native of North Carolina, and died ia 
Monroe county, Tennessee, in 1857. George grew to manhood in his native county where 
he was married to Miss Sarah A. Smallin, of the same county. Their union was blest with 
ten children, nine of whom are living, five boys and four girls. Mr. Thomas came to Mis- 
souri in 1854, and settled on Grand Prairie, this county, where he lived two years, and then 
purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 7 and 8, township 31, where 
he has since resided. During the war Mr. Thomas served in the enrolled militia ten months 
and was at the battle of Springfield. His son, Jonathan C, a member of Company E, 8th 
Missouri regiment, was killed in the southwestern portion of the State, while pursuing a 
band of three hundred bushwhackers. Mrs. Thomas died February 17, 1880, and is buried at 
the Mt. Pleasant cemetery. Mr. Thomas is a member of Baptist church, and one of Greene's 
successful farmers, 

•WILLIAM C. WADLOW, M. D. 

Dr. Wadlow is the son of Charles W. Wadlow, a native of Tennessee, who came to 
Greene county, Missouri, in 1837. He was a farmer and blacksmith, and died in February, 
1863. His wife died in February, 1875. Wm. C. was born October 18, 1842, in Cass town- 
ship, this county, and studied medicine at Walnut Grove with Dr. A. C. Sloan. He then 
attended the famous Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and has been practicing eight 



720 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

years. Dr. Wadlow was married October 21, 1860, to Miss Susan E., daughter of R. C. 
Julian, a former prominent citizen of the county. Their union has been blest with six chil- 
dren, two boys and four girls. The doctor stands high in the profession, and enjoys the con- 
fidence of all who know him. 

JOSEPH B. WILSON. 

Mr. Wilson is the son of Isaac N. and Malinda E. Wilson, and was born in Greene county, 
Missouri, December 29, 1861. His grandfather, Thomas Wilson, settled in Ebenezer, this 
county, in 1834, where his father, Isaac N., was born September 2, 1835. He grew to man- 
hood in his native county, and was married March 11, 1856. He died with consumption. 
May 24, 1870. He was a man highly respected by all. He served one term as deputy asses- 
sor of Greene county. Joseph B. Wilson is one of the prosperous young farmers of Cass 
township. He was married January 31, 1883, to Miss Theodosia, daughter of L N. and 
Mary E. Hasten, of Cave Spring. 

W. W. WOODWARD. 

Mr. Woodward was born in Callaway county, Kentucky, December 6, 1824. In 1843 his 
father moved to Greene county, Missouri, and engaged in farming. Our subject went to 
California in 1850, and returned to this county in June, 1855, and on December 4th, of that 
year, he married Miss Emily, daughter of William S. Landreth. His first wife died Decem- 
ber 18, 1862, leaving one child, a daughter. Mr. Woodward was married the second time 
to Miss M. F. Gilmore, January 27, 1864. He has lived upon the farm, where he now 
makes his home, since 1864. Mr. Woodward is a practical surveyor, and was deputy county 
surveyor for several years. 




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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY . 721 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD. 

Early Histor}' — Indians and Mound Builders — Delaware Town — Burnett's Cabin — Juve- 
nile Vandalism — First Election — Temporary County Seat — Early Days — Hospitality — 
Early Sports — Origin of the Name "Springfield" — First Merchants — The "Firsts," 
Births, Deaths and Marriages — Primitive Church — Pioneer School — First Black- 
smith — First Frame — Brick Making — First Postmaster — Pioneer Press — Incidents — 
Permanent County Seat — Deeding the Town Site — Roberts Tragedy — Incorporation — 
Britt-Renno Tragedy — Primitive Amusements — Items — 1850 to 1860 — Epidemic — R. 
R. Excitement — Politics — Ingram's Foundry — Telegraph — Civil War — Continua- 
tion — Biographies of Prominent Springfieldians. 

So much has been written in the general history department on 
other pages of this volume concerning the history of the city ot 
Springfield, that but little is left here to say. A recapitulation of the 
statements made is, perhaps, not only allowable, but proper and nec- 
essary. 

EARLY HISTORY.^ 

Prior to the year 1830 the land on which the busy city of Spring- 
field now stands had for occupants, the Kickapoo the Delaware, and 
the Osage Indians, who sang their songs and danced and hunted over 
its surface with none to molest or make them afraid. Anterior to the 
red Indians, sometime in the remote past, so long ago that no man's 
memory for centuries hatli run back to the exact time, that mysteri- 
ous race of beings, the Mound Builders, were here, and, departing, 
left behind them their flint arrow and lance heads, their stone axes 
and pottery, to tell of their presence. About the year 1810 — or pos- 
sibly not until after the ck)se of the war of 1812 — a band of Kicka- 
poo Indians built a village on what is now the fourth ward, or south- 
western portion of the city. In its prime this village contained 
about 100 " wick-a-ups " or huts, composed of bent poles covered 
with bark, grass or skins, and a population of perhaps 500 souls. The 
Kickapoo town was abandoned by its inhabitants about 1828, 

Northward were the enemies of the Kickapoos, the Osages, and to the 
south or southwest were theDelawares, friends of every man, whether 
his skin was red, or white, or copper colored. The Delaware town 
stood about ten miles southwest of Springfield, founded aboutthe year 



1 Free use has been made in this chapter of an article written by thecompiler of this his- 
tory and published in the Springfield Leader, January 1, 1883. 

46 



722 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

1800, or at that time when that tribe, once great and powerful, came 
west of the Mississippi. 

Some of the houses in the Delaware town were quite respectable 
structures, being built of logs, chunked and daubed, with good clap- 
board roofs and puncheon floors, and some of them with two and 
three rooms. The chief, old John Anderson, had a very comfortable 
house. The traders also were respectably domiciled. 

Seven miles south of Springfield, at the Patterson spring, on the 
James, was another Indian town, in which dwelt a small branch of the 
Delawares, called the Muncies, who had come from Central Indiana. 
The chief of the Muncies was Swannick, a lazy, fat fellow, who was 
a son of old John Anderson, a sort of crown prince as it were. 
Swannick was a " good Indian," who was born tired and was harm- 
less enough. He wanted badly to have a white wife, and frequently 
tried to buy one from the few settlers here then. The Muncies went 
away with the Delawares, in October, 1831. 

There were marrying and giviug in marriage l)etween the whites and 
Indians in those days. Old John Marshall, who owned the famous 
mill at the mouth of Findley, had an old fat squaw for a wife. Mar- 
shall did not leave with the Delawares, but went the following spring, 
in 1832. Other white men had squaw wives, as has been narrated. 
J. P. Pool, the blacksmith of the Delawares, employed by the Gov- 
ernment, was a half-breed, who had a very pretty white woman for a 
wife. 

About the middle of February, 1830, Wm. Fulbright, John Fulbright, 
and A, J. Burnett, from Tennessee, settled near the Fulbright spring, 
and put \\\) some cabins, built of small oak poles. Previously in the fall 
of 1829, John P. Campbell and his brother, Madison, Tennesseeans 
also, had " claimed " the land occupied b}^ the Ful])rights, by cutting 
their names on some trees in the vicinity of the spring. Returning to 
Tennessee, J. P. Campbell and his brother-in-law, Joseph Miller, set 
out for Missouri in the month of Feln'uary following, and on the even- 
ing of March 4th, encamped near the " natural well," a little north of 
the former residence of R. J. McElhany. Mr. Burnett having com- 
pleted a cabin on the same site, and Mr. Campbell claiming priority of 
ownership, evidenced by his initials on an ash tree near the " well," 
Mr. Burnett was compelled to remove and readily gave way and re- 
moved five miles to the eastward. Messrs. Campbell and Miller, 
with their families, in all seven persons, took possession of the vaca- 
ted cabin, 12x15 feet in size, while their slaves, six in number, dwelt 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 723 

for a time in a stout, comfortaV)le tent, which had been used for sleep- 
ing quarters en route from Tennessee. 

The cabin built by Mr. Burnett, the first habitation for white men 
on the town site of Springfield, stood on the hill, south of the " natu- 
ral well," near where the public school building now is, on Jefferson 
street 

At once all hands set to work, the axes rano; out in the surroundinor 
wood, and soon a good sized field had been cleared and fenced where 
tiie principal portion of the town is now, it being the intention of 
Campbell and his compeers, not to found a city, but to open first class 
farms. The site of the town was covered by a magnificent growth of 
red oak trees, making a fine grove, and furnishing most valuable tim- 
ber. It is the testimony of old settlers that nothing like this grove 
was then to be found hereabouts, or now to be seen in all the 
county. 

Among those who settled on and adjoining the present site in 1830 
were Thomas Finney, Samuel Weaver, and Joseph Miller. In the 
next year came Daniel B. Miller, Joseph Rountree, Sidney S. Ingram, 
Samuel Painter, and Junius T. Campbell. The latter opened a little 
store near where the public school building is now. His stock, a 
small and by no means a varied one, was hauled from Boonville. Mr. 
Campbell had a partner, one James Feland, an old Santa Fe trader. 

In 1831 the Delaware Indians were notified to again " move on" 
farther toward the setting sun, and with their departure in October, 
came another influx of white settlers to Springfield and the neighbor- 
hood round about. 

Many of the old Kickapoo wigwams were still standing in what is 
now the southwest part of the city in 1830, although they had been 
abandoned some time. Being composed of i)ark, and poles and brush 
for the most part, they were highly inflammable, and the boys of that 
day, — old men, bent and gray now — John H. Miller, Lawson Ful- 
bright, and others, had rare sport in burning them in the spring of 
1830, after night fall, when the fire would show to the best advantage 
and on Sundays, too. Nor did the young vandals stop their devasta- 
tion until the last old ragged wigwam was reduced to ashes. 

Springfield was not regularly laid oflTinto a town until 1835 ; but by 
that time perhaps fifteen or twenty cabins had gone up on and near 
the town site and were occupied. The locality was a favorite one by 
reason of the numerous springs therein abounding, which furnished 
plenty of pure, wholesome water. John P. Campl)ell built no less 






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HISTORY OF GREEXE COUNTY. 725 

than thirteen cabins in one year, his danghter states, vacating one 
after another in order to let some new comer have an abiding place. 
The location became known far and wide throughout Southern Mis- 
souri and Northern Arkansas, for wdiere even two or three cabins were 
o-athered together in this quarter at that day, the locality was remark- 
able. There seemed to be an instinctive belief among the primitive 
visitors to Southwestern Missouri that someday there would be a town 
at " Fulbright's and Campbell's springs," and hence people were at- 
tracted hither — all sorts of people — good people for the most part, 
but all sorts of people. The first settlers of Southwestern Missouri 
senerallv were men of high character, bold, honest, and industrious, 
who had come to the new country to make comfortable homes for 
themselves and their posterity after them forever. Some of them 
remained to see the grand old red oak forests about Springfield leveled, 
and a city builded whereon they had grown, and to see moreover wild 
prairie and timbered glade subdued by the plow and made to bud and 
blossom and bring forth abundantly. 

Three years after the Fulbrights and Campbell had come to the 
"springs" which bore their names, Greene county was organized, as 
a county, then embi-acing all Southwest Missouri. On the first Mon- 
day in February, 1833, the voters of " Ozark township, Crawford 
county, Missouri," met at "the usual place of holding elections," 
then "the house of John P. Campbell," and elected Jeremiah N. 
Sloan, James DoUison, and Samuel Martin judges of the county court, 
and John D. Shannon sheriff. The county court designated the 
" house of John P. Campbell " as " the place of holding the county 
and circuit courts" for the county of Greene, and this was the first 
movement toward locating the county seat of the county permanently 
on the town site of Springfield. It is said that at first the county 
judges were in favor of fixing the county seat somewhere near where 
Mt. Vernon now is, so as to bring it nearer to what was then the 
geographical center of the county ; but that Mr. Campbell, whom they 
appointed county clerk, entertained their honors so sumptuously and 
treated them generally so hospitably that they readily acceded to his 
suo-<yestion to locate the capital of the new county at " Campbell's 
spring." 

EARLY DAYS OF SPRINGFIELD. 

The " first families " in Springfield in 1830-35, would not be con 
sidered the " first f\imilies " in this year of grace, 1883. The houses 
were of loos, ruiro-ed on the outside and rough within. The floors 



726 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

were of puncheons, the roofs of chipboards held on by weight poles. 
The carpets used were very durable, since both woof and warp were 
of good red-oak timber, close grained as iron and sound as a dollar. 
Doors were of rougii boards, but the latch-strings always hung on the 
outside and he who pulled them was always welcome. Bedsteads, chairs 
and tables were made by craftsmen who wielded only such tools as axes, 
frows and whipsaws. When babies came — as come they did, and 
come they alwaj^s will into every well regulated community, heaven 
abundantly bless them ! — they were snuggled and cuddled into cradles 
fashioned sometimes from hollow logs, with hickory bows pegged 
on for rockers. 

The tables were supplied with the best the market afforded, to 
speak in the language of inn-keepers. That same market was the 
forest whose trees made shadows upon the door yards and the clear- 
ings lately opened to the rays of the sun. The one produced honey 
in abundance and delicious as nectar, venison and other game 
meats, l)ountiful and luscious, and the other brought forth corn and 
turnips and potatoes. At first the corn was made into meal by pound- 
ing it in mortars which clumsy pestles, and then sifting it through 
sieves, made sometimes of buckskin perforated with hot wires and 
then stretched over a hoop. The finer meal was baked into bread, the 
coarser particles made " small hominy." The first mills were Jerry 
Pearson's, five miles east, and John Marshall's, near the mouth of 
Finley. 

Hospitality was the universal rule, and extreme friendliness and 
sociability characterized all the people of the little town. The ladies 
made calls without card cases, and no man waited to be introduced to 
his new neighbor before visiting him. Sports and diversions were not 
lacking. Shooting matches were common among the men, and in 
1833 John P. CamiDbell laid out a circular race track on the praii'ie a 
little southeast of the town, and there was fine sport there to be had 
on Saturdays for a few years, until a great light fell upon Mr. C. and 
he renounced horse-racing and embraced Calvinism, according to the 
tenents of the Presbyterian church, and the race track was broken 
up. » 

Dancing there was, und -it was freely participated in by the light 
of heart and heels of both sexes. Early in the settlement a house 
of prayer and praise went up, for following close upon the foot- 
steps of the first settlers came the pioneer preachers " crying in the 
wilderness." Very soon there was a school, where reading, spelling, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 727 

writing and arithmetic were taught, according to the most approved 
methods of that day, to about a dgzen pupils of all ages and both 
sexes. 

Springfield was hiid off into lots, with streets, alleys and a public 
square, in the year of 1835, by John P. Campbell. The original town 
plat comprised 50 acres, lying on both sides of "Jordan," and this tract 
was donated by Mr. C. to the county for county seat purposes. The 
plan of the town was that adopted in the laying off of Columbia, Teun., 
Mr. Campbell's birth-place. The town took its name from the cir- 
cumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while 
on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there 
was Afield. This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the 
editor of the Springfield Express^ Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the 
issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says : " It has been stated that 
this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by 
just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the 
authorized persons met and adopted the title of the •' Future Great " 
of the Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their 
favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the 
winning name, " Springfield," in honor of his former home town, 
Springfield, Robertson county, Tennessee. 3Ir. Rose still lives on his 
old homestead, 3V2 miles southwest of the city, where he has con- 
tinuously resided for nearly fifty years." 

At this time the business men of the place were D. D. Berry, Henry 
Fulbright and Cannefax & Ingram, dealers in dry goods and groceries ; 
James Carter and John W. Ball, blacksmiths, and S. S. Ingram, 
cabinet-maker. John P. Campbell kept a hotel, if it be proper to call a 
dwelling house, where everybody was entertained free, a hotel. From 
the amount of tax paid by the merchants in 1835 it is estimated that 
in that year they sold about $8,300 worth of goods. These goods had 
been bought of wholesale dealers at Boonville and Old Franklin, up 
on the Missouri. 

. THK " FIRSTS." 

The first settlers on the town site of Springfield were Wm. Ful- 
brigt, John Fulbright, A. J^ Burnett, John P. Campbell and Joseph 
Miller, in February and March, 1830. 

The first house was a little pole cabin, built by A. J. Burnett, in 
January or February, 1830. It stood on the hill a little south of the 
old " natural well," and a little northwest of the present brick public 
school building, on Jefierson street. In size this cabin was 12x15 feet. 



728 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

The first white male cliild born in the city was Harvey Fulbright, a 
son of John Fulbright, and the date of his birth was in 1831. The 
maiden name of his mother was Kirkendall, and she was from West 
Tennessee. She was a sister to the first wife of Levi Fulbright. 
Harvey Fulbright now lives in Laclede county, and the place of his 
birth was on or near the ground (now 1883) occupied as the residence 
of Capt. G. M. Jones. The first white female child born within the 
present city limits was Mary Frances Campbell, a daughter of John 
P. Campbell, the founder of the town. This is the child referred to 
in the chapter on the early history of the county as '* Kickapoo, My 
Beautiful." She was born in 1831, on the hill south of the old " nat- 
ural well. " She married Dr. S. M. Sproul, and died soon after mar- 
riage, at Greenfield, Dude county, leaving no children. Mrs. John 
P. Campbell brought with her to Springfield from Tennessee, a child, 
then an infant in arms, named Talitha Campbell, who afterwards be- 
came the mother of the wife of Frank Sheppard, Esq. A little later 
in the year 1831, Frank Miller, a son of Joseph Miller, was born in a 
house which also stood near the old Avell. He is now residing; at San 
Diego, California. It is claimed, for these children, that they were 
the first whites born in Greene county. 

The first death was that of a child of Joseph Miller, in 1831. The 
body was buried under a large oak tree, near the Miller spring. 

The first marriao^e in the neio-hborhood was that of Lawson Ful- 
bright and a daughter of David Roper, living four miles east, in 
1831. 

Junius Rountree married Martha Miller, a daughter of Joseph Mil- 
ler, then living about one and a half miles west of Springfield, August 
7, 1831. Not long afterwards Junis T. Campbell married Mary 
Blackwell, at a house a mile and a half southwest of Springfield. 
These are believed to have been the first marriages within the present 
limits of Greene county. 

The first meeting house or house of divine worship was built of oak 
logs, in 1833, at a spring in the woods north of the creek, and was 
occupied by the Methodists and Cumberland Presbyterians. Dr. 
James H. Slavens, of Warren county, who came in 1831, was the first 
Methodist minister to hold services, not only in the town, but in the 
county. 

The first school house was built in 1832. It was of small locfs and 
stood where is now the old Christian church (used at present as a 
private residence), on the north side of College street, a little west of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 729 

Main, and near where Gen. Lyon's general headquarters were, and 
where his dead body lay. But the first school house attended by chil- 
dren who then lived on the present site was built in 1831, and was 
also of small logs. Of this school house, John H. Miller says it stood 
a mile and a quarter west of town, and the first teacher was old uncle 
Joe Rountree ; the pupils were Henry Fulbright and some of his 
younger brothers, the Rountree boys, John Miller, J. J. Weaver, and 
his two older sisters, Louisiana, late wife of Col. C. A. Haden, and 
Jane, mother of Joe Farrier, and a few others. The school house 
had a good dirt floor, and one log cut out for a window, no door or 
shutter. Here they learned to spell, read, write and cipher in Pike's 
arithmetic, on three-legged benches. Mr. Miller says the old school 
house on College street had a loose plank floor, a door shutter, a 
mud-and-stick chimney, and then the builders thought that in the 
matter of school house architecture they had nearly reached the top 
round of the ladder of civilization, and the Ruskins of that day were 
greatly delighted with the beautiful effect produced. 

The first merchant was Junius T. Campbell, a young man only 19 
years of age, who in 1831 started in trade in a little log hut near the 
present site of the public school building. 

The first blacksmith was James Carter, who came in 1834. 

The first frame house was built by Benj. Cannefax, in 1836. Pre- 
vious to that all were constructed of logs. Up to the close of the 
year 1835 there was not a sawed plank in the county of Greene. 
The substitute was, as in most new places of the West, split or hewed 
slabs. 

In 1837, the first bricks were burned here, and soon after a chim- 
ney was built of brick and mortar, which attracted vast attention and 
interest. The whole population superintended the erection of that 
structure. 

The first post-office was established in the fall of 1834, and Junius 
T. Campbell, then just 22 years of age, was the first postmaster. 
Mail was brought twice a month by horseback from Harrison's store, 
at the mouth of Little Piney. This is believed to be the most reliable 
account, although the following from the Springfield Express, of Feb. 
17, 1882, is worthy of attention: — 

Springfield has the honor of the first post-office that was established 
in Southwest Missouri, the same being done in the year 1833, at 
which time the mail was brought on horseback, once in each month, 
from Harrison's on the Little Piney river. The title of P. M. was 



730 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

conferred upon Mr. Junius T. Campbell, und tlie office was kept in a 
hewed log house one story -high, the logs of which now constitute the 
walls of a room on the northwest corner of Jeflferson and East Wal- 
nut streets, which belong to Dr. L. T. Watson. They are of oak 
timber and still in a good state of preservation, which speaks volumes 
for the salubrity of the atmosphere in these favored regions of the 
Ozark mountains. 

The building in which the office was kept stood a little more than 
one hundred yards about north of its present location until the year 
1842, when C. B. Holland purchased it for a dwelling house and 
removed it to where it now stands. In those days sawed lumber was 
almost out of the question, and even the floors were mostly made of 
puncheons. 

The difference in the date of the establishment of the office, it will 
be observed, i3 wide in the two accounts, but 1834 is believed by the 
compiler to be correct. 

The first newspaper was the Ozark Standard, established by J. C. 
Tuberville, in the spring of 1837. Shortly thereafter the name of the 
paper was changed to the Ozark Eagle. 

Mr. John H. Miller, who was deputy county clerk of this county, 
says he has the record to show that the Standard was established by 
Mr. Tuberville in the spring of 1837. But Mr. Warren H. Graves, 
one of the first newspaper men in Southwest Missouri, in a letter to 
Mr. A. F. Ingram* a few years since, wrote : — 

The Ozark Standard was started some time in the spring or summer 
of 1839. I remember that I was working in Jefferson City during the 
winter of 1838-9, when C. W. Starks proposed to me to go with him 
to Springfield and start a paper. I was then young and declined the 
pi-oposition, but Starks did go, and, in company with some one else, 
started the Standard. It lived but a short time, but I do not remem- 
ber when Huffard changed it to the Eagle. I started the Advertiser 
in May, 1844, publishing it continuously up to the summer of 1861, 
I left, at Neosho, a full file ol the Advertiser, with orders to my 
l)rother there to send by express to my son Joseph, then at Spring- 
field. I am under the impression that the box was never sent, although 
I paid the express charges. In those bound volumes, I think, is one 
copy of the Standard and one of the Eagle, bound with the second or 
third year of the Advertiser. The}' were given to me by uncle Joel 
Haden. The original Advertiser office was the same in which the 
Standard and Eagle had been printed. It had been idle for some 
time — I think for two or three years — was under control and in pos- 
session of Jno. S. Phelps, but there was a suit between Jno. P. Camp- 
bell and him in relation to the ownership, which was afterwards com- 
promised, and the office went to Campbell. This was in the spring of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 731 

1846, and I purchased a new office. The material of the old office 
was used in 1846, in the interest of Campbell for Congress — the 
paper being published by E. D. McKinney. 

EARLY HISTORIC INCIDENTS. 

In the month of June, 1835, Asiatic cholera visited Springfield and 
carried off four or five victims. In July Jeremiah N. Sloan and Geo. 
M. Gibson, of Barry county, and Markham Fristoe, commissioners 
appointed by act of the Legislature, met and selected Springfield as the 
" permanent county seat of Greene county." About the first of Sep- 
tember, 1835, the U. S. land office was established with Joel Haden, 
of Howard county, as register, and K. T.Brown, of Ste. Genevieve, as 
receiver. 

On the 18th of July a special session of the the county court was 
held, '* for the purpose of receiving and approving a plan for laying 
out the town of Springfield, the county seat of Greene county." The 
following order of the court was entered of record : — 

It is ordered by the court here that the plan presented by John P. 
Campbell be filed and received as the plan for the town of Springfield ; 
and the county commissioner for Greene county is hereby ordered to 
lay off the town of Springfield accordingly, viz. : To lay off the public 
square, and one tier of blocks back from said square. The square 
to contain one acre and a half, and each block to contain one acre and 
a half, to be divided into six lots or parts, by said commissioner or by 
some person for him, and each of the other lots back to contain two 
acres, subject to division as the court may hereafter order. The 
streets leading to the square in the above named plan to be sixty feet, 
and an alley way fifteen feet back of said first tier of lots ; and the 
commissioner is"^ further ordered to establish the front corners in the 
second tier of lots ; and that Daniel B. Miller be appointed commis- 
sioner of the county. 

At the August term of court, 1835, on motion, it was ordered that 
so much of the order made at the special term of said court on the 
18th day of July, 1835, be amended so as to make the public square 
of Springfield two acres instead of one and a half acres, and that it 
should never be changed. 

Owing to the uncertainty at that time with reference to what would 
become the western boundary, and on account of the county extend- 
ing so much farther east, it was for some time quite doubtful whether 
the county seat would remain here, or be removed to some point tar- 
ther east ; and, although the question had been once regularly decided 



732 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

by commissioners appointed for that purpose, it still continued to l)e 
agitated until 1836, when a petition was circulated by the friends of 
Josiah F. Danforth, to have it removed to a site which he offered, 
on his farm eight miles east of town. John W. Hancock, who was 
that year elected to the Legislature, promised to work for whichever 
party got the most signatures to its paper, and as Mr. Campl)eirs 
friends, in this part of the county, were successful in getting the most 
names to their remonstrance, the county seat remained unchanged. 

When Springfield was accepted as the county seat of Greene county, 
none of the lands were owned in fee simple by the persons who claim- 
ed and occupied them. All were alike " squatters." Those who had 
come here as early as 1833, had a pre-emption claim to one hundred 
and sixty acres each, under an act of Congress passed June 19th, 1834. 
This act required as conditions precedent, that the claimant should 
have cultivated the land claimed, in 1833, and been in actual possess- 
ion of it at the time of the passage of the act. 

August 27, 1836, John P. Campbell and his wife, Louisa T. Camp- 
bell, deeded to the county of Greene, for county seat purposes, 50 
acres of land, whose metes and bounds were described as follows: 
" Beginning at a point in the middle of the channel of the branch run- 
ning through the northwest quarter of section 24, township 29, range 
22, where the west boundary line of said quarter section crosses said 
branch, running up said branch, meandering the main channel there- 
of, eastwardly to a point where the north boundary line of said quarter 
section crosses said branch ; thence with said line eastwardly to a 
point immediately north of the s[)ring which the said John P. Camp- 
bell uses, on said quarter section ; thence southwardly to a point im- 
mediately east of said spring ten feet ; thence south 23V2 degrees ; 
thence twenty-three and seven-elevenths poles to a black oak tree ; 
thence east and south for complement, in the proportion that 80 bears 
to 100, so as to include the said quantity of 50 acres." The tract of 
land so described was the original plat of the city of Springfield, the 
northeast corner being a little east and north of the public school 
buildins: on Jefferson street. 

Other particulars regarding the location of the county seat, the offi- 
cial acts of D. B. Miller, the first town commissioner, etc., are set out 
on other and prior pages of this volume. 

In the summer of 1836 occurred the killing of John Roberts by 
Judge Chas. S. Yancey. The latter was acquitted on the ground of 
self-defense. This was the first case of homicide in the place. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 733 

In 1837 the town w;is the base from which operations against the 
Indians were directed in the Osage and Sarcoxie wars. This year 
there were twelve business establishments, which did an aggregate 
business of $22,450. 

February 19th, 1838, the town was first incorporated, the metes 
and bounds being established as follows : Beginning 25 rods west of 
the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 24, tp. 29, 
range 22 ; thence east 155 rods to a stake ; thence south 135 rods ; 
thence west 155 rods ; thence north to the beginning. The first board 
of trustees was composed of Joel H. Haden, Daniel D. Berry, Sidney 
S. Ingram, Robert W. Crawford and Joseph Jones. Fifteen business 
houses, including only those where general merchandise and groceries 
were sold, were in operation and the total amount of sales reported 
for the year were $62,600. In the summer of this year Randolph 
Britt stabbed and killed Joseph Renno. Britt was afterward convicted 
of manslaughter, sentenced to the penitentiary, but pardoned. Pop- 
ulation of Springfield this year, according to the U. S. Gazeteer^ was 
"about 300." 

AMUSEMENTS OF THE FIRST CITIZENS OF SPRINGFIELD. 

From 1836 up to 1844, camp-meetings, political discussions, danc- 
ing, hunting, and picnicking were the chief amusements of the people 
of Springfield and of Greene county. Whisky was plentiful and 
everybody drank it, a custom giving rise to great and general hilarity. 
The managers of the dances, it is solemnly averred by a few old gray- 
beards who were here then, used to count the puncheons in the floor, 
and then charge admission in proportion to the size of the party that 
could be accommodated. 

Red bandanna handkerchiefs were considered the heigrht of fashion 
and very " lum-ti-tum " in those days among the young gentlemen. 
If a young man displayed a white handkerchief, a titter would pervade 
the room and some one would call out, " Look ! he has got his sisters 
handkerchief!" 

Mr. Escott and Col. Gilmore state that D. D. Berry often opened 
his house to these social reunions. On one of these occasions he in- 
vited nearly everybody in town to a dance, but for some reason, or per- 
haps by accident, left out one man named Shockley, who had recently 
moved to town. He was angry at being thus slighted, and determined 
to let people know it. He had a fine horse and a dog, which he 
valued very highly. He strung to the horse and dog as many bells^ 



734 HISTORY or gkeene county. 

tin-pans, and other noise-making instruments, as he could devise, and 
tied the dog to the saddle of his horse, with a strong rope. When all 
was ready, and the dancers in the midst of their amusement, Shockley 
mounted his horse, and, adding to the jingling of bells and the howl- 
ing of the dog, his own voice in yelling and screaming, he rode around 
Mr. Berry's house, to the consternation and amazement of the com- 
pany. Everybody, of course, rushed out to see what on earth was 
the matter. Satisfied with the effect there, he left the house, and, at 
iull speed, made the circle of the town. 

It is said that every man, woman, and child, of Springfield, was out 
of doors that night, and the more superstitious, no doubt, thought 
that a certain individual with horns, hoofs and tail, who was then sup- 
posed to live in the sulphurous regions, had paid a visit to the town. 
Shocklev's poor dog paid for the sport with his life, and the horse and 
his rider came near meeting the same fate. While passing a tree, at 
break-neck speed, the dog took one side and the horse the other. 
The dog was instantly killed, and the horse and his rider were over- 
thrown, but, as it happened, not seriously injured. With this event, 
Shockley passes out of sight, probably removes to some neighborhood 
of more congenial spirits, and is never heard of again in Springfield. 

The sports and amusements of the young folks, in the early days of 
Springfield, were sometimes of a rather dangerous, and even tragic 
character. In 1835 and 1836, it became a custom among the young- 
sters, to " make niggers " of such strangers as they could manage. 
This was done by blacking their faces with burnt cork or other black- 
ing, and, when their object was accomplished, their shouts of laughter 
would " raise the town." To illustrate how this was done, two or 
three instances are given, which were vouched for by one who alwavs 
took part in such sprees : — 

Two men, named L and B— — , who were brothers-in-law, were 

in the habit of coming to town to get their grog, and nearly always 
made a two or three da^^s' " drunk " of it, when they came. On one 
occasion they wave induced to separate for the night, and each one 
slept with one of the town boys. In the night, while sleeping off the 
effect of their potations, both of their faces were thoroughly blacked 
with burnt cork, and in the morning they were well prepared, in com- 
plexion, to appear as " Brudder Bones " or " Banjo Sam," but the 
looking-glasses were carefully kept out of sight, and both of the men 
were unconscious of the joke that had been perpetrated upon them. 
It was arranged to bring them to McElhany's " grocery," to take a 



HISTORY OF aREENE COUNTY. 735 

morning dram, and this being done, all hands were invited up to 

drink, and promptly accepted the invitation. B was 

surprised to see a black man come up to drink with them, and told 

L that he " was not in the habit of drinking with nisfofers." 

L , hearing this speech from a man whom he considered a negro, 

at once pitched in, and a first-class muss was at once inaugurated, 
each thinking he was punishing a " d — d impudent nigger." 

On another occasion, after this joke of blacking faces had been run 
for a number of months, a strapping big fellow came into town, with 
his loaded rifle on his shoulder, and announced that he had come ex- 
pressly to have his face blacked by these Springfield boys. He looked 
dangerous, but it would not do to allow him to escape, after thus 
daring the venture. So a council was held by Charlie Haden, " Buck " 
and Lucius Rountrec, Ki. Blankenship, John Cox and others, and a 
programme arranged. One of the boys " Old Red " " cousined in " 
with the stranger, and soon got on intimate terms with him. After 
introducing him around, and getting him to drink a few times, " Red" 
suggested that a shave would improve his appearance, and he was in- 
duced to submit to the operation. In the meantime one of the num- 
ber, who acted as barber for the occasion, was prepared with a cup of 
diluted printer's ink, which he used as lather, and after pretendino- to 
shave him, he was sent to the glass to see how he liked it. A o-lance 
was sufficient. With a short, quick scream of rage, the victim 
sprang for his gun. Another of their number had quietly taken that 
during the shaving operation, and emptied the priming from the pan 
and spiked the tube with a wire ; but, as most of the boys were not 
aware that the gun had been rendered unserviceable, there was some 
pretty fast running done. The stranger chased them for some time, 
trying every few yards to fire his gun, but finally ascertaining that it 
had been spiked, he stopped, and in his rage and disappointment be- 
gan to cry very lustily. The boys then came back to him, and after 
he liad promised to behave himself and go home, he was taken around 
to old Jacob Painter's gun shop and his gun put in order. Then he 
departed southward, swearing he would never set foot in the accursed 
town again, and it is believed that he kept his vow. 



FROM 1840 TO 1850. 

In the year 1840 occurred the" log cabin campaign," which resulted 
in the election of President Harrison, and this was the first politi- 



736 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

cal ctirapaign that excited much interest in the town and county. For 
the first time both political parties held public meetings and barbe- 
cues in Springfield. 

In May, 1841, John T. Shanks shot and killed one Davis; both 
were intoxicated at the time. Shanks broke jail and escaped to Texas. 

In 1844 two citizens of the county, Hon. John S. Phelps and Hon. 
Leonard H. Sims, were elected to Congress at the same election, both 
Democrats. Mass meetings were held at Springfield hy the partisans 
of Polk and Clay, respectively, the Democratic and Whig candidates 
for President. In May the first number of the Springfield Advertiser 
was issued by Warren H. Graves. 

In May, 1845, the Springfield branch of the State Bank of Missouri 
was established. James H. McBride, president; J. R. Danforth, 
cashier ; C. A. Haden, clerk. In this year, also, R. J, McElhany suc- 
ceeded Wm. B. Farmer as postmaster. The latter had held the 
office three years . 

In 184G Springfield bade farewell and God speed to Captains Ju- 
lian's and Boak's companies of volunteers, who started for the Mexi- 
can war. Julian's company was not accepted and returned. Boak 's 
men saw service, and when they came home were given a worthy re- 
ception by the people. 

September 10, 1848, the first number of the Springfield Whig was 
issued by Fisher & Swartz. Hon. Littleberry Hendrick was editor. 
Bis Whio; and Democratic meetings were held this year. The total 
population of Springfield this year was 344, of which 108 were slaves. 

In 1849 a temperance wave swept over the town. The Sons of 
Temperance had 75 members, and there was only one licensed dram- 
shop in the place. 

In the summer of 1849 Col. Thomas H. Benton spoke in Spring- 
field in opposition to the " Jackson resolutions." 

From 1840 to 1850 the public affairs of the town were managed 
very loosely. The trustees neglected to meet and sometimes there 
was no election held to choose new officers, and the old ones refused 
to serve. The town ran itself. When an offense was committed a 
justice of the peace took cognizance thereof. 

The merchants did a fair business. The wholesale markets at that 
day were St. Louis, Boonville and Linn Creek. All merchandise was 
brought into the county in wagons. A trip to St. Louis and back oc- 
cupied about one month. By 1850 stage lines ran regularly to and 
throuo-h the place from Boonville, Jeffersoii, Lebanou and Fayetteville. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, 737 

*' Select schools " were established early in the '40's. In 1849 the 
Southwestern Missouri High School, the Springfield Academy, and 
Mrs. Merritt's and Miss Anderson's schools for young ladies were in 
full operation, as was Miss McDonald's Female Institute. 



FROM 1850 TO 1860. 

The population of Campbell township in 1850, was 2,142 \vhites 
and 561 slaves ; total, 2,703. Of this population Springfield con- 
tained about 500. This year the California fever broke out, carrying 
off many victims. 

March 3, 1851, an attempt was made to resuscitate the almost 
dead and defunct act of incorporation, making Springfield a city. 
The affairs of the town had been running at loose ends too long to 
please some of the citizens. The temperance people were anxious to 
put down the dramshops by municipal legislation and regulation, and 
desired a complement of town officers. An election wjis held at which 
only 50 votes were cast. Of these Wilson Hackney received 45 and 
Peter Apperson 5, but Hackney was ineligible, and Apperson was de- 
clared elected. W. B. Logan, Wm. McAdams, S. S. Vinton, A. A. 
Mitchell, and Presley Beal were elected trustees, or aldermen ; Richard 
Gott was chosen assessor and E. P. Gott, constable. 

From 1850 to 1855 coffee sold at I2V2 cents per pound ; sugar, 10 
cents; salt, $3 and $5 per sack or barrel; nails, 6 cents per pound ; 
castings, 5 cents; muslin, 7 and 10 cents per yard ; flour, $1.25 and 
$1.50 per hundred ; meal, 40 cents per bushel; bacon, 8 cents per 
pound: spun cotton, $1 and $1.10 per bunch. 

In 1852 the county court refused to grant licenses for dram shops 
in Campbell township, but some months afterwards rescinded the 
order. There was great interest taken in the prohibition question in 
that year and during succeeding years. 

In 1853-4 the first considerable interest was taken l)y the town and 
county in the project to build a branch of the Pacific Railroad into 
Southwestern Missouri, making Springfield a point on the line. The 
county court took $100,000 stock in the enterprise. August 25, 1854» 
Willis Washam, an old man nearly 60 years of age, was hung at 
Springfield, upon conviction of the murder of his son, on White river, 
in Taney county. 

May 3, 1855, the first number of the Springfield Mirror, a Whig 
paper, was issued by J. W. Boren, now a compositor in the Leader 
47 



738 HISTORY OF GUEKNE COUNTY. 

office. Ill this year, December 13, a court of common pleas was es- 
tablished, with Hon. Patrick H. Edwards, recently deceased, as 
judge. At the close of the year 1855 there were twenty-four 
business firms in the place, which, during the year, had done business 
to the amount of $235,246. 

From 1855 to 1860 there were warm times in Springfield among 
the politicians. Benton, Anti-Benton, or " Sag Nichts," Whigs, 
Americans and Know Nothings, all held meetings in Springfield from 
time to time, and excitement ran high at times. In 1856 Col. Benton, 
then a candidate for Governor, again addressed the people of Greene 
county at Springfield. The same year, October 3, the first fair in 
Greene county was held by the Southwest Missouri District Agricul- 
tural and Mechanical Association. 

June 17, 1858, the first foundry (Ingram's) was established and 
did its first casting. The first Presbyterian church building was dedi- 
cated July 4, of this year, and that of the M. E. South was begun in 
the spring. Christmas day the population of the place was estimated 
at 1,200. There were 16 mercantile houses which had sold $300,000 
worth of merchandise during the year 1858. There were two tin- 
shops, two saddle and harness shops, three shoe shops, three wagon 
shops, three tailor shops, a gunsmith, a hatter, three meat markets, 
three hotels, three jewelry stores, two printing offices, three churches, 
five schools, four secret orders, (Masons, Odd Fellows, Sons of Tem- 
perance, and Good Templars), three confectionery stores, two milli- 
ners, a daguerrean gallery, a carding machine, a foundry, a land office, 
a bank, one livery stable, one saloon, ten lawyers, five doctors, four 
clergymen, one dentist, four land agents, twenty carpenters, two brick 
masons, three house and sign painters, etc. Two tobacco factories, 
manufacturing 200,000 pounds of tobacco annually, were in full opera- 
tion. A planing mill was completed the following spring by Smith 
& Graves. August 28, 1858, the first steps were taken to build the 
present court-house. 

In 1859 the sum of $417.39 was expended in improving the streets, 
sidewalks, street-crossings, etc., of the place, and this is said to have 
been the first public money so expended. In August of this year 
Mart Danforth, a negro rapist, was lynched in a grove just west of 
the cotton factory. 

April 3, 1860, Sii)ringtield was first placed in telegraphic communi- 
cation with the outer world, via Bolivar and JetFerson City. The line 
was afterward extended to Fayetteville and Ft. Smith. W. H, Par- 
sons was the first telegraph operator in Springfield. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 739 



DURING THE CIVIL AVAR. 



At the outbreak of the civil war Springfield contained about 2,000 
inhabitants, and tliough not larger in population than many of the 
shire towns of the surrounding counties at present, it was then, as 
now, the most })rosperous and important town, in a commercial point 
of view, in what is generalW known as Southwest Missouri. The mer- 
chants and traders of those days, whose mantle of enterprise has 
fallen upon the shoulders of their successors, kept in the van, and by 
their shrewd and capable management of private and public affairs, 
not only placed Springfield in the advance among the first of inland 
towns of Missouri, but constantly urged its growth and influence to the 
utmost limit. Its power in a political, commercial and social point of 
view has been described on previous pages of this history, and at the 
beginning of the year 1861, it will suflSce to say, its progress was 
stead}'^ in the march of general improvement. 

The war summarily checked this happy progress. In no part of 
this distressed State was public opinion more at variance upon the 
momentous questions which gave rise to the civil war. Neighbors 
found themselves arrayed suddenly one against the other ; the energy 
that had characterized the people was none the less abated, now that 
it had been turned from the channels of industry into those of war, 
and the great highways leading from the city to the north, south, east 
and west, which were wont to resound with the cheery greetings of 
the hundreds of wagoners who were the patient and plodding means 
of social and business communication, were filled with the advancing 
or retreating forces of Federals or Confederates. 

Early in the struggle the leaders of both armies recognized the fact 
that Springfield was from a military, as it had been from a commer- 
cial view, a strategic point, ^ and its possession throughout the war 
was bitterly contended for. It was this fact that led to the battle of 
Wilson Creek, so disastrous to the Federal arms in the death of Lyon 
and the rout of his army ; to Zagonyi's fight, to the battle on the mem- 
orable 8th of January, 1863, when the Confederate leaders, Marma- 
duke, Shelby and. McDonald, knocked for admission at the south gates 



' "In conversation with the Committee of Safetj' about the 1st of May (1861), Lyon di- 
vulged the plan of making Springfield the outpost of St. Louis, in case of imminent danger 
from rebels in the State." — Peckham's "Lyon and Missouri in 1861," p. 117. 

" The town of Springfield ought to be occupied by a strong force at once, and made the 
base of operations in that quarter." — Ben McCulloch to the Confederate Government, May 
28, 1861. See "Rebellion Record," vol. 3, p. 228, et seq. 



740 HISTOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of the city and were refused admission ; to many other military move- 
ments in Southwest Missouri and Northern Arkansas. During the 
entire struggle it was hckl as a base of supplies and operations by one 
or the other of the contending armies, and not until peace had been 
finally declared and effectually accomplished was any attempt made 
toward repairing the enormous waste of property and vitality incident 
to that terrible five years' storm. 

The history of Spriugfield during the civil war is a part of that of 
the county, and has already been given on other pages. From Feb- 
ruary 12, 1862, until the close of the war, it was held by Federal gar- 
risons, and was the great Federal military depot for the army of the 
frontier and of the Southwest. The name of the Federal or Union 
commanders here during the war is legion, and cannot be given with 
accuracy in their proper order. Gen. John McNeil was herefrom the 
spring of 1863 until about the 24th of October following, when John 
B. Sanborn assumed command, and remained here until long after 
Lee had surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. 

During the military occupation of the city it was greatly injured ; 
many houses were burned, feuces and out-buildings were also burned 
— the latter for fuel, the former for fun! Churches became hospi- 
tals and arsenals, private houses barracks and quarters, gardens and 
parks were converted into camping grounds, and everywhere were 
soldiers and cannon, "and guns and drums and wounds." There was 
much disorder, too, in the social world. Many respectable families 
were destroyed, some of the members going out of the country, others 
going to the bad. Hundreds of adventurers and adventuresses were 
attracted hither by the wild, reckless life led by the military, and the 
vivandieres and other camp followers corrupted where they could not 
destroy. 

Sometimes grim-visaged War smoothed his wrinkled front and 
gazed placidly upon the spectacle of some of his bravest partisans 
whirling in Avaltzes, or tripping in quadrilles, with ladies of the oppo- 
site party in politics for partners. The Kansas officers, with all of their 
rough reputation for savage fighting and free foraging, were noted 
gallants, andjmany of them became social favorites while here — their 
balls and routs IJand free-and-easy gatherings being the " events " of 
the season. Other officers from other States came to be well known. 
Some were hon()ral)le, some were not. Owing to the unnatural char- 
acter of the times and the tendency to demoralization, it was easy to 
work harm, and harm was worked. Many a matron, now demure and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 741 

proper, was then a Miss, young and wild and gay, and had her name 
bandied about among many a mess with a freedom that Avould shock 
her ears fastidious, were it to be spoken of in these days. 

The close of hostilities found Springfield much the worse for them, 
but such was the spirit of the then stricken and shattered little city, 
that no sooner did the sun of peace once more send forth its genial 
ravs and assert the brotherhood of man, than she threw off the weeds 
of woe and at once set about to rebuild the waste places. Soldiers 
whom the chances of war had assigned to this locality returned to their 
homes with marvellous tales of its wondrous charms, and about the 
year 1866 a tide of emigration set in from the four points of the com- 
pass, and which continued uninterrupted until 1870. Every stage from 
the north and east was loaded with those who had left their homes with 
the intention of making an abode with us. Asa consequence money 
was plentiful, business houses multiplied, property was advanced to 
fictitious values, all of which tended to a suicidal extravagance in the 
matter of building which was not warranted by the class of emigrants 
being received. 

It will now be proper to give the history of the city by years from 
1865 to the present time. (See next chapter.) 



BIOGEAPHIES. 

JAMES ABBOTT. 

Mr. Abbott is the son of AVilliam and Abigail (Steward) Abbott, and was born in Salem 
county, New Jersey, February 13th, 1835. He was educated at the public schools of that 
State, and, in 1855, went to St. Louis, Missouri and took a position as clerk in the retail dry 
goods house of J. C. Havens & Co., for whom he worked until 1862. He then came to 
Springfield, Missouri, and. engaged in the mercantile business with Wm. E. Gorton until 
1871, when he was elected county collector upon the Republican ticket, and served until 
1874. He was appointed county treasurer in 1864, but declined to serve, but was regularly 
elected to serve in 1866, and held that office until 1868. In 1865-6, was city treasurer of 
Springfield. He was elected secretary and treasurer of the Springfield Iron Works in 1875, 
which is now the Springfield Foundry and Machine Shops. He was mayor of the city in 
1881, and chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee of this district in 1882. Mr- 
Abbott was married January 30th, 1866, in New York city, by the Rev. Theodore L. Cuy- 
ler, to Mary E., daugbter of Timothy C. Wooley, Esq. Their union was blest with seven 
children, six girls and one boy, of whom six are living, one daughter dying in infanc}-. He 
and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian church, and he is one of the trustees. 
His mother died in New Jersey in 1874, and his father is still living at Brighton, Illinois. 
From the many positions of honor and trust that Mr. Abbott has held, it is the best evidence 
that no man in Greene county has a better hold upon the aflTections of the people than he. 

REV. MARCUS ARRINGTON. 

This gentleman is the son of Abel and Margaret (Cobb) Arrington, and was born in 
Wilkes county. North Carolina, July 13th, 1820. In 1823, his parents moved to Rhea 



742 HISTOKY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

county, Tennessee, and, in the fall of 1829, they emii^rated to Fulton county, Illinois, and, 
in 1839, came to Greene county, Missouri. He was educated by B. McCord Roberts, and at 
the school at Ebenezer. Mr. Arrington then taught in several of the counties in Southwest- 
ern Missouri for several years. From the scholars of his first school nine afterwards became 
ministers. He was married in this county July 14th, 1842, to Miss L. McClure, daughter of 
John McClure. Thej' had by their union two sons and two daughters. He carried on farm- 
ing two years, and was then licensed to preach by the M. E. Church South, and appointed 
to the Osceola circuit. In the fall of 1844, he joined the conference, and, in 1845, was ap- 
pointed to Hartville circuit. Then, at his own request, he was discontinued, and farmed for 
two years. He sold his farm, and, after moving about for a year or two, he joined the St. 
Louis conference in the fall of 1850, and preached upon different circuits. After the battle 
of Wilson's Creek, he took charge of some of the sick and wounded, and finalh? took them 
to Lexington. He then went to Arkansas, and was appointed by Dr. Caples as chaplain of 
the Missouri State Guards, under Gen. McBride. At the battle of Pea Ridge, he was taken 
prisoner and sent to Alton, Illinois, where he was kept five months, and then released by 
order of the War Department. He then went South, where he met his wife and children in 
Arkansas. He then went to Illinois, and remained until 18*15. He was then put upon a cir- 
cuit, and so remains at the present. In 1870, he took his family to Arcadia, Iron county, 
Missouri, where he educated his children. He has been presiding elder of several districts, 
and is now living at Springfield. John B., son of the Rev. Marcus Arrington, was born in 
Polk county, Missouri, October 22d, 1853, and was educated at Arcadia college, Iron county, 
Missouri. In 1873-4-5, was principal of Doniphan High School, Ripley county, Missouri, 
and, in 1878-9 taught the high school at Marble Hill, Missouri. In the fall of 1879, he took 
charge of the Mountain House Academy, and was its principal for two years, and then re- 
turned to Springfield. In the fall of 1882, he was the Greenback candidate for circuit clerk, 
and received about eleven hundred votes. 

JUDGE JAMES BAKER. 

Judge James Baker is the son of M. and Margaret (Waters) Baker, and was born April 
1st, 1819, in Mason county, Kentucky. He was educated at the Indinna State Universitj', at 
Bloomington. In the fall of 1838 he moved to Davenport, Iowa, where he studied law in the 
office of Judge James Grant. He remained there until 1843, when he moved to Oitumwa, 
Iowa, and practiced law in that city for ten years. In 1853 he was appointed by President 
Pierce as register of the land office, at Chariton, Iowa. After two or three years he re- 
sumed the practice of law at Chariton. In 1861 the Legislature of Iowa created an execu- 
tive commission to raise money and equip troops for the army, and he was appointed as one 
of the commissioners. In the fall of 1861 he recruited the 13th Iowa infantry, and was its 
lieutenant colonel. He was at the battles of Shiloh, luka and Corinth. He resigned be" 
cause of sickness, and in the spring of 18tJ4 came to Springfield, Mo., where he was for a time 
associated in law with Capt. A. M. Julian aud Col. Fazan. In 1868 he was appointed attor- 
ney for the Atlantic and Pacfic railroad. In the fall of 1870 he was also appointed attor- 
ney for the Missouri Pacific railroad, and was attornej' for both roads until 1876. He has 
been attorney, vice president and president of the St. Louis and San Francisco railway. He 
was appointed as one of the judges of the Supreme Court bj' Gov. Fletcher in 1868. 

JOHN S. BENSOK 

Mr. Benson is the son of Samuel and Nancy (Bull) Benson, and was born in Accomack 
county, Virginia, April 17, 1813. He was educated in the common schools, and at the age 
of seventeen went to Baltimore and learned the watch-maker and jeweler's trade. In 
1835 he came West and stopped at St. Louis, Mo. In 1842 he went to Lacon, Illinois, 
where he followed his trade and carried on farming, for twenty-seven years. He came to 
Springfield Missouri, in the spring of 1869. Mr. Benson was married in 1842 to Miss 
Amanda F. Houge, a native of Kentucky. Mrs. Benson is a member of the Episcopal 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



743 



church. Her mother is still living at the age of ninety-two. Mr. Benson's father died in 
Virginia in 1855, and his mother in 1866. They had four sons, none living save John S. 

HON. SEMPRONIUS H. BOYD. 

This gentleman, one of the best know and most talented men of Southwest Missouri, is 
the son^of Marcus and Eliza (Hamilton) Boyd, and was born in Williamson county, Ten- 
nessee, May 28th, 1828. His parents came to Missouri in 1840, and his father shortly after 
took high political rank, representing Greene county several times in the Legislature, be- 
ing appointed receiver of the land office, at Springfield, and a colonel in the militia dur- 
ing the civil war. He died in 1866. His son, S. H. Boyd, was educated at Springfield, in 
English and the classics. After completing his education he made a trip to Texas with a 
train loaded with bacon ; sold out the entire outfit, save the negroes whom he refused to 
sell, and returned with them and the proceeds safely to Springfield. He then took a posi- 
tion as clerk in the store of D. Johnson & Co. In 1847, the firm established a branch store 
at Forsyth, Missouri, and Mr. Boyd placed in charge, though but nineteen years of age. 
In 1849 he crossed the great plains, arriving in California in August of that j'ear. He 
mined in the placers of the Yuba, Feather and Moquelnes rivers, taught school at Volcano, 
Amador county, returning to Springfield in 1855, via Nicaragua and New Orleans. He 
then studied law under Judge Price ; was mayor of Springfield in 1856-7 ; was the first clerk 
of the probate and common pleas court of Greene county, and was twice city attorney. In 
1831 he was major of Gen. Phelps' Home Guards; then colonel of a regiment of United 
States volunteers, and was in several eagagements. H-^ was elected to Congress oyer Gen. 
Phelps, the opposition candidate, and took his seat in December, 1863, jyas active in re-or- 
ganizing the postal service in Southwest Missouri; member of the committee of post-offices 
and post roads, chairman of the committee of revolutionary claims and pensions. He was 
circuit judge of the 14th judicial district in 1865-6, which office he resigned to interest him- 
self in the completion ot the Southwestern Pacific railroad. He was again elected to Con- 
gress, in 1868, as the regular Republican nominee, running largely ahead of his ticket. He 
took an independent stand in Congress; and for favoring rebel enfranchisement and sup- 
porting B. Gratz. Brown, he was ostracised by his party. He was not a mere partisan, and, 
with him, principles were never prostituted to position. He was the Missouri member of the 
Republican national executive committee from 1864 to 18(58. In 1872 he founded the 
Springfield wagon factory, and resumed the practice of law in 1874. Though born in Ten- 
nessee, Col. Boyd had never been back there until 1883, and being greatly pleased with 
Memphis, will make that city his home. 

MILTON BOWERMAN. 

Is a son of Stephen and Phoebe (Garrett) Bowerman, and was born April 14th, 1837, in 
Sombra, Canada. He was educated at Detroit, Michigan, and there learned the carnage 
and sign painting trade. At the age of twenty-one he went to Janesville, Wisconsin, and in 
September, 1861, enlisted in company A, 13th Wisconsin infantry as a private, but was 
afterward promoted to the first lieutenancy. He served upon the staff of Gen. Rosseau in 
the topographical department for eleven months, with headquarters at Nashville, Tennessee. 
At the close of the war he was mustered out there, and went back to Wisconsin. He came 
to Springfield in February, 1868, and followed his trade until 1878, when he, in partnership 
with Jess & Weaver, manufactured carriages until 1882, when he sold out, and in partner- 
ship with his father-in-law, Asa Root, opened a grocery store at 712 Boonville street. He 
married Miss Sarah E. Root, of Janesville, Wisconsin. He and his wife are members of the 
Baptist church, of which he is clerk, deacon, and superintendent of Sunday school. Mr. 
Bowerman has been secretary of the public school board for seven years. His father died 
in 1864, at Battle Creek, Michigan, and his mother is still living at that place. They had a 
family of eight children, two girls and six boys, and our subject Milton, one of the six boys, 
is one of Greene's best citizens. 



744 HISTORY OF GIIEENE COUNTY. 

BENJAMIN R. BREWER. 

This gentleman is the son of Fredrick and Sarah (Wright) Brewer, and was born in Polk 
county, Tennessee, April 2d, 1852. His parents moved to Arkansas in 1859. AVhen the 
war began his father enlisted as a volunteer in the Confederate service, and died in 1863. In 
18BG his mother moved to Greene county, Missouri. He was educated in the public schools 
aided by his own industry at home. In 1873 and 1874 he taught school in this county. In 
1874 he read law and upon the 25th of March, 1875, was admitted to the bar at Marshfield, 
before R. W. Fyan, judge. In 1877 was admitted at Mt. Home, Arkansas, and also at 
Little Rock in U. S. court, upon the 3d of June, 1879, by Judge Caldwell. He took charge 
of the Webster County News November 14th, 1881, as editor, and published a vigorous paper 
for fourteen months, chiefly directed against the then dominant political party •.>f that county. 
He came to Springfield February 15th, 1888, and is now one of the most promising young 
attorneys of the city. Mr. Brewer was married March 10th, 1875, to Miss Addie Wisby, at 
Marshfield. Their union has been blest with two daughters and one son, Gertude, Clara, 
and Harold. Mr. Brewer is a Mason and I. O. O. F. and a member of the Christian church, 
and his wife of the Congregationalist. His parents had four sons, Benjamin being the 
second. His mother died in Webster county in the fall of 1880. 

JOSEPH BUCK. 
This gentleman is the son of Joseph and Sarah (Medley) Buck, and was born at Hull, 
Yorkshire, England, October 25th, 1844. In 1850, his parents came to the United States, 
landing at New York. They soon after came West with an English colony, and settled in 
Clinton county, Iowa. They lived there two years, and then moved to Dubuque, and then 
to Dewitt, Iowa. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in May, 1870, and, in the follow- 
ing December, went into the grocery business. The store was burned in 1875, but they soon 
resumed business. The firm at that time was Morhiser & Co., but in November, 1880, it be- 
came Joseph Buck & Co. Mr. Buck was married at Dubuque, Iowa, July 9th, 1868, to Miss 
Mary L. Morhiser. They have two children, George M. and Mary A. Mr. Buck is a mem- 
ber of the K. of H. and the I. O. 0. F. His wife is a member of the Episcopal church. His 
father was also a native of Hull, England, and died in that country in 1869, while on a visit. 
His mother died in Iowa. They liad five sons and three daughters, Joseph being the sixth 
child. 

JOHN L. CARSON. 

Mr. Carson is the son of Jesse H. and Nancy Carson, and was born inWilliamson county, 
Tennessee, November 4th, 1833. He came to Springfield, Missouri, July 29th, 1855, and be- 
gan work for William McAdams in the saddlery and harness business. He worked at his 
trade some fifteen months, and then accepted a clerkship in the dry goods store of Shepard 
«& Kimbrough. After staying with them six months, he ^^orked again at his trade a short 
time, and then sold goods for Vinton & Hornbeak two years. After the battle of Wilson's 
Creek, he left Springfield, but returned and clerked for L. A. D. Crenshaw for a year, 
and then for two years the firm was Crenshaw & Carson. He then went into the drug 
business with Oliver Smith. In 1865 Smith sold out, and the style of the firm 
was J. L. Carson & Co. Mr. Carson then bought out the concern and changed the busi- 
ness back to dry goods. In 1870 he went to St. Louis, and was a travelling salesman for a 
year. He returned to Springfield, and was of the firm of Hornbeak, Carson & Oliver eight 
months, and, from September, 1871, to February, 1873, was of the firm of Doling, Carson & 
Robberson, of North Springfield. In February, 1874, he bought out Massey & Onstott, and 
has continued the dry goods business ever since. He also owns the grain elevator on Jeffer- 
son and St. Louis streets, and has been dealing in grain, more or less since 1874. He was 
married December 12th, 1864, to Miss Annie E. daughter of Maj. Joseph Weaver, sr. They 
have three sons and one daughter. His father was born in Virginia, and died in Tennessee 
in 1874. His mother was born in North Carolina, and died in Tennessee in 1858. They had 
a family of five sons and three daughters, John L. being the third child. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 745 

LEWIS S. CASS. 

Mr. Cass is the son of Dudley and Martha (Robbing) Cass, and was born in Madison 
county, New York, November 3, 1838. When he was about six years of age his parents 
moved to Wisconsin. When Lewis was about twenty-three years of age he went to Lake 
county, Illinois, where he lived two years. He then went to Benton county, Iowa where he 
also lived two years, and then, in 18G7, came to Springfield. In July of that year he taught a 
select school for a few weeks upon Boonville street. In September of that year he took a 
position in the public school where he taught three years. In August he commenced selling 
groceries and continued the business while he was engaged in teaching. In 1875 they built 
the store-house they now occupy upon College street. It is a two-story brick, 20x80 feet. 
The grocery firm of L. S. Cass & Co. is one of the oldest and best in the city. They own 
besides their business house, the house occupied by Parce & Gray. Mr. Cass married Char- 
lotte Collier, of Lake county, Illinois. They have six children, one boy and five girls. He 
is a member of the L O. O. F., K. of H., and A. O. U. W. He was elected upon the 
Democratic ticket to the city council from the fourth ward in 1878 and 1879. He and his 
wife are members of the Baptist church. 

ROBERT A. CLARK 

Is the son of John B. and Margaret (Horner) Clark, and was born at Gettysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, June 19, 1824. His parents emigrated to Missouri, 1837, and settled at Warsaw, Ben- 
ton county. Robert went to California in 1849 and returned to Melville, Dade county, 
Missouri, in 1851, where he, in partnership with T. A. Switzler sold goods. In 1871 he 
represented Dade county in the Legislature, being elected upon the Republican ticket. In 
1874 was elected presiding justice of the Dade county court. In 1876 he came to Spring- 
field and was of the firm of Peck & Clark in the wholesale and retail notion business until 
1879. When the Queen City Milling Company was organized, he took stock and was chosen 
manager, which position he now holds. He was married at Warsaw, Missouri, in September, 
1862, to Miss Julia A. Withrow, of Virginia. They have four children, two boys and two 
girls. Judge Clark is a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and Mrs. Clark is a mem- 
ber of the Calvary Presbyterian church. Judge Clark has in his possession an old musket, 
that was carried by his grandfather in the Revolutionary war. 

THOMAS CONLON. 

Is the son of Roger and Mary (Smith) Conlon, and was born November 23, 1832, in 
county Leitrim, Ireland. At the age of eighteen became to America, landing in New York 
City. He soon after went to Auburn, New York, where he learned the carpenter's trade 
In 1851 he went to Cincinnati, and from thereto Columbus, Ohio, where he lived until 1854. 
He then went to Chicago, where he lived until 1859, and then removed to St. Louis where 
he lived until 1870. While in St. Louis he had charge of the repair work in the post-office 
building from Lincoln's to Grant's administration. He also had charge of Jefferson Barracks 
as foreman, for four months. In 1870 he moved to Lebanon, Laclede county, Missouri, and 
built the Catholic church of that place. In 1872 he came to Springfield, and was soon ap- 
pointed foreman of the carpenter construction of the 'Frisco railroad in the Cherokee nation. 
He then went to Texas, and was superintendent of bridge construction for a private corpora- 
tion for eight months. He returned to this place and lived three years, and then went to 
Leadville, Colorado, and followed mining and carpentering for a year and returned to 
Springfield, where he has since lived. Mr. Conlon is a large contractor and builder, having 
built many of the business blocks and fine residences of the city. He is a director and valu- 
ator of the Building and Loan Association of Springfield. He is a member of the city coun- 
cil from the first ward, elected upon the Democratic ticket. Is vice-president of St. 
Vincent De Paul Society, a Catholic organization. He was married January 15, 1853, to 
Miss Ann Mooney, of Columbus, Ohio. Their union has been blest with nine children, six 



746 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

boys and three girls, all living, mid all members of the Catholic church. Mr. Conlon's 
father died in Ireland in 1845, and his mother died at sea in 1848, on her way to America. 
They had seven girls and five bo3's, of whom, Thomas is the second son. 

M. D. CORDRA.Y. 

Mr. Cordray is the son of J. P. and Sallie A. (Allen) Cordray, and was born near Farm- 
ington, Delaware, November, 1846, and was educated at the Farmington institute. In Janu- 
ary, 1869, he went to Attica, Ind., and lived in the State of Indiana until 1878. He then 
went to Shelby county, Tenn., where he was superintendent of a largo cotton plantation for 
two years. In the spring of 1880, he went to Lonoke county, Ark., and engaged in the 
hotel business for fifteen months, and then moved to Gallaway, Ark,, where he was in the 
mercantile business until January, 1883, when he came to Springfield, Mo. Mr. Cordray 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, having joined Lonoke lodge. No. 9. He is past 
chancellor, and was master of finance for two years, and also a member of the Endowment 
Ring, K. of P. Mr. Cordray was married March 9, 1873 to Mary O. Pierce. He and wife 
are both memberi of the M. E. church. His father was a native of Delaware, and was a large 
real estate owner, and dealt largely in fine stock. He died at his home in Delaware, Febru- 
ary 16, 1881. His wife died when our subject was but thirteen years of age. They had 
seven children, five sons and two daughters. 

CHARLES W. CRAWFORD. 

Mr. Crawford is a son of Charles and Lucy (McNeil) Crawford, and was born October 14, 
1825, in Robertson county, Tennessee. His parents died, and are buried in the county 
which gave him birth. Charles W. received his education at the common and private 
schools of his section, and at Walnut Academy in Robertson county, Tenn. He began 
teaching school in 1852, and continued until 1857, when he closed his last school in Ten- 
nessee, in Cheatham county. On the 28th of April, 1857, he reached Springfield, Missouri, 
where he shortly afterwards married Sallie M. daughter of John H. and Nancy M. (Holland) 
Jernigan, and then returned to Tennessee. In November, 1857, he came back to Spring- 
field, stopping with his father-in-law until June, 1858, when he moved to Keetesville (now 
Washburn), Barry county, Missouri, and on the 14th of the same month took charge of a 
private school called the Union Institute, which he conducted until 1861. In January, 
1862, he returned to Springfield and lived upon the farm of his father-in-law until Septem- 
ber, 1864, when he accepted a clerkship in the quartermaster's department, then at Spring- 
field, where he remained until the war closed. Mr. Crawford then taught school in and 
around Springfield until 1875. In 1868 he moved into Springfield, and bought property, 
and in 1871, sold his town property and bought a small farm, two miles east,. on the St. Louis 
road, where he now resides. He has a family of six boys and one girl. His wife died July 
17, 1882, and is buried beside her father, mother, and two brotners in the family burying- 
ground. In 1880 he was nominated by the Republican party for county collector, and 
elected. His son, Alonzo B., was his deputy. He is a Mason, and has been secretary of the 
lodge, and is regarded by all as an upright oflBcial and a thorough gentleman. 

CHARLES L. DALRYMPLE. 

This gentleman is the son of Allen S, and Eliza (Churchill) Dalrymple, and was born 
March 2, 1832, in Marion county, Tenn. He was educated at Knoxville and Chattanooge, 
and in 1849 he came to Springfield, Missouri. Shortly afterward he left Springfield for 
Santa Fe, New Mexico, where for two years he was agent for a transfer company. He then 
travelled about for some two years and then returned to Chattanooga, Tenn., where he lived 
until 1856. In 1857 he went to Memphis, where he remained until 1868. He was engaged 
in railroad construction work until 1860. April 29, 1863, he was appointed assistant U. S. 
Assessor for the eighth district of Tennessee, and held that oflSce until 1866. He was then 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 747 

appointed U. S. cotton weigher, winch position he retained until 1858, being also at the time 
tobacco inspector. July 21, 1868, he came to Springfield, and in the latter part of that 
year was made assistant U. S. assessor for the counties of Laclede, Dallas, Polk and Cedar, 
and held that office until 1871. In 1872 he was deputy circuit clerk of Polk county, and 
in 1873 came back to Springfield, where he was deputy county recorder for some time. In 
1874-5, he was city recorder upon Republican ticket, and was elected justice of the peace 
in 1874, and resigned in 1879. Mr. Dalrymple was married March 21, 1856, to Miss Martha 
J. Thurston. Their union was blest with three sons and four daughters. His father 
was born Dec. 18, 1802, and is yet living. His mother was a native of Virginia, and died 
in 1856. They had but one child, Charles L. 

EDWARD C. DAVIS. 

Mr. Davis is a son of Charles and Mary (Cummings) Davis, and was Dorn in Wisconsin, 
March 21, 1854. His parents moved to Iowa when Edward was an infant, and settled upon 
a farm in Johnson county, fourteen miles from Iowa City. It was here Edward grew up 
and attended the public schools of the neighborhood. When he was seventeen years of age 
his mother moved with the family to Missouri, his father remaining in Iowa to settle up his 
business. He died, however, in Iowa, and Ed. and his mother located at Springfield. He 
attended Drury college three consecutive terms, beginning the second term after the open- 
ing of that institution. He then went to live with Mr. E. C. Powell, with whom he farmed, 
and in 1872 his mother died, and then he began farming for himself, and part of the time 
operated a threshing machine. He was appointed deputy sheriflf in October, 1877, under 
Sheriff A. J. Potter, and has served ever since, receiving his last appointment from Sheriff 
Patterson. Mr. Davis was married June 12, 1879 to Miss Alice M., daughter of Z. M. 
Rountree, Esq., of this count}^ Mr. Davis has made an efficient officer, and enjoys the con- 
fidence of a large circle of friends. He is a member of the C. P. church. 

HON. DANIEL E. DAVIS. 

This gentleman is the son of Isaac N. and Malinda A. (Gillespie) Davis, and was born July 
6, 1834, in what is now Pulaski county, Missouri. When he was fourteen j'ears of age his 
parents moved to California. Daniel returned in 1855, and in the latter part of that 
year went back to California. He remained there until 1858, when he again returned to 
Missouri. He was educated in his native county, and at the university at Sonora, California. 
In 1863 he enlisted in company A, 48th Missouri volunteers, as first lieutenant, but soon 
promoted captain. He was mustered out January 30th, 1865, at St. Louis, and returned to 
Richland, Pulaski county, where he was for many years engaged in farming, building and 
merchandising. In 1870 he was elected upon the Democratic ticket to represent the 
county in the Legislature. He was the representative of the county every time but 
once until 1877. He had been county surveyor of Hickory county from 1858 until the war 
began. He came to Springfield in the fall of 1881, and is now extensively engaged in con- 
tracting and building. He employs a large force of help and has already taken high rank 
in the business. Mr. Davis was married November 2, 1855, to Miss Mary P., daughter of 
A. H. Foster, county and circuit clerk of Hickory county, Missouri. They have two sons 
and two daughters. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Davis is a 
Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W. His oldest son, C. H. Davis, is prosecuting 
attorney of Pulaski county. 

WILLIAM H. DAVIS. 

Mr. Davis is the son of Robert and Mahala J. (Murray) Davis, and was bora December 15, 
1847, in Cass township, Greene county, Mo. When he was fifteen years of age his parents 
moved to Gentry count}', Mo., where he received his education. In 1867 they came to Polk 
county, Mo., where they lived a year, and then moved to Walnut Grove, Greene county. 
Mo. William taught school and read law, and was admitted to the bar in March, 1878, at 



748 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Springfield. He practiced at Walnut Grove until November, 1881, when he came to Spring- 
field. His parents came to this county in 1847, from Monroe county, Tennessee, and settled 
upon Clear creek, where they lived three years, and then moved to Lawrence county and 
lived there six years, and returned to Greene. Mr. Robert Duvis was second lieutenant for 
six months in the Home Guards. In 1868, 1869, and 1870 he operated a carding machine, 
and was connected with a saw and grist mill at Walnut Grove. William's grandfather, 
Lewis Davis, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served under Gen. Jackson. At the bat- 
tle ofHorseshoe he was taken prisoner. He is now living at Lebanon, Laclede county. Mo., 
aged eightv-eight. 

CALEB W. DAWLEY. 

This gentleman is the son of James and Nannie H. (Ambrose) Dawley, and was born 
April 2, 1859, in Covington, Ky. His parents moved to Kansas City, Mo., in 1867. He re- 
ceived his education at Kansas Cit}-, William Jewell college, and at the State university at 
Columbia, graduating in the class of 1879. He then returned home and taught school at 
Belton, Cass county, for a year. Here he met the lady whom he married December 23, 
1881. She was Miss Lula Boyer. He and his wife are both members of the Baptist church. 
He came to Springfield in May, 1881, where he has since been superinttsndentof the Spring- 
field Gas-Light Company. His parents are living upon a farm near Kansas City. They 
have three sons, Caleb W. being the oldest. 

■ GEORGE SALE DAY. 

This gentleman was born at Lynchburg, Va., December 23, 1826. In 1837 he came to St. 
Louis, where he was educated in private schools, and atSt. Xavier's College, now St. Louis 
University. While in St. Louis he learned brick-laying and brick-making, and then became 
a contractor, and has since followed that business. In 1850 he went to New Orleans and 
staid there until 1852. He then went to Vicksburg, where he lived until 1856. He next re- 
turned to St. Louis, where lived until 1871, when he came to Springfield, and has since made 
this his home. He has had contracts on many of the best buildings in the city. Mr. Day 
was married at New Orleans in 1852 to Theresa A. Fox. Their union was blest with one 
child, Laura, who married Prof. S. M. Godby, of Morrisville Institute. She died February 
13, 1880, leaving an infant daughter. Mr. Day's first wife died May 29, 1882. In December 
following Mr. Day was married at Independence, Mo., to Mrs. L. C. Leftwich, by Dr. W. M. 
Prottsman. In 1876 Mr. Day was elected councilman of the city, serving two years, and in 
1882 he was elected mayor upon the Republican ticket. Mr. Day was a Whig during his 
earl}' life, but, on the dissolution of that party, became a Republican. He is a member of 
the M. E. Church South, and has been since eleven years of age. His father was Ezekiel 
Day, and mother was Miss Elizabeth Sale, a daughter of Col. George Sale, of the war of 
1812. Mr. Day was named for him. 

THOMAS J. DELANEY. 

Mr. Delaney is the son of James and Alice (Mahon) Delaney, and was born at New Or- 
leans, La., May 10, 1859. His parents were natives of Ireland, and came to this country 
when still 3-oung. They first stopped in New York city, but moved to New Orleans in 1858.^ 
They had four daughters and one son. His father was a Confederate soldier, and was killed 
in battle. Thomas was educated at St. Mary's academy at New Orleans, and at the age of 
fifteen left home. In April, 1874, he came to North Springfield, Mo., and worked for the St. 
L. & S. F. R. R. for four years, being, during the time, fireman, baggage-master, and store- 
keeper. For seven months he was clerk in the oflices at St. Louis. He entered the St. Louis 
law school October 15, 1878, and graduated June 9, 1880, taking the highest honors of a 
class of twenty-nine. He then practiced law for a year in the office of Britton A. Hill. In 
June, 1881, ho came to Springfield, Mo., and on April 4, 1882, was elected city attorney 
upon the Democratic ticket. Mr. Delaney was married December 29, 1880, to Miss Cordie, 
daughter of Hon. S. H. Boyd. They have one child, Thomas James. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUxNTY. 749 



S. DINGELDEIN. 



Mr. Dingeldein was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Middle Germany, October 15tb, 1842. He 
learned the trade of a brewer, and traveled around for some seven years. He landed at New 
York City, October 6th, 1857, and went from there to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and in 
October, 18tJ8, he went to St. Louis, Mo. He worked in the largest breweries and malt- 
houses of that city for over eight j'ears, and then came to Sprini,^fleld, Missouri. He was 
married in St. Louis to Miss Dora Stuet. They have two sons and one daughter. His 
father died in German}' in 1859, and his mother died in 1862. They had a family of seven 
girls and six boys. Four boys and four girls are yet living. The brewery was built by 
Buehner &,Finkenauer in 1872. Mr. Dingeldein leased the property in October, 1876, for 
ten years, and in June, 1882, bought it before the lease expired. The old cellar is 16x36, 
11 1-2 feet high; fomenting cellar is 30x15; brew-house is 25x30 feet; the new cellar is 
68x38, 13 feet high, and will store 1,200 barrels. The walls are of the best rock and laid in 
cement. The new brewery is 40x40, 2 1-2 stories high. When first started the brewery 
turned out eight hundred barrels per year. In 1882 they made twenty-one hundred. 

F. M. DONNELL. 

Mr. Donnell was born December 22d, 1847, in Jackson township, Greene county, Missouri, 
and received his education in the country schools of his neighborhood. In 1864 he enlisted 
in Company E, 16th Missouri cavalry, and was in the battles of Big Blue, .Jefferson City, 
and Lexington. He was mustered out June 30th, 1865. In 18G8 he went to California, and 
for several years he was foreman upon a farm of fifteen. thousand acres. He returned to 
Missouri and lived a year at Sedalia, and then came back to Greene county. He was on the 
police force in 1879, 1880 and 1882. In November, 1882, he was elected to the office of con- 
stable of Campbell township. Mr. Donnell married Miss Jerusha Roberts, who died in 
March, 1879, leaving two sons. He was married the second time to Mattie J. Williams, a 
native of Knox county, Kentucky. Mr. Donnell is a member of the K. of P. 

JOHN H. DUNCAN. 

Mr. Duncan is the son of Harvey and Mary (Bowden) Duncan, and was born at George- 
town, Kentucky, January 8th, 1854. He was educated at Evansville, Indiana, Canton, 
Illinois, and McGee College, Macon county, Missouri. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in 
March, 1876, and studied law in the office of Bray & Cravens, and was admitted to the bar 
upon the 20th of October, 1876. He was elected, upon the Republican ticket, city recorder, 
in April, 1878, and re-elected in 1879. In November, 1878, he was elected justice of the 
peace, and served four years. He was appointed notary public by Gov. Crittenden, Janu- 
ary 19th, 1883. He is now a practicing attorney before the courts and has the qualifications 
to succeed. Mr. Duncan was married June 6th, 1877, to Miss L. A. Carson. They have two 
children, Hume and Leroy. His father is living at Canton, Illinois, and his mother died at 

Evansville, Indiana, in 1861. 

GEORGE D. EMERY. 

Mr. Emery is the son of Aniasa and Abigail (Dutton) Emery, and was born December 
4, 1831, in Cheshire county. New Hampshire. His father is yet living there, and his mother 
died in 1876. They had seven children, but two of whom are now living, George D. and 
Alonzo A. George was educated in his native county, and in 1850 went to New York city 
where he lived about fifteen years in that city and in Brooklyn. He was in the hotel busi- 
ness for about twelve years, and 1861 had a contract to feed the soldiers of several regi- 
ments for three months, when Chester A. Arthur was quartermaster general. September 
20, 1870 he came to Springfield Missouri, and for nine years was of the firm of Emery «fc 
Comstock, furniture dealers. In 1880 he was elected marshal of the city of Springfield 
upon the Democratic ticket and served one year. He is now the proprietor of a general 
feed store on South street. Mr. Emery was married October 23, 1863 to Miss Maria Van 



750 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Arsdale, of Brooklyn, N. Y. They have two sons, Alonzo W. and Frank E. Mr. Emery 
is a member of the Knights of Honor, and Mrs. Emery is a member of the Calvary Presby- 
terian Church. 

CAPTAIN S. H. EPLEY. 

This gentleman was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, November 15, 1843. and is a son 
of Geor<j;e W. and Catherine Epley. Whon about two years of age his parents moved to 
Marion, Ohio, where his father died, and he learned the carpenter's trade. In April, 1861, he 
enlisted in company K, 4th Ohio, infantry, as a private, and served three years with that 
compan\'. He was promoted to second lieutenant, and after a successful engagement 
against Coloncd Ashby he was promoted to the captaincy of his company, and served with 
that rank until the war closed. He was in the "Gibraltar Brigade," and was wounded five 
times, three times severely, viz. : by a sabre cut in the head at llappahannock, and left for 
dead; he next received a severe bayonet thrust while charging a North Carolina brigade 
who were behind a stone wall at Gettysburg; and was shot in the knee in front of Richmond, 
and nearly died from lockjaw. After the war he returned to Marion, Ohio, and in the spring 
of 18t>6 went to Mansfield, Ohio, but in" the fall of the same year he came to St. Louis and 
followed his trade until 1870. He then came to l~^pringfield and engaged in contracting and 
building. Captain Epley was married October 26, 1878, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of 
Enoch and Emily Harris, of St. Louis. He is a member of L O. O. F. and G. A. R. societies. 

THOMAS J. EPPERSON. 

This gentleman is the son of Joseph and Jane (Walker) Epperson, and was born in 
Hawkins county, Tennessee, February 13, 1808. His father died when he was but six years 
of age, and at the age of thirteen he went to Kentucky and engaged in driving cattle. He 
remained in that State about nine years, and in November, 1837, came to Greene county, 
Missouri, and settled about fourteen miles south of Springfield, where he lived for some 
time and then removed to within four miles of Springfield, where he lived until 1875, when 
he moved into the city and has lived here ever since. Mr. Epperson was married in 1829, in 
Hawkins county, Tennessee, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Wolf. Mr. Epperson 
began life without a dollar, and now has a sufficient competency to live upon without being 
actively engaged in business. 

DR. ARTHUR H. EVERSOL. 

This gentleman is the son of Silas and Sarah (Godman) Eversol, and was born in St. 
Louis, Mo., September 27, 1849. He was educated in that city and at the military insti- 
tute near Kirkwood, Mo. He first studied his profession in the office of Dr. P. L. Williams, 
of Cairo, 111. He came to Springfield, Mo., in 1873, and studied for some time in the office 
of Dr. C. F. Wright. He now has a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Eversol was married 
April 9, 1877, to Miss Minnie, daughter of Mrs. Dr. Augustus Smith, of Springfield. They 
have one child, a daughter. He and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian 
church. The doctor's parents are now living at Commerce, Mo. They had four children, 
two sons and two daughters. The girls are both dead. His father was a Virginian, and set- 
tled in St. Louis in 1829. 

CYRUS M. EVERSOL. 

Mr. Eversol is the son of E. K. and T. A. (Godman) Eversol, and was born in Cape 
Giradeau county, Missouri, July 11, 1839. He received his education at the St. Louis High 
School, and then learned the miller's trade in Scott county, Missouri. In 1861 he enlisted 
as a private in Company A, I5th Illinois cavalry. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, 
Fort Henry, and Corinth. Be was mustered out at Springfield, 111., September 1, 18 4, 
when he returned to Scott county, Missouri, where he lived some four years. In July, 1868, 
he came to Springfield, Mo. In 1870 he built the Eagle Mills, on Boonville street, and has 
carried on that business ever since coming here. The firm is now Eversol & Son. Mr. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 751 

Eversol was married November 29, 1864, in Scott county, Missouri, to Miss Julia Khode?. 
Their union was blest with three children, Felix, Anne, and Hattie. He and his wife are 
members of the Calvary Presbyterian church, and he belongs to the A. O. U. "W. 

JONATHAN FAIEBANKS. 

This gentleman is the son of Varnum and Margaret (Haddin) Fairbanks, and was born in 
Andover, Massachusetts, January 7, 1828. When he was about a year old his parents 
moved to New York, and his father, being a manufacturer, took charge of a large factory. 
His father died in 1832, and the family then returned to .Massachusetts, Mr. Fairbanks is a 
fourth cousin of Fairbanks, the inventor of the celebrated scales of that name. .Jonathan 
lived with an uncle at Sudbury, Massachusetts, until he was eighteen years of age, and then 
went to school for three years. First went to New Ipswich, and from there went to Wil- 
mington, Delaware, and taught school just out of the city for several years. He next went to 
St. Mary's, Ohio, and taught as iirst assistant there, and went to Piqua and took charge 
of the high school for a year. He then returned to St. Mary's, where he remained six years 
as superintendent of the public schools. He again went back to Piqua where he was 
superintendent of the high school there for five years. He resigned his position in the fall 
of 1866, and came to Springfield, Missouri where engaged in the lumber and real estate busi- 
ness for about ten years. Subsequently he accepted the superintendency of the public 
school here, to which position he had been elected in 1875. He has held the position ever 
since, save one year when he traveled. K. L. Goode, Esq., was in charge of the school during 
Mr. Fairbanks' absence. Mr. Fairbanks has been mayor of the city, member of the coun- 
cil, member of the board of education three years, and president of the board two years. 
During the time he had been traveling he has done hard and faithful work, so hard, indeed, 
that his health ran down under it, and he had to desist from overwork. He taught his first 
school as Ashby, Massachusetts, and it was pronounced the best in the place. He was mar- 
ried August, 1855, to Miss Angle Bowker, daughter of Noyes and Mary Bowker. They 
were educated together at Sudbury, Massachusetts. By this union they have four children 
living, viz., Annie P., George B., .John W. and James O. Mr. Fairbanks is one of the best 
educators in the country and deserves his popularity. 

COL. H. F. FELLOWS. 

Col. Fellows, whose full Christian name is Homer Franklin, was born in Wellsborough, 
Tioga county, Pennsylvania, July 30th, 1832. Johnathan Fellows, grandfather of Homer 
F., came from England prior to the Revolution, and settled first in Connecticut, where 
Erastus Fellows, father to the subject of this sketch, was born. They subsequently (1815) 
moved to Pennsylvania, where Erastus married Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, relict of Moses 
Johnson, who became the mother of Col. Fellows. Homer passed his early life in Wells- 
borough, where his father was a hotel-keeper and farmer. He worked on the farm in spring 
and summer and, during winter, attended the schools of his native town. He spent one 
year in a general merchandise store at the age of eighteen, then taught school one term at 
Osceola, Pennsylvania, at the conclusion of which he entered Geneseo College, at Lima, 
New York, remaining one year. In 1853, he, being "of age," started with a party to Te«as, 
but changed hia mind and went to Iowa. He had procured letters of introduction to some 
prominent gentlemen, including Gov. Grimes. Procuring an engagement as traveling sales- 
man for Geer & Baum, of Burlington, he remained one year, till the firm dissolved, travel- 
ing on both sides of the Des Moines river with a team. After the dissolution, Mr. Fellows 
was employed in settling up the business, and in 1854, was sent by Mr. Baum with a stock ©f 
goods t® Chariton, Iowa, where he remained a year, and wound up the business when Baum 
sold out. He then came to this State and went into the real estate business with Messrs. 
Schellpr & Baum, in Plattsburg, where he remained till 1857, when he established two other 
offices, one in Warsaw, Benton county, and another in Springfield, this count}-, the firm 
then being Fellows, Todd & Robinson, he taking charge of the Springfield office. Col. F«l- 



752 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

lows was married November 18th, 1859, to Miss Vidie, daughter of Maj. E. J. McElhaney. 
She died at Springfield, October 10th, 1869, leaving three daughters — Enima, Clara, and 
Adah. He was again married August 18th, 1872, to Miss Minnie L. Boyden, daughter of 
Capt. Ezekiel Boyden, of Peoria, Illinois. During the civil war. Col. Fellows was engaged 
in the mercantile business at Rolla, Phelps county, but left there in 1864, to engage in the 
wholesale grocery business in St. Louis. He was associated with several different firms in 
St. Louis till the spring of 1867, when he moved to Arlington, then the Southwest Pacific R. 
R. terminus, where he was interested in business. When the road was completed to Spring- 
field he moved to that point, engaging in merchandising and erecting an elevator, which was 
burned in 1872. In December of that year he became superintendent of the Springfield 
wagon factory. Two years later he and his brother bought out the concern, assuming all 
liabilities. They are still conducting the factory, and the reputation of the " Springfield 
wagon" is well and most favorably known throughout the Southwest. In 1865 Col. Fel- 
lows was a director of the Missouri Loan Bank, and also of the Occidental Insurance Com- 
pany. He was Lieut. Colonel of the 63d Missouri Militia, called into active service on 
Price's raid into this State. In 1861 he was appointed register of lands by President Lin- 
coln. He was elected mayor of Springfield in 1877, and re-elected by an increased majority 
in 1878. Few men have more of genuine public spirit than Col. Fellows, oi; are more ready 
to further public improvements by purse and personal action. He took a leading part in the 
construction of the Springfield street railway, and when the water-works question was 
agitated, he lead out in that enterprise, and paid for the carriages, out of his own pocket, to 
bring voters to the polls the day the question was carried in favor of the Perkins proposition 
to supply the city with water. In politics Col. Fellows is an independent Republican. He 
is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Brotherhood of Druids, and Knights of 
Honor. He is liberal in his religious opinions, and willing that all men should do their own 

thinking. 

JOHN R. FERGUSON. 

Mr. Ferguson is the son of John S. and Elizabeth (Allison) Ferguson and was born 
February 10, 1842, in Pike county, Missouri. He received his education at the country 
schools of his neighborhood and worked upon his father's farm until he was seventeen years 
of age, when he took a clerkship in the patent medicine house of Coyle & Potter, in St. 
Louis, in 1860. He remained with the firm until the war began in 1861. He returned home 
and enlisted in the Federal service under Colonel T. J. C. Fagg for six months. He was 
mustered out and then re-enlisted in the Third, afterwards the Tenth M. S. M., for three 
years' service. He enlisted as a private, but was after a short time promoted to 2d sergeant. 
Upon the 14th of April, 1865, he was mustered out at Macon City, Missouri. He was then 
appointed by Governor Fletcher to a clerkship in the office of Paymaster General "William 
J. Dougherty, of Gov. Fletcher's staff. He served in that capacity for two years, and then 
went to Ironton, Missouri, and engaged in the drug business with Dr. J. R. McCormack, 
who subsequently represented that district for two terms in Congress. Mr. Ferguson mar- 
ried in Jefferson City, Missouri May 8, 1867, Miss Virginia C, daughter of Hon. Jared E. 
and Sarah Roberta (Mask) Smith. Mr. Smith was at that time state register of lands. 
They have been blest with eight children, four boys and four girls. The oldest, a girl, died 
in infancy. Mr. Ferguson followed the drug business until 1868, when he was appointed 
docket clerk of the State Senate by Hon. G. A. Moser, secretary of that body. In the 
spring of 1869, he and his father-in-law, Hon. Jared E. Smith came to Springfield and 
bought out the drug store of W. G. Gray & Co., and carried on the business until 1876, 
when he sold his interest to W. A. Hall, and engaged in farming and stock rearing. This 
proved unprofitable, and in the fall of 1878 he was elected upon the Republican ticket to the 
office of circuit court clerk. He was renominated in 1882, and re-elected. He has been a 
member of the city council once, and city treasurer two terms. He is a member of the 
Knights Templar, and Royal Arch Chapter, and of the A. O. U. W. Himself and wife are 
members of the Christain church. His father was a Virginian and his mother a native of 
Franklin county, Kentucky. They were among the early settlers of Pike county, Missouri. 




c4 M ^ 



7 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 753 

COL. HEZEKIAH FLETCHER. 

Col. Fletcher is the son of Abraham and Margaret (Crocker) Fletcher, and was born June 
16th, 1818, in Washington county, Maine. He was educated at Washington academy, and 
graduated from the Worcester medical college of Massachusetts in 1848. He practiced at 
Grafton, Mass., for two years, and then went to St. Anthony's Falls, now Minneapolis, Min- 
nesota, and continued the practice there two years. He then sold goods there many years, 
and was one of the largest merchants of the place. During the last four years of his resi- 
dence there, he was receiver of public moneys in the land ofSce, having been appointed by 
President Lincoln. As receiver of public moneys, hundreds of thousands of dollars passed 
through his hands, all of which was scrupulously and accurately accounted for by Col. 
Fletcher. When a final settlement on his accounts was had at Washington Cit}% there was 
one cent placed to his credit, which still stands on the books, the Colonel keeping it there 
with the gratified consciousness that "Uncle Sam" is in his debt. He was also prominent 
in assisting the Governor in equipping several regiments for the war. He came to Spring- 
field, Mo., in March, 1867, and engaged in the mercantile business for about eight years, and 
is now in the real estate and insurance business. Col. Fletcher was married to Miss Pris- 
cilla S. Sanborn. Their union has been blest with five children, two sons and three daugh- 
ters. Three are now living, one son and two daughters. His wife died in 1858, and in 1862, 
he was married the second time, to Miss Laura Woodbridge, of Lincoln county, Maine. 
One daughter was born to this marriage. Col. Fletcher's father died in 1856 and his mother 
in 1859, at Minneapolis. They had twelve children, nine boys and three girls. 

JOHN L. GARDNER. 
Mr. Gardner is the son of John and Letty (Woods) Gardner, and was born in Barren 
county, Kentuckj-, May 27, 1815. When he was quite a small boy his parents moved to 
Carroll county, Tennessee. Shortly after, thej^ came to Greene county, Missouri, and en. 
tered the hand where the 'Frisco depot now stands. They lived there two years, and then 
moved to Springfield, where John L. learned the trade of a wagon and carriage maker, and 
has followed it ever since. During the war he remained in Springfield, and helped to bury 
the dead at the battle of Wilson's Creek. Mr. Gardner was married to Miss Matilda E. 
Parker, of Kentucky. Their union was blessed with four sons and three daughters. His first 
wife dying, he was married, the second time, to Miss Freeman, by whom he had three sons 
and two daughters, all living. Mr. Gardner's father was a native of North Carolina. He 
moved from his native State to Kentucky, from there to Tennessee, thence to Dallas county, 
Missouri, and finally to Greene county. 

WILLIAM C. GARDNER. 

Mr. Gardner is the son of J. L., and Matilda (Parker) Gardner, and was born in Polk 
county, Mo.. November 11, 1849, and came to Springfield when but a small boy. He was ed- 
ucated in Springfield, at private schools. He is one of seven children, four boys and three 
girls. His twin brother, James A., died September 23d, 1882. They had been proprietors 
of the " Twin Brothers' " saloon for five years. William now conducts the business him- 
self. 

JUDGE WASHINGTON F GEIGER. 

This gentleman, the present judge of the twenty-first judicial district of Missouri, was 
born in Columbiana county, Ohio, in June, 1836. 

His family ancestors on the paternal side came from Germany, and settled in Pennsylva- 
nia at an early date. His grandfather served in the Revolutionary war, and his father, 
Henry Geiger, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was afterward a thrifty farmer — living 
in his native State until 1834, when he removed to the State of Ohio, where he died in 1860. 
He was married in 1816, to Julian Ruebush, whose family were natives of Virginia. 

Washington F. Geiger received an English and classical education in Urbana, Ohio. He 
began the study of law in 1853, teaching school at the same time. He afterward continued 

48' 



754 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

his studies in the law ofBce of his brother, in Urbana — was admitted to the bar in 1858, in 
Springfield, Ohio — practiced in Urbana one year, and removed to Steelville, Crawford 
county, Missouri, in 1859, where he practiced his profession until th« outbreak of the civil 
war 

He then organized a companj' of infantr}', which with others was organized into the Phelps 
Regiment, United States volunteers. Of this regiment he was commissioned major, and on 
the second day of that hard fought battle of Pea Ridge, was in command of the regiment. 
Col. Phelps being in command of the brigade. In this engagement the Phelps regiment 
suiFered terribl}', more than one-half of the oflBcers and enlisted men being either killed or 
wounded, Major Geiger having his horse killed under him by a cannon shot. In 1862, he or- 
ganized at Springfield, the 8th Missouri Cavalry, United States volunteers, pf which he. was 
commissioned colonel, in June of that year. After the first six months he was put in com- 
mand of the second brigade of the Army of the Frontier, and subsequently, for four months 
commanded the 3d division of the 7th army corps. Thence to the close of the war he com- 
manded the 2d brigade, cavalry division, 7th army corps. 

Col. Geiger participated in the battles of Prairie Grove, Clarendon, Brownsville, Little 
Rock, Bayou Metre, Prairie Long, also a number of minor actions and skirmishes. He re- 
tired from the army at the close of the war, having given four years of honorable service to 
his countr3% and leaving behind him a record without a stain. In September, 1865, he was 
married to Henrietta C, daughter of Almaren Bodge, Esq., of Portland, Maine, and located 
in Springfield, and at once resumed the practice of his profession. In 1868 he was elected 
circuit attorney of the 14th judicial circuit. In 1869 he was elected judge of the 21st judi- 
cial circuit, which was formed from parts of the 13th and 14th circuits. At the expiration 
of his first term, in 1874, he was re-elected, and again in 1880, at present serving his third 
term, he being the only judge who has presided over the courts of the 21st judicial circuit. 
As a practitioner Judge Geiger was regarded as a safe counsellor, and skilful in the man- 
agement of his causes. Upon the bench — added to his legal attainments, his manner of con- 
ducting proceedings, dispensing even-handed justice without fear or favor, has won for him 
the esteem and confidence of the entire bar in this circuit. Politically he is a Republican. 

THOMAS J. GIDEON. 

Mr. Gideon is the son of William C, and Malinda (Byrd) Gideon, and was born in 
Greene county, near Ozark, Mo., January, 28, 1845. He was educated at private schools at 
Springfield. In 1861 he was in Capt. Jesse Gallaway's company of Home Guards for about 
two months, and upon the 7th of March, 1862, enlisted in company F, 14th Missouri cav- 
.alry. He was wounded January 8, 1863, in the Marmaduke attack upon Springfield, and dis- 
charged March 7, 1863. In November, 1866, he was elected county and circuit clerk of 
Christian county, and served two terms. He studied law in the office of his brother, Hon. 
James J. Gideon, at Ozark, and was admitted to the bar by Judge Geiger, in 1877. In the 
fall of 1880 he removed to Springfield, Mo., where he enjoys a good practice. Mr. Gideon 
was married to Miss L. F. Williams, of Ozark, Mo. They have been blest with three sons 
and two daughters. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and A. F. and A. M. His father 
was a native of North Carolina, but was taken to Hawkins count}', Tennessee, when a 
child. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1836, and settled near Ozark. In the late 
war he enlisted in company F, 14th Mo. Cavalry, and then in company I, 8th Mo. State 
militia. He was killed December 17, 1863, near Highhmdville, Christian county, by bush- 
whackers. He was out recruiting fur Rabb's battery. His wife is still living upon the farm 
in Christian county. They had seven sons and one daughter. 

JOSEPH GOTT. 

Mr. Gott is the son of John S. and Grace (Stubbins) Gott, and was born in Shelby couiity 
Kentucky, August 24, 1812. His father died when he was about ten years old, and he stayed 
upon the farm until he was twenty years of age. In 1832 he went to Bowling Green, Ky.» 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 755 

and learned the carpenter's trade. He was married upon the 13th of October, 1833, to Miss 
Nancy C, daughter of John McKee, of Rutherford county, Tennessee. Their union was 
blest with four children, three girls and one boy. The first born died in infancy, and those 
living are Margaret M., Sarah J., and Benjamin J. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Gott moved 
to Warren county, Kentucky, and farmed until 1842, and then emigrated to the Red river 
country, Arkansas, and located in Pike county, for a short time, and then moved to Hemp- 
stead county. In October, 1845, tkey came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled in 
Springfield, in a log house where the Southern Hotel now stands. Mr. Gott then worked at 
his trade for about eight years, and helped to build some of the first good houses in the city 
He and his son own the farm upon which are the famous Pacific springs, three miles north 
of Springfield. He was constable of Campbell township in 1856, and in the fall of 1862 he 
was employed by the government as general forage master. In 1867 he was city asgessor, 
which position he filled with credit to himself, and his books were always reliable. He 
and his wife are members of the Methodist church, and he is a Mason of the best stand- 
ing. His father died in 1822, and his mother 1846. They had seven children, five sons 
and two daughters, only three of whom are now living, viz. : Rowland S., John S., and 
our subject, Joseph. 

CONRAD GOTTFRIED. 

Mr. Gottfried is the son of Sebastian and Catherine (Dillon) Gottfried, and was born 
December 2d, 1826, in Prussia, Germany. At the age of thirteen he commenced to learn 
the cabinet-makers' trade, and, at the age of twenty-one, he emigrared to America, landing 
at New York November 13th, 1847. He lived there about twelve years, and then went to 
Columbus, Indiana, where he remained only one year. Inl859, he came to Springfield, 
Missouri, where he has since resided. He worked at his trade for a year and a half and then 
embarked in business for himself, opening a furniture store on Boonville street, where he 
kept for about eighteen years. He then moved to his present location on St. Louis Street, 
where he carries a magnificent stock of furniture. He was married August 24th, 1851, to 
Miss ;Eva E. Shelhurst, of New York city. They were blessed with eight children, all of 
whom are living, viz. : Annie, Charles, book-keeper and salesman for his father ; Fernando, 
upholsterer of St. Louis; William, clerks for his father; Henry, book-keeper in 
St. Louig; Eliza, Albert and Emma. During the war, Mr. Gottfried was a 
member of the Heme Guards, and a member of Phelps' regiment, and participated in the 
battle of Pea Ridge. His fatlier died in 1828, and his mother in 1838. They had four 
children, three girls and our subject, Conrad. 

DANIEL GRAY. 

Mr. Gray is the son of Robert and Mary Gray, and was born April 18th, 1806, in Christian 
county, Kentucky. He was educated in the common schools of his county, and at the age 
of twenty-one, went to Logan county, Kentucky, and worked at the carpenter's trade until 
the fall of 1831, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled one mile south of 
the James river. From there he went to Finley creek and lived six years, and then returned 
to James river, where he, in partnership with his brother-in-law, R. M. Langston, ran a saw 
mill for a year, sawing the lumber with which the first court-house of the county was built^ 
He was the second assessor of the county, viz. : in 1835 and 1836. He moved to Cedar county, 
Missouri, in 18o9, and came back to Greene in 1847. He next crossed the great plains to 
California, and returned in 1851. Mr. Gray was married June 4th, 1829, to Miss Elizabeth 
Gallion, by whom he had four boys and one girl. His first wife died April 2d, 1848, and is 
buried on the old Langston farm. He married October 13rd, 1853, Eliz:i'ioth Crumpley, 
and they were blessed with four boys and one girl. Mr. Gray is the tenth child of a family 
of twelve children, and the only one living. He is remarkably well preserved, enjoying 
good health and a fine memory. 



756 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

G. WILSON HACKNEY. 

Mr. Hackney is the son of Wilson and Mary (Kimbrough) Hackney, and was born in 
Springfield, Mo., in the house where he now lives upon West Walnut street, May 29, 1855. 
He was educated here, and learned the tinner's trade, following it about seven years. In 
Septemper, 1881, he formed a partnership with Ernest Speaker. The firm of Hackney «& 
Speaker is the third largest stove and tinware house in the city. Their store is on Boonville 
street, and is a 70x20 two-story building, besides a warehouse 1(5x25. They employ three 
tinners, one salesman and one porter. They have been very very successful in business, 
and are one of Springfield's substantial business firms. Mr. Hackney married Miss Ora 
Goffe, of this city, January 22, 1880. Their union has been blest with two children. Mrs. 
Hackney is a member of the Baptist church. Wilson Hackney, sr. came to Springfield 
from Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1840, and was the only hat-maker ever in Springfield. 
He died April 12, 1863, and his widow is yet living. 

WILLIAM A. HALL. 

Mr. Hall is the son of John and Elizabeth Hall, and was born in Tennessee, in November, 
1834. His parents were Pennsylvanians by nativity, and emigrated to Tennessee in 1828, 
where they lived ten years, thence removing to St. Louis, where the husband and father 
died in 1862. In 1848, the mother, wjth her youngest child, was lost in a steamboat disaster 
on the Alabama river. William acquired a common school education in St. Louis, and 
resided, after his mother's death, with his married sister — Emily Jane — wife of Mr. Mor- 
decai Oliver, then a resident of Richmond, Ray county, Missouri. While living in Rich- 
mond, he attended the academy presided over by A. C. Redman. He opened a drug store 
in Liberty, Mo., in 1856, in which business he continued fourteen years, then accepting the 
position of cashier of the Commercial Savings Bank of Liberty. In 1872, he went to 
Mexico, Missouri, and engaged one year in the drug business, going thence to Springfield, 
where he and John R. Ferguson opened a drug store. In March, 1876, he bought his part- 
ner's interest and has continued to build up an extensive wholesale and retail trade. In 1876 
he was elected mayor of Springfield, Mr. Hall is a prominent Mason, and has served as W. 
M. of United Lodge No. 5, and also as eminent commander, of St. John's Commandery No. 20, 
Knights Templar. Politically he is a Democrat, having cast his first vote in the interests of 
that party, to which he has ever since adhered. In 1856 he married Florence, daughter of 
Samuel Ringo, of Liberty, Missouri. Six children — four sons and two daughters — have 
been born to them, named : William, Samuel, Richard, Oliver L., Lizzie, and Florence. 
Both Mr. Hall and wife have been active members of the Christian church for a quarter of a 
centurv. Personally, Mr. Hall is a gentleman of commanding presence, and his genial, 
social qualities and strict business rectitude, render him popular as a man and a citizen. 

HENRY R. HALL. 

Mr. Hall is the son of Dr. James H. and Mary (McCready) Hall, and was born in St. 
Louis county, Missouri. He was educated in St. Louis county and at Belleview college. 
He attended the law school at St. Louis, and was admitted to the bar February 28th, 
1882, at Hillsboro, Jefferson county, Missouri. He came to Springfield, Missouri, 
in September, 1882. He was married in January, 1882, to Miss Carrie Kerr, of St. 
Louis. They are both members of the Methodist church. Though young, Mr. Hall gives 
promise of becoming an able lawyer, and, to that end, has cast his lot among the good peo- 
ple of Greene. 

FRANK E. HEADLEY. 

Mr. Headley is the son of Aaron C. and Hannah (Eberly) Headley, and was born at 
Groveport, Franklin county, Ohio, September 5th, 1852. He was educated at the public 
school of Columbus, Ohio. He came with his parents to Springfield, Missouri, in October, 
1870, and he and hrs brothers were in the game and produce business for six months. June, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 757 

1871, found them penniless, and Frank then accepted a clerkship in the 2:rocery house of N. 
Kelley at a salary of twenty dollars per month. He worked there about three years and 
six months, and then clerked for Sutter & Townsend for six months. He then bought out 
Mr. Townsend's interest, and the firm became Sutter & Headley for four years. Then Oscar 
bought out Sutter, and the firm became Headley Bros. The firm of Headly Bros, is now 
composed of Frank E. and Oscar M. They have a house 106x23 feet, two-story and a base- 
menl,and employ some seven men. They do a wholesale and retail grocery business, and they 
do the largest retail business in the Southwest. In 1879, Frank was elected upon the Demo- 
cratic ticket to the city council from the second ward, and again in 1882. His father and 
mother are both living in Springfield. They had five children, four sons and one daughter; 
the little girl died at the age of two years. The young men have had fine success, and de- 
serve to rank as highly as any merchants in the country. 

HENRY M. HECKART. 

Mr. Heckart is the son of John and Nancy (Pool) Heckart, and was born at Hannibal, 
Missouri, February 28th, 1855. In 1863, his parents moved to Marshfield, Missouri, where 
Henry was in the jewelry business for five years. He came to Springfield .June 3d, 1879, and 
now has one of the leading jewelry houses in the city. He was married December 26th, 
1878, to Miss Belle Jarrette, of Marionville, Missouri. They have one child, Bessie. Mr. 
Heckart's father was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but came west, settling first in 
Iowa, then at Hannibal, then at Marshfield. He died July 2d, 1882. His widow is living 
in Springfield. Their union was blest with four sons and four daughters, all of whom are 
living. Henry M. is a member of the K. of H., and he and wife are members of Grace 
M. E. church. He is one of the substantial business men of the city. 

CHARLES HENRY HEER. 

Is the son of Gerhard W., and Mary E. (Klecker) Heer, and was born in the parish ot 
Ostercappeln, province of Osnabruck, Hanover, upon the 30th of April, 1820. His father 
died in January, 1820, and Mr. Heer is consequently a posthumous child. He was educated 
in Germany at the common schools, and in company with his mother and step-father, Lew- 
is Schneider, emigrated to America; landed at Baltimore, December, 1835. From there 
they went to Wheeling, "West Virginia, and stayed a short time, and then went to St. Louis, 
Mo., in January, 1836. He soon found employment in the wholesale china and glassware 
house of R. D. Watson, where he remained six or seven years. In October, 1842, he, in 
partership with an old schoolmate, Rudolph Hiltkamp, started a general grocery store, but 
sold out in 1843, and with Bernard L. Meyer, went into business on the corner of Eighth and 
Franklin streets. His health failing in 1844, he bought a farm in Monroe county, Illinois, 
where he lived two years, when he returned to St. Louis and remained there until 1847, when 
he again went to Illinois and opened a general store at Waterloo, and continued to sell goods 
until the war, when he again moved upon the farm. In March, 1868, he came to Spring- 
field, Missouri, and purchased the lot where his fine store now stands, upon Boonville street. 
The building was completed in 1869, and in 1871 the firm of Heer, Farmer & Co., was or- 
ganized. In 1874 C. H. Heer bought out his partners, and the firm changed to C. H. Heer & 
Co., C. H., jr., being the other member of the firm. They have one of the largest wholesale and 
retail dry goods and boot and shoe houses in Southwest Missouri, having two traveling sales- 
men and about fifteen clerks in the store. C. H. Heer is manager of the wholesale depart- 
ment, and W. C. Hornbeak, of the retail department. Mr. Heer was married January 6, 
1846, to Miss E. Beneneman, of St. Charles county, Missouri. They had seven children, four 
boys and three girls, viz. : C. H., Henry L. (died April, 1882), Mary E. (widow of Wil- 
liam Crodus), Agnes (a sister of the Sacred Heart, St. Louis), Lewis H. (died April 
30, 1863, at Waterloo, 111.), and Celia Ann. Mrs. Heer died December 25, 1881, and is 
buried in the Catholic cemetery at Springfield. She was a member of the Catholic church 



758 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

for twenty-four years, tiiid nil the family are of the same faith and belong to that church. Mr. 
Heer was chairman of the financial committee in the city council in 1875, and has been urged 
to run for mayor, but declined. 

FRANCES S. HEFFERNAN. 
Mr. Heffernan is the son of Stephen S. and Margaret (O'Day) Heffernan, and was born 
in Walworth county, Territory of Wisconsin, March 13th, 1846. He was educated at the 
country schools of his native county, and at Hamilton University, at Red Wing, Minnesota. 
He afterwards took a course of study at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College at Milwau- 
kee. He came to Springtield, Missouri, in October, 1867, and finished the study of law in 
the office of Julian & O'Daj'. He was admitted to the bar August 9th, 1868. He was solic- 
ited to run for Congress in 1882, and received the votes of several counties, but was defeated 
in the convention by Robert Fyan. Mr. Heifernan was married April 29th, 1872, at Spring- 
field, to Miss Alice Chambers, a native of Augusta, Greorgia. Their union has been blest 
with three children, viz. : Talma, John F., and Marie. Mr. and Mrs. HeflTernan are mem- 
bers of the Catholic church. His father was from Limerick, Ireland, and came to the 
United States in 1832, and located in Vermont. In 1839 he went to Chicago, Illinois, and 
was one of the first settlers of that now great city. He is now living in Springfield, Mis- 
souri. His wife was from county Clare, Ireland, and died at Springfield, January 18th, 1871. 
They had fourteen children, of whom nine are now living. 

DAN. H. HERMAN and BROTHER. 

These enterprising gentlemen, who are the leading spirits in the Herman clothing and 
tailoring house of Springfield, are both sons of Henry and Hannah Herman, and were born 
in the State of New York. D. H. Herman, the senior member and general manager, is a 
native of the city of Syracuse, born .June 2d, 1857, and received his education partly in his 
birth-place and partly in Rochester, of the same State. He came to Springfield in 1880, and 
went into the clothing business, as D. H. Herman's one price clothing house. The firm 
name was changed, however, as above, when they opened the other establishment on the 
southeast corner of the public square and South street. Both houses are under the same 
general management, but the one on Boonville street is under the especial direction of Mr. 
Charles Herman.^ The south-side house has three floors, devoted to the respective depart- 
ments of clothing and furnishing goods on the first floor, cutting and piece goods department 
on second floor, and manufacturing department on the third floor. The entire building is 
elegantly and attractively fitted up, with all the novelties in the way of modern conveniences 
for the display and sale of goods. As a tailoring establishment, this house is doing an immense 
business, and the solicitors for orders of elegant suits made by this house have done business far 
and near, and even taken and filled orders for five suits in the city of St. Louis itself. They work 
a large force of operatives in the way of clerks, book-keepers, cash-boys, tailors and janitors, 
and no establishment anywhere can boast of a more attentive and respectful corps of sales- 
men than this one. It may be said in justice to Mr. Dan Herman, that he was the first to in- 
troduce and establish the one-price system in the Southwest. They had their grand opening 
in March, 1883, of the newer and larger branch of the concern, and hundreds of people visited 
the building, delighted by the display and by the elegant music for which Mr. Herman 
had provided, with a cornet band outside and an orchestra of skilled musicians inside the 
house. Springfield may well congratulate herself on the acquisition of these live young 
gentlemen to the ranks of her already wide-awake business men. Young, energetic, liberal 
advertisers and pushing, their success on a grand scale is already assured. 

DR. H. LOT HIGGINS. 

Dr. Higgins is the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Balthis) Higgins, and was born in "Vir- 
ginia in 1830. He received an academic course in education, and received his medical edu- 



1 The Boonville street branch house was suspended in the spring of 1883, that Charles 
^ erman might become manager of a larger branch house in Lamar. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 759 

cation at Winchester College and at the university at Baltimore, where he graduated in the 
spring of 1853. In the spring of 1854, he went to Wardensville, West Virginia, where he 
practiced his profession until 1872. In the spring of 1874, he came to Missouri, and lived 
four 3'ears at Graysonville, Clinton county. He then went to Iowa, and, in October, 1882, 
he came to Springfield, Missouri. In June, 1861, he joined the 14th Virginia regiment as 
surgeon, and so remained until the close of the war. He was married October 12th, 1858, 
to Miss Martha O. ShuU. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Dr. 
Higgins' father was a minister of the church of the United Brethren. He died when the 
doctor was a small bo}'. His mother died before the civil war. Of a family of six children 

the doctor was the third child. 

LEE HOLLAND. . 

Mr. Holland is the son of John L. and Martha (Wade) Holland, and was born in Spring- 
field, Missouri, January 6th, 1849. His parents were natives of Robertson county, Tennessee. 
Educational facilities being poor in Missouri during the civil war, Lee was sent to McKen- 
dree College and the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor, to be educated. He grad- 
uated in a commercial course at the Christian Brothers' College at St. Louis, and then 
returned to Springfield, where he engaged in the mercantile business for about three 
years. He then accepted a position in the First National Bank as book-keeper, and after- 
ward as teller. In 1879, he was elected vice-president of the bank, which office he now holds* 
He was married November 15th, 1873, to Miss Alice, daughter of Dr. E. F. and Elizabeth 
(Sproul) Robberson. This union has been blessed with two children, viz. : Ralph and 
James. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church South. Mr. Holland is one of 
the safe, substantial business men of Springfield, and is an upright, honorable gentleman. 

WILLIAM C. HORNBEAK. 

Mr. Hornbeak is the son of James T. and Sallie (.lohnson) Hornbeak, and was born 
January 18th, 1835, in Warren county, Tennessee. His parents emigrated to Missouri in 
December, 1840, and stopped at Springfield for a short time, and then moved seven miles 
south of town, to where the bridge crosses the James River. There was quite a little town 
there, consisting of a saw and grist mill, carding machine and distiller}^ and Mr. Hornbeak 
was interested in all them. They lived here two years, and then removed to a farm, where 
William C. grew to manhood. He then came to Springfield and clerked in the dry goods 
house of S. S. and R. A. Vinton from 1856 until 1861, and also being a partner in the firm 
for some time. When the war began, he joined Phelps' regiment as adjutant; then he 
went to St. Louis and was mustered out, and took a position in the quartermaster's depart- 
ment. In January, 1862, he was appointed by Gov, Gamble as one of the bank commis- 
sioners with A. J. Edwards, of St. Louis, now one of the assistant treasurers of the Unitad 
States. At the close of Gamble's administration, he went to Davenport, Iowa, where he 
sold goods until 1855, when he returned to Springfield and formed a partnership with W. H. 
Graves in the general merchandising business. In 1871, John B. Oliver bought out Graves, 
and the firm became Hornbeak & Oliver, and continued so until 1874, when he went in 
■with C. H. Heer & Co., where he now is, in charge of the retail department. Mr. Hornbeak 
has been a member of the city council, is connected with the public school now, and has 
been for nine years. He was one of the organizers of the national bank here, was one of 
the directors and vice president, and has been connected with various railroad enterprises of 
the Southwest. He is a prominent member of the Royal Arch Chapter, and was secretary 
of the lodge for some time. He was married June 14th, 1860, to Miss Georgia E„ daughter 
of Hon. Mordecia Oliver, ex-member of Congress, and ex-secretary of State under Gov. 
Gamble. They had six children, five boys and one girl, Mrs. Hornbeak died in May, 1875, 
and Mr. Hornbeak was married again, to Miss T. E. R. Paul, on December 27th, 1877. They 
have two children, a boy and girl. Mr. Hornbeak has been an elder in the Christian church 
for twenty-four years. His mother died in 1857, and his father in 1864. They had eleven 
children, four boys and seven girls. John, the oldest son, represented Christian county, 
Missouri, twice in the Legislature. 



760 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

DK. E. HOVEY. 

Dr. Hovey was born in Trenton, Oneida, county. New York, September 23, 1816. He 
is the son of Eleazer and Sibyl (Coburn) Hovey. They moved to Indiana in 1820, where 
his father died. In 1826 his mother moved to the northeastern portion of Ohio. Dr. Hovey 
received his education at the common schools, but acquired most of it by his own exertions. 
He came to Texas county, Missouri, in 1840, and worked at the millwrights' trade for ten 
years. It was here that he studied dentistry, and afterwards studied medicine, and practiced 
both in conjunction at Buffalo, Dallas county, Missouri. He soon abandoned medicine and 
made dentistry a specialty. He belongs to the Missouri State Dental Association, having 
joined in 18G5. The doctor is well posted in his profession, and was at one time offered a 
chair in one of the St. Louis dental colleges. He went back to Ohio and remained a few 
months in 1850, but soon returned to Missouri, and entered into partnership with his old 
preceptor, at Buffalo, Dallas county. He practiced until the war commenced, and was 
elected a lieutenant colonel, of a regiment of Home Guards raised in Dallas county. 
He came to Springfield in 1862, and his family followed in 1868. He practiced his profes- 
sion here until the war closed, then, on account of failing health, he sold out to his partner 
and returned to his home in Dallas count}-, Missouri. He lived there for fourteen years, and 
came back to Springfield in 1880. He married the first time in 18o6 in Ohio to Miss Eve- 
lina Abell. This marriage was blest with two children, Mrs. Julia A. Colbj^ and Mrs. Ellen 
Lewey, both of Marshfield. His first wife died on a steamboat at Louisville on their way 
back to Ohio and is buried at that city. In 1848 he married again to Miss Caroline E. 
Penniman of Ohio. By her he had three children, viz. : Eva Celestia, Komeo Hamlet and 
Charles Eugene, now postmaster at Buffalo, Dallas county, Missouri. Dr. Hovey was soli- 
cited to run for State senator, but prefers*private life. He is of Scotch descent upon his 
mother's side, and German upon his father's. 

HUMPHREY E. HOWELL. 

This gentleman was born in Wales, about forty miles from Liverpool^' on the 23d of 
October, 1839. He came to Newark, Ohio, when he was about five years of age. He was 
reared upon the farm, and received his education at Dennison University, Ohio, Columbus, 
Ohio, in a commercial school, and at Dartmouth college, where he graduated in 1868. He 
then attended the law department of the Michigan Universitj^ at Ann Arbor, and graduated 
from that celebrated university in the spring of 186(J, and came to Springfield, Missouri, to 
practice his profession. He was nominated without his knowledge or consent for city attor- 
ney of Springfield, and was elected b}' a handsome majority. He was in office when the 
Gulf railroad entered the corporate limits, and acted in the city's behalf during negotations 
between the road and the city. He married September 2d, 1864, Miss Sarah Reese, also a 
native of Wales. This union has been blest with four children, viz. : Maynard D., Mellila, 
Mary and Una, all of whom are now living. Himself and wife are members of the Calvary 
Presbyterian church. 

Mr. Howell is a gentlemen of integrit}', and one in whom all place great confidence as an 
honest man and a gentleman. 

HON. WALTER D. HUBBARD. 

The subject of this sketch is a son of John H. and Sarah A. Hubbard, and was born in 
Madison county, Kentucky, October 3d, 1840, and is of Welsh-English stock. He received 
a good English education in Clay and Clinton counties, this State, his father having moved 
to Missouri in 1845, and settled in Clinton county in 1849. He developed great mathematical 
talent, and before he was fifteen year* old, had mastered arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. 
He began reading law in 1859, continuing his legal studies while teaching school in the years 
of 1860-61. In the latter year he was principal of the public school at Plattsburg, Missouri, 
but gave up the school to enlist for national defence in Captain Edgar's company of mititia. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 761 

He served in that company till 1862, when he re-enlisted for three years in the 6th regiment 
of cavalry militia. To attempt anything like a full outline of the many valuable services of 
Mr. Hubbard to his country during that long and bloody struggle for national existence, 
would far excel the space that this volume can assign for personal mention; suffice it to say 
that he was promoted through various gradations from private, as he first enlisted, to 
adjutant of his regiment and captain of a company, and was several times commended from 
high official sources for "gallant conduct in battle." He mustered out his own company in 
May, 1866, and was retained to muster out the volunteers then serving on the plains, which 
duty finished, he was ordered to Springfield, Missouri, where he was finally and honorably 
discharged, and was "breveted" by President Johnson, lieutenant colonel of volunteers. 
After quitting military life he entered the law and claim office of Col. John M. Kichardson, 
and in 1870 was duly enrolled as an attorney and counsellor at law in the circuit court of 
Greene county, and has actively practiced his profession ever since. In 1875-76 he was U. 
S. circuit court commissioner, and was a member of the common council of Springfield in 
1839-70. He was elected county attorney in the fall of 1876, on the Kepublican ticket, that 
having been his political bent at all times. June 28th, 1866, he was married to Miss Emily 
F., youngest daughter of Maj. Gen. Joseph Powell, deceased. Scarcely yet in the prime of 
life, full of vigor, an efficient organizer, devoted to his profession and to his party, there re- 
mains for Mr. Hubbard a long period, the most useful part of human life, in which to labor 
for the benefit of self, home, and country. 

JOHN P. HUBBLE. 

This young gentleman is the son of Martin J., and Mary J. (Powell) Hubble, and was born 
on Market street, Springfield, Mo., April 3d, 1860. He was educated in the common schools ■ 
and at Drury College, in this county, and in the fal?'of 1877 he went to St. Louis, and at- 
tended Washington University three years, one year in the law department. From 1831 to 
1883 he was State adjuster for the insurance department. He was admitted to the bar by 
Judge Fyan, in March, 1882. He has a good practice for a young man, and " is of such stuff 

as men are made." 

BENJAMIN F. HUNTINGTON. 

This gentleman is the son of Ambrose, and Parmelia (Keeler) Huntington, and was born 
August 2d, 1843, at Mexico, Oswego county. New York. At the age of fourteen he was 
bound out to his uncle and learned the tailor's trade, at Watertown, New York, serving seven 
years. In 1849 he went to California bj way of the Isthmus of Panama. He lived in Cali- 
fornia about fifteen years, following at his trade and mining. In 1866 he came to Springfield? 
Mo., where he has since lived, working at his trade. He has been very successful in building 
up a good business. His shop is on the north side of College street, in the old Presley Beal 
property, one of the landmarks of Springfield. He employs several hands and carries a fine 
line of goods, both imported and American. He was married to Miss Ellen E. McElhany. 
Their union was blest with one daughter, now dead. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
Harmony Lodge No. 71, and his wife is a member of the M. E. church. Mr. Huntington is 
one of the substantial business men of Springfield, and is regarded as an upright, honorable 
citizen. 

SIDNEY N. INGRAM. 

This gentleman is the son of Martin and Annie A. (Howard) Ingram, and was born July 
15, 1832, at Wilson, Tennessee. His parents came to Greene county, Missouri, in December, 
1834, where Sidney received his education, attending school until nearly of age. He taught 
school for several years and in 1857 taught in Collin county, Texas. In 1859 he and A. G. 
McCracken built a mill on the James river and ran it in partnership until Mr. McCracken's 
death in 1878. Mr. Ingram and his sons now run the mill and have fitted it with the latest 
and best improvements and make the best grades of flour. Mr. Ingram enlisted in the Home 
Guards in 1861, and in 1863 and part of 1864 was first lieutenant of a home company 
organized in the neighborhood of the mill. In the fall of 1864 he was in R. J. McElhany 's 
company, 46th Missouri infantry. During the war Mr. Ingram was a Republican, but in 



762 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

1870 joined the Liberal movement and was nominated for circuit clerk. In 1876 he was 
upon the Greenback ticket for county assessor. In 1882 he made the race for presiding jus- 
tice of the county court. He ran ahead of his ticket receiving 1,115 votes. He was married 
Januurj' 19, 1860, to Miss E. Stephens of this county. She died December 10, 1868, leaving 
four sons and one daughter. He was married the second time April 27, 1871, to Miss E. J. 
Pine, also of this country. She died November 23, 1871, and oa the 4th of January, 1874, he 
was again married to Mrs. Hellen Burnham. They have one son Emory H. His sons Her- 
chel and Thomas are graduates of the Springfield public school. 

ARCHIBALD F. INGRAM. 

The subject of this notice is the son of Martin and Annie A. (Howard) Ingram, and was 
born June 30, 1830, in Wilson county, Tennessee. His parents emigrated to Missouri in 
1834, reaching Springfield on the 29th of November. He was educated in the common 
schools of the country, and remained at home with his parents until he was twenty years of 
age when he went to work on the Southern Flag, the second paper ever published in Greene 
county. The publisher was W. P. Davis, and the editor, John M. Richardson, the U. S. 
commissioner at Carthage. He worked in that ofiice until the paper changed hands in 1851, 
when he and W. P. Davis went South. Thej' returned in 1852, and in 1853 they started a 
book store. On the 4th of July, 1853, he was appointed postmaster of Springfield by Presi- 
dent Pierce, and served for fourteen months when he was succeeded by William Jones. In the 
fall of 1855 he went to Greenfield, Dade county, Missouri, and started the American Stand- 
ard, afterward changed to the Greenfield Southwest, which he published until 1859, when he 
returned to Springfield and established a job printing office, the first of the kind in Spring- 
field. He continued the business until the war broke out, and then enlisted in Captain Hol- 
land's company of Home Guards, for three months. In 1862 he started an irregular paper. 
The Springfield Missourian, which he sold in 1863, and in 1864 he bought the Missourian 
again then established the Patriot. In the following October he sold one-half interest of 
the Patnot to William J. Feed. He was appointed county treasurer in 1864, to fill the 
unexpired term of Williarn McAdams and served two years. In 1867 he sold his interest in 
the Patriot to E. R. Shiply, the present postmaster. In 1868 he started the Weekly Gazette, 
and after nine months, sold it to the Patriot. He was then elected county treasurer on the 
Republican ticket. He ran again in 1870, but was defeated by the Liberals. In 1872 he 
ran again and was elected. He was married in Feburary, 1854, to Miss Mary A., daughter 
of Randolph W. and Sarah (Gibson) Moore. They have four children, viz. : Charles R., 
one of the proprietors and publishers of the Daily Exti-a; Frank M., of California; Sallie 
A,, a teacher in the public school, andMollie, also a teacher. 



CHAPTER XXX. 
AFFAIRS IN 1865. 



Peace, Sweet Peace — Election — Wild Bill Kills Tutt — Burning of an Acadamy — Cole- 
raan-Orr Tragedy — Wild Bill Again — Newspapers — Items — Hazeiwood Cemeterv — 
Matters in 1864 — Improvements — R. R. Convention — Miscellaneous — More Items — 
From 1865 to 1866 — Location of R. R. Depot — Biographical Sketches. 

MATTERS IN 1865. 

With the dawn of peace Springfield began to improve very rapidly 
and substantially. The place was well advertised, and many who had 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 763 

seen it during the war began to seek it for a permanent home. In 
August Holcomb & Thompson rebuilt their foundry at the intersec- 
tion of "Jordan" and Campl)ell street; the steam mill was rebuilt 
and started up ; a large brick yard was in operation, and several fine 
brick residences were going up. September 14, M. F. Hudson started 
up his plow factory. About this time there was a large emigration to 
the place. October 1st, there was a revival of interest in the public 
schools, two of which were opened, two more contemplated, and one 
colored school started. 

CITY ELECTION. 

September 13th occurred the first city election in Springfield after 
the war. The election passed off quietly, and the following was the 
vote : 

For Mayor ^ Ben. Kite, 159 ; George C. See, 73. 

For Recorder — J. S. Bicjbee, 121 ; A. Vangreuder, 110. 

For City Attorney — James K. Waddill, 122 ; J. H. Creighton, 102. 

For City Marshal — Charles C. Moss, 107 ; J. B. Hickok (" Wild 
Bill"), 63; James R. Mays, 57 ; Thos O'Neil, 3 ; Gott, 1. 

City Council — First Ward — Jas. Vaughan, 35 ; James Baker, 33 ; 
J. L. French, 30 ; A. F. Bigbee, 9 ; Joseph Morris, 9 ; L. Bigbee, 1. 

Second Ward — R. J. McElhany, 35 ; J. W. D. L. F. Mack, 22 ; 
James Boren, 12. 

Third Ward — John B. Perkins, 41 ; Elisha Painter, 39 ; David 
Smith, 16 ; Bedford, E. Henslee, 14 ; John Caynor, 13 ; A. F. Church, 
11, A. Mitchell, 4 ; R. S. Gott, 1. 

Fourth Ward — A. F. Ingram, 44; F. W. Scholten, 37; Chas. 
Hoenick, 14 ; 

KILLING OF DAVE TUTT BY " WILD BILL." 

For some time after the close of the war Springfield was the resort of 
many hard characters. Adventurers of every sort came in and met the ruf- 
fians of both armies, who, hitely disbanded, were seeking a livelihood by 
any means not involving hard work. Among those who were in the 
town in the summer of 1865 was one J. B. Hickok, who came to be 
known as " Wild Bill," and as such has been made the hero of divers 
improbable adventures set forth in certain flashy, sensational publica- 
tions. 

Hickok had been in the Federal service in Southwest Missouri and 
Northern Arkansas, as a scout for the army of the frontier, and 
in the performance of his duties had grown to be well acquainted with 
danger, and being by nature a ruffian he soon became a desperado — 
a drunken, swaggering fellow, who delighted when " on a spree " to 



764 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

frighten nervous men and timid women, After settling in Springfield 
a favorite diversion of his was to ride his horse on sidewalks and into 
saloons, hotels, stores, and other public places, and make the animal 
lie down and perform other tricks, to the infinite delight, no doubt, of 
the proprietors, none of whom, unfortuately, had grit enough to blow 
the bully's head ofi". 

A man after Wild Bill's own heart was one David Tutt, an ex-Con- 
federate soldier, who had lived at Yellville, Arkansas, and had come, 
with his mother, sister and younger brothers, to Springfield, early in 
the spring. Tutt was a ruffian and a crack pistol shot. He was said 
to have "gotten in his work," not only on Federal soldiers, but on 
citizens who had crossed his path against his protest. Both Tutt and 
Hickok were gamblers, and good ones, although the ex-Confederate 
was the more proficient of the two. The two men were boon com- 
panions for a time ; the one touch of ruffianism made them both akin. 
They walked the streets together, they drank together, they gambled 
together — and in the latter pastime Tutt effectually " cleaned out " 
Bill. 

On the night of the 20th of July the two men played poker in a 
room at the " Lyon House," now the Southern Hotel, on South street. 
Hickok was the loser. First his money went ; then his watch, a fine 
gold hunting-cased " Waltham," with a flashy chain and seal, then 
his diamond (?) pin and ring. He rose from the table completely 
*' strapped," and much irritated and crest-fallen. Everybody knew 
Wild Bill's watch, and after it had been surrendered to Tutt this night. 
Bill asked him at a special favor, not to wear it publicly, or let people 
know that it had changed owners, as he (Bill) felt bad enough already 
and did not want the evidence of his misfortune, of his ill-luck and 
bad playing, flaunted in everybody's face. 

Tutt laughed a mockinjj laugh at Bill's humiliation, and assured 
him that it would give him as much pleasure to wear the watch on the 
streets as it had already given him to win it. "I intend wearing it 
in the morning," he added. Bill replied with an oath, "If you do, 
I'll shoot you, and I warn you not to come across the square with it 
on." The two men parted and retired to their rooms — to put fresh 
caps on their revolvers ! 

The next morning Tutt put on his watch, — and his revolver, too, 
and went down on the square. Going along the west side he entered 
the livery stable on the northwest corner and sat in the door where he 
could command a view of all four sides of the square, and especially 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 765 

of the Lyon House and South street. Very soon afterward Hic- 
kok came out of the hotel and down on the square, at the 
corner of South street. He stood on the west side of the street, 
and stopping one or two passers-by inquired if they had seen 
" Dave Tutt down town this morning?" On being told that Tutt 
was on the square, Bill said, " "Well, it's all right if he hain't got my 
watch on, but if he has there'll be merry hell, you bet your life ! " 
Tutt's younger brother came up, and to him Bill said, " You had bet- 
ter go and tell Dave to take off that watch ; " and when young Tutt 
said he thought his brother had a right to wear what he pleased if it 
belonged to him. Bill answered, ♦' He shan't wear that watch any- 
how." Just then Tutt came out of the livery stable and walked 
south along the square. Bill saw him and exclaimed, " There he 
comes now." The little group about Bill scattered, and he took a 
few steps forward and drew his revolver, a Colt's dragoon, with cap 
and ball. 

Just as Tutt reached the corner of the court-house and Campbell 
street, Bill called out, " Dave, don't you come across here with that 
watch." Tutt, as some say, drew his pistol, and almost instantly 
Bill fired, using one arm as a rest for his revolver. Tutt fell, shot 
nearly through the heart, and died very soon.^ Some deposed that 
Tutt' 8 revolver was out of its scabbard when the body was first ex- 
amined, and that Tutt had fired first. One chamber of the revolver 
was empty, and there were those who swore that they heard two pis. 
tol shots. Bill's shot was a fine one, but it is said by those who 
knew him well that it was a chance shot, for it is averred that when 
here Wild Bill was not considered a crack shot at all, and that his shot 
which killed Tutt at a distance of 75 yards was an accident. 

As soon as he had fired and seen that his shot had taken effect Bill 
handed over his pistols to the sherift', who came up, and informed that 
officer he was his prisoner. A few minutes afterward Bill was 
observed riding leisurely up South street taking the morning air. 
The circuit court- was in session at the time. Bill was promptly in- 
dicted, arrested on a bench warrant, and brought to trial. He was 
vigorously prosecuted by the circuit attorney, Maj. R. W. Fyan, and 
ably defended by Hon. John S. Phelps. Witnesses testified that they 
heard two shots, and that the first came from near where Tutt's body 



' Tutt's body was at first buried in the old cemetery, inside the city limits. In March, 
1883, it was disinterred by Lewis Tutt, a former slave of the Tutt family, and reburied in 
Maple Park cemetery. 



766 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was found. The empty chamber of Tutt's revolver was exhibited, 
and upon the ground of "reasonable doubt" that Hickok was the 
aggressor, the jury acquitted him. There were those, however, who 
asserted that Hickok was cleared because he was an ex-Federal and a 
Radical, and the man he shot was a " rebel," and the jury were all 
men who could take the '* Drake oath." A prominent attorney har- 
angued the crowd from the balcony of the court house, and denounced 
the verdict as against the evidence and all decency, and there were 
threats of lynching Bill, but nothing was done, and he was allowed to 
live until shot by another desperate character, named Jack McCall, at 
Dead wood, D. T.. 

In the spring of this year the old female academy, which stood on 
the corner of State and Campbell streets, across the street to the west 
of the cemetary, was burned down. At the time, and for several months 
previously, the building had been occupied as barracks by the soldiers, 
and was for a longtime used as a military prison. It was so used at 
the beginning of the Marmaduke fight, the prisoners being transferred 
to the jail. It was occupied during the fight by some of Shelby's 
men. The building was set on fire by the negligence of some of the 
soldiers who slept there. 



1866. 

On the 25th of January certain citizens of Springfield made over- 
tures for the purchase of the telegraph line from Springfield to Rolla. 
August 15 the line was purchased by Isaac Hotf, C. C. Dawson, and 
Ingram & Teed, the latter of the Patriot newspaper. The purchas- 
ers assumed a debt of $1,400 that had accumulated against the 
line. 

KILLING OF JAMES COLEMAN BY JOHN ORR. 

On the 25th of January one James Coleman, a young man living in 
the countr}^ was shot and killed in Springfield by a policeman named 
John Orr. The circumstances were that James Coleman, his brother 
Samuel, and another man named Bingham, rode into town that day 
and got on a spree. As they were riding out on South street Bing- 
ham, who was very drunk, began whooping and yelling. A police- 
man arrested him. Sam Coleman followed and seemed to be trying 
to eflfect Bingham's release. James Coleman, who had been left Avith 
the horses, came up, a scuffle ensued, and he was killed. The uoto- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 767 

rious " Wild Bill" (J. B. Hickok,) was an eye witness of the affair, 
and detailed the circumstances under oath as follows : — 

WILD bill's testimony. 

When I got where the fuss was, the police took a man oif a horse. 
After they had got him otf the horse Chas, Moss came and took hold 
of him ; he did not appear to want to come with the police ; kepttalk- 
ing, and when they got opposite Jacob's store he commenced scram- 
bling, and they threw him down the second time ; then they took him 
along to where Ladd keeps grocery, and by that time one of his com- 
rades came up ; those they stopped ; Samuel Coleman commenced 
talking, and the one who was killed had tied the horses at the black- 
smith shop and came up and joined them at Ladd's, or near Ladd's 
grocery ; the two Colemans wanted to stop the police and have a talk 
with the police ; from that they got to jarring worse and worse until 
they commenced shooting; the first I saw of the shooting I saw John 
Orr jerk his pistol and put it up against the man and shot ; did not see 
whether James Coleman had a pistol or not ; his back was to me, and 
Samuel Coleman grabbed a stick and struck, but I do not know 
whether he struck John Orr or Charles Moss, and as soon as the first, 
shooting was done Orr turned and shot Samuel Coleman ; the crowd 
scattered around, and some person, or persons, grabbed the first man 
arrested and ran ofl' down town this way ; we pulled the man up on 
the platform and intended taking him into Ladd's, but he was locked 
up, and he was then carried to tJhe drug store of N. P. Murphy & Co. 
The affray commenced first opposite the Lyons House and closed 
opposite Ladd's grocery, on South street, Springfield, Missouri. 

J. B. Hickok. 

There was much excitement over the killino; of Coleman, and a great 
deal of ill-feeling on the part of the country people toward the Spring- 
field police, who, it was alleged, arrested country people for trivial 
offences, and allowed the town gentry to go unmolested for grave ones. 
The excitement culminated in a public meeting, which was held on the 
Monday following. The meeting was presided over by Capt. See, Col. 
Marcus Boyd, and other prominent citizens. A resolution calling on 
the cit}'^ authorities to discharge the police was unanimously adopted, 
and then the meeting adjourned, the country people being apparently 
satisfied. 

Orr was arrested, but managed to be released on bail. He fled the 
country, and was never afterward brought to trial. It is said that on 
one occasion this same Orr, in Springfield, made Wild Bill '*take 
water," and put up with a gross insult. 



768 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

In May, J. West Goodwin, now the well-known newspaper pub- 
lisher of Sedalia, arrived in Springfield for the purpose of establishing 
a Democratic paper — the first in the county since the war. Hon. 
John S. Phelps and certain other prominent Democrats gave him a 
considerable amount of money — perhaps $1,500 ; quite a list of sub- 
scribers was secured in this and adjoining counties, and June 8th the 
first number of the paper, which was called the SoutJtwest Union Press, 
was issued. September 5th, Goodwin sold out the Press toKneeland 
& Waddill. 

September 11th, the Patriot issued the first number of its daily 
edition, Ingram & Teed, publishers. The Dailg Patriot contained 
telegrams, local news, etc., and was a sprightly little sheet. In Octo- 
ber, A. F. Ingram retired from the paper, being succeeded by E. R. 
Shipley. 

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. 

On the 8th of Februsiry, the city council of Springfield passed an 
ordinance prohibiting dram-shops inside of the corporation — this, in 
view of the killing of Coleman, and because there was a great deal of 
disorder in the place growing out of the use of, liquor. 

February 15th, the Springfield Public Library was thrown open to 
the public. 

About the 1st of March, there was a large influx of people to the 
place, who came in from Iowa, Illinois and Ohio. 

At the city election in April, J. H. Creighton was elected mayor, 
by a vote of 117 against 46 for W. H. Warrell. 

On June 7th, the branch bank of the State was entered by bur- 
glars, who broke open the safe and carried away $12,000, of which 
sum $11,100 was said to have belonged to John T. Smith, of Spring- 
field. 

October 10th, a twelve-3^ear-old lad named George Benton was 
drowned in the public school well. His hat had fallen in the well, and 
he was descending for it, when the wall crumbled and fell with him 
into the water. 

November 1st, the census showed the population of the town to be 
as follows : .Whites, 2,863; colored, 700; total, 3,563. There were 
three newspapers, one of which, the Patriot, was a dail}' ; and the 
town was " booming." 

November 15th, the town council took action to forbid the erection 






W '" <^ 



ii''': 








'A x| 



/ ^^<^<% 

^ 




HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 769 

of any more wooden buildings on blocks 4, 6, 9, and 10 — probably 
the first definite action toward establishing fire limits. 



1867 ITEMS. 



In January of this year (1867), the taxable property of Springfield 
amounted to $554,000. The number of polls was 260. A property 
tax of one-half of one per cent, and a poll tax of one dollar, produced 
a revenue of a little over $3,000, which, added to the fines collected, 
made a total of about $4,000. 

Fwe. — On the 3d of February, a fire broke out on the north side 
of the square, which destroyed nearly all the buildings from Boone- 
ville Street to the northeast corner. The fire originated in a two-story 
building owned by Mr. McQuister, in the first story of which waa 
Clark's store, in the second the Union Press office ; the latter was 
totally destroyed, except four cases of type. Westward, it burned 
the old Union Hotel, one of the oldest buildings in Springfield, then 
owned by Messrs. Olive ; from this northward, Watson, Staley & Co.'s 
store, and the shoe shop of P. & W. Daly was torn down to save 
adjoining houses. Eastward from the starting point, it burned another 
building occupied as a saloon and residence ; two warehouses, a num- 
ber of small buildings on the alley occupied by negro families, scorched 
the Danforth building, occupied by Massey & Keet and J. L. Carson, 
and did other serious damage. 

About two weeks after the fire, a hook and ladder company was 
organized, with nineteen members. 

In the spring of this year the town was crowded to overflowing by 
the large number of newcomers. Hotels, boarding houses, and every 
room capable of sheltering a human being was occupied, and the cry 
was " still they come and more are coming." There was a very 
heavy emigration to Southwest Missouri from , other States, including 
New York, Pennsylvania, and other Eastern States. 

In April Hon. John S. Waddill was appointed by President John- 
son register of the land office, and Mrs. P. C. Stephens, widow of 
John A. Stephens, killed at the time of Zagonyi's charge, was given 
the post-office. Previously, and for some months after the death of 
Col. Boyd, Mr. J. B. Winger had been acting postmaster. 

May 23 Hon. H. E. Havens assumed full control of the Weekly 
Patriot newspaper. 
49 



770 



HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 



June 6th a savings hank was organized, with a capital of $75,000. 
The first officers were: K. J. McElhany, president; T. J. Bailey, 
vice president ; J. C. Ciilhcrtson. Among the directors were S. H. 
Boyd, W. C. HornVjeak, and James Abbott. 

Ausnst 8th the town was first lis^hted with street lamps. 

DEDICATION OF HAZELWOOD CEMETERY. 

Saturday, October 26, pursuant to previous notice, a large con- 
course of citizens assembled on the public square, and organized in 
procession under Col. W. E. Gilmore as marshal and Lieut. J. C. S. 
Colby as assistant marshal, and proceeded to the cemetery grounds, 




METROPOLITAN HOTEL, SFRINGFIELD, MO. 



which had been purchased by the city June 13tli, for the purpose of 
performing the dedicatory services. The procession was headed by 
the Springfield band; then came the ministers of the city; then 
members of Star Lodge No. 5, A. F. & A. M., followed by citizens 
in carriajjes and on horseback. 

After arriving at the grounds Mayor R. B. Owen called the 
audience to order and stated the ol))ect of the assemblage. He 
alluded to the design of the city in purchasing the grounds, and 
stated that ten acres had been conveved to the ofovernment to be 
used as a national cemetery for the interment of the remains of the 
Federal soldiers then buried at various points in the Southwest. 
Prayer was then offered by Rev. J. J. Bentley of the M. E. church. 
Addresses were delivered by Rev. R. S. Nash, of the Episcopal 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 771 

church; Rev. I. A. Paige, of the Presbyterian church; Rev. Kirk 
Baxter, of the Christian church ; Rev. McCord Roberts, of the Baptist 
church; Father Graham, of the Catholic church, and M. J. Hubble, 
presiding officer of the Masonic fraternity. After the l)enediction had 
been pronounced by Rev. McCord Roberts, the assemblage dispersed. 



1868 ITEMS. 

February 20th the Greene County National Bank was organized 
with a capital of $100,000. The first officers were John S. Phelps, 
president; W. J. McDaniel, vice president; and a cashier. 

The Y. M. C. A. held its first meeting February 18th. R. B. 
Chappel was the first president ; W. D. Sheppard, secretary. 

November 16th a destructive fire occurred on St. Louis street. 
The Leader newspaper office. Skinner & Rainey's furniture store, 
Dittrick's dry goods store, and Bigbee's livery stable were entirely 
destroyed. The loss was about $40,000. 

As the Atlantic & Pacific railway was rapidly approaching Greene 
county and Springfield, the greatest interest was felt in the location 
of a depot. EflJbrts to have the site fixed within a few hundred yards 
of the public square were without avail and about the 1st of Decem- 
ber Andrew Pierce and Thos. McKissick, the railroad commissioners, 
located the depot about a mile north of the court-house. The people 
were greatly indignant, but could not help themselves. 

August 14th, an extraordinary rain-fall occurred in Springfield. For 
the first time since 1850, Wilson's Creek overflowed its banks. Many 
families living along on the bottom were driven to the second story of 
their houses. The foundry of Holcomb & Thompson was injured to 
the extent of several hundred dollars, and Allen, Mitchell & Co.'s 
mill was greatly damaged. 

At the municipal election in April, Col. Wm. E. Gilmore was elected 
mayor by one majority over J. B. Dexter. The election was decided 
illegal, and held again May 2d, when Dexter was declared elected by 
three majority over Gilmore. 



MATTERS IN 1869. 

January 12th, the Leader newspaper was re-established. — On the 
1st of January, the Odd Fellows' Hall was dedicated. — July 12th, a 



772 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

stranger named Wni. Hartley, who lived on the Gasconade somewhere, 
died suddenly of rupture of the heart, while driving in a spring wagon 
along Rolla Street. — May 16th, the M. E. Church was dedicated by 
Rev. Mr. Hagerty. The building cost over $7,000, of which sum 
$2,100 were raised that day. — August 12th, David Durst stabbed a 
bar-keeper named Stevens, wounding him four times very seriously. 
The affray came off in a saloon on Boonville street. — August 17th, 
the sheriff, Capt. Budlong, and James Long, the city marshal, arrested 
a man named J. J. Leeper, for killing another man named Ferguson 
at the old fort, near town. The killing was done with a stone of sev- 
eral pounds weight, with which Ferguson's skull was crushed. — The 
total number of school children in the town this year was 937. — April 
15tli, the carpenters and builders formed a permanent organization, of 
which J. D. Six was president. 

Trying to get the Depot. — The location of the depot of the Atlantic 
& Pacific (now the " Frisco " ) railroad upon the present site of North 
Springfield was due to the niggardliness and selfishness of some of the 
moneyed men of the old town, who refused to pay the expense of mak- 
ing a deflection in the route of the road from its original surveyed line. 
Whereupon the railroad men went a mile north, and selected not only 
a location for a depot, but a site for a new town as well. No sooner 
was it known that the depot would be a mile from the public square 
than a desperate effort was made to change the location. May 11th, 
of this year, a public meeting of citizens passed a resolution request- 
ing the city council to issue bonds to the amount of $75,000, to be 
donated to the railroad company if it should "change the location of 
its depot to within one-half mile of the public square." Too late. 
The stakes had been driven, the matter settled, and now twice $75,000 
could not prevent a formidable hinderance to the prosperity of Spring- 
field, when $25,000 would have done so at the proper time. 

City Imiyrovements. — This year the town council asked for an ex- 
pression of the citizens as to the propriety of expending $75,000 in 
the improvement of the city, as it was evident something had to l)e 
done to offset the establishment of the new town of North Springfield. 
July 6th, the proposition was voted on and carried by a vote of 156 
to 91. Much opposition to the measure was allayed by certain mem- 
bers of the council, who declared that only $25,000 should be expended 
in improving the streets, etc., and that $50,000 should be given to the 
proposed Springfield & Ft. Scott railroad ; but, as the latter action 
would have been unlawful, it was never done. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 773 

Extension of the Corporation.— U2.v<A^ 4th, the Legislature passed 
an act extending the boundaries of the corporation and defining its 
limits, and also investing it with certain powers. This act was as 
follows : — 
An act to amend an act entitled an act to incorporate the city of 

Springfield, and more fully define its powers. 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as 

"seT"! The following shall be the corporate limits of the city 
of Springfield, in Green ^County, and State of Missouri: Commenc- 
hio- U the northwest corner of section 14, township 29 range 
22^; thence south to the southwest corner of section 23, in said town- 
ship and range ; thence east to the southeast corner o section 24, in 
same township and range ; thence north to the northeas corner of 
section 10, in said township and range ; thence west to the place of 
beoinning, so as to include the whole ot sections 13, 14 23, and 24, 
ufo'resaid: Provided, that such portions of the real estate as is ena- 
braced within the foregoing limits, and which is not subdivided or sold 
in lots of less than three acres, shall not be subject to any municipal 
tax, except for the improvement of such streets lanes, avenues, or 
alleVs as ire immediately adjoining the same, or for school purposes^^ 
Provided further, that when any real estate hereby excepted from 
muni/^ipal taxation shall be divided or sold in lots ot three acres or 
less, the same shall thereupon and from thenceforth be deemed and 
considered within the corporate limits of the city of Springfaeld, for 
all purposes, as fully and completely as if the same was not excepted 

•bv the provisions of this section. ^ ^i, •+ ^^ c-.^vi-no- 

^ Sec. 2. Section two of the act to incorporate the city ot ^pimg- 
field and more fully define its powers, approved December 13th, 1855, 

is hereby repealed. . ^ c j f4r^^ Uo 

Sec. 3. This act is to take efi"ect and be ui force from and after its 

passage. 

Approved March 4, 1869. 

Railroad C onvention - Kxx^^t 25th a large convention was held 
at the court-house in favor of the Memphis, Springfield & Kansas 
City railroad. Delegates were in attendance from all of those cities 
named, as well as from other towns and cities along the proposed 
line. Enthusiastic speeches were made and it was resolved to bmld 
the road. Probablv this was the first important action taken regard- 
ino- that o-reat enterprise, now rapidly approaching completion. 

At the April election of this year Col. Wm. E. Gilmore was elected 
mayor, by 202 majority, over J. B. Winger. 

Burned to Death. — About the 3d of September, a Mrs. Clark, 
wife of a lumber man of Springfield, was filling a lamp with coal oil 



774 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

from an ordinary can. The lamp was not lighted, but a fire was 
burning close by in an open fire-place. From some unknown cause 
the oil ignited, the can in Mrs. Clark's hands exploded, scattering 
the burning oil over her and her three daughters who were close 
about her. The two vounoer dauijhters died from the effects of their 
burns, the mother was in a very dangerous condition, and the older 
daughter was painfully injured, but not seriously. 



1870. 

About the 1st of February the first number of a newspaper called 
the Southwest was issued by H. Lick, In June the office was re- 
moved to North Springfield, and the paper was issued by Taylor, 
Hedges & Co. 

In March the annual conference of the M. E. church met in 
Springfield. Bishop D. W. Clark presided, and Rev. L. M. Vernon 
was secretary. 

At the city election this year Col. Gilmore was elected mayor with- 
out opposition. The vote for marshal stood : C. C. Avery, 328 ; 
J. L. French, 216. This was the first election where colored men 
voted, and a negro, J. H. Rector, was elected alderman from the 
second ward over a Mr, Imler, l)y a vote of 101 to 54. 

At a meeting of the council March 8th the sum of $30,000 in bonds 
was voted to aid in building a street railroad. In order to evade the 
law, which would prevent the council from giving money or bonds to 
the street railway company, an ordinance was passed appropriating 
$30,000 to grade and macadamize Jetterson street from the northern 
boundar}' of the city to Water street, and Water street from Jefferson 
to Boonville street, the object being to prepare these streets for the 
laying of the railway track. 

On the 24th of February a company was organized and steps taken 
to raise means for erecting the present Metropolitan Hotel. Col. F. S. 
Jones was the first president of the company. The various principal 
streets were invited to bid in stock for the location. March 24th the 
location was made, the l)ids having been as follows : College street, 
$31,150 ; St. Louis street, $26,500 ; South street, $34,250, but the lat- 
ter bid provided that the old Lyon House should be made a part of 
the new hotel. 

A boy named Richard Fitzgerald was accidently shot and killed in 
the laundry room of the Lyon House about April 12th. A colored 



775 
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

boy, Albert Abernatty, was playing with a pistol when the boy Fitz- 
Sld came up and wanted to look at it, and was .n the act of taking 
ft Iten the pistol was aecidently discharged, causing death m twenty 

" JunraOth a well digger named David Smith was suffocated in a 
„ell which he was digging for Col. Yoang, on South st.^et. The 
body was recovered by a negro man, named Charles Womack^ 

September 13th a convent school for young lad.es was opened on 
Walnut street. Madame Ligouri was the principal. 

December 15th a man named Morgan, a pamter, ^" ;*; 
making a dangerous but not tUtal wound, and then n, a few- 
committed suicide by shooting himself through the bra,.. Jh co-P e 
had separated, and Morgan was trying to induce his wife to live with 
him again. There were evidences that he was insane. 
Th^ population of the city this year was 5,814. 



MATTERS IN 1871. 

At the city election in April tlie Democrats and Liberals swept 
evf:,thi,ig ai^d elected ^-y officer Init one a,^^^^^^^^ 

S::y%"r'Srr;i.^nitn,"K.^ rUhaney. L. A. 
Huston! F. S. Jones, and J. N. Miller, the latter a Kepublican 

June 26th the post-office was rem.ived to its present quarters, in 
the Metropolitan hotel building. 

September 7th the new Metropolitan hotel was opened by a grand 
banquet and.ball. Messrs. Kitchen & Young were the F-opnetors. 

In May a board of trade was organized w,th J T. Keet Esq as 
the first president. And yet, just at that time trade was duUei and 
the prospects gloomier than they had been tor years. 



SPRINGFIELD IN 1872. 

On the 1st of March, the Springfield Wagon Company was organ- 
ized. Its capital stock was $20,000, and its declared object was the 
rlfacture of plows and wagons. Hon. S. H. Boyd was elected 
tTe first president of the company. In May following the city by a 
vote of five to one, decided to issue the sum of $22,000 in city bonds. 



776 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



in aid of certain of its in,u,ufuctu,ing establishments, in order to hein 
along ,ts -Mnfant industries" nntil they sl>ould grow stro." uou'h 
to take care of themselves. ""on^ enough 

At the city election this year, in April, Jonathan Fairbanks was 

elected mayor, defeating L. H. Murray, Esq ^'"""nks was 

Some ,dea of the character of the city at this time may be fathered 

rbeVT 1 '1 ""''rr ''"■ ""^ ^^"■■' ""'<"^ -"-■' -^ -'^e dC 

r2r797,572'.07 '*=°"''°"'' "'""'"" "^ ''^"^ '" l^"™ ^een 




SPRINGFIELD MATTERS IN 1873. 

John McGregor, Democrat, received 406 votes, and Jared E. Smith 
Kepubhcan the same nua.l,er. Another election being held, McGreo-or 
was elected by 85 majority. mcuiegor 

On the 1st of July, there was a severe wind storm. The woolen 

mill was damaored to the evtpnf r^f *?; nr\n i , ., ,. 

Nnrfi. Q,. • fi ?i $5,000, and some buildings in 

Woith Spnngfield was con.sideral)]y injured 

Drury college was located July 28th, of this year. 

A fire on South street, August 1, destroyed a row of frame build- 
ings causmga loss of $5,000. The fire originated in Capt. Johnso^^'s 
photograph gallery, in Mrs. Hackney's property 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 777 

November 22, Jones' Female Institute, a school for young ladies, 
on Walnut street, was burned to the ground. Loss, about $5,000. 

In December, Dan Whitfield shot and killed Bob Fitzhugh, as the 
latter was coming out of the house of T. J. Keet, where the wife of 
Whitfield was employed as a servant. The shooting was done at about 
4 o'clock in the morning. All of the parties were negroes. 

Also in December, Bob Wyatt, another negro, was killed in the 
jail under the following circumstances : He had been arrested for 
some misdemeanor and confined in jail. The marshal ordered him out 
to work on the streets, but the negro refused. When visited again 
after two days, it was found that he had a revolver which he bran- 
dished about, and with which he threatened to shoot any one that in- 
terfered with him. In attempting to remove him from his cell, he 
drew his revolver on the marshal, and was immediately shot and killed 
by the deputies. 



MATTERS IN 1874. . 

On the 1st of March, the Odd Fellows Hall was dedicated, a larsfe 
crowd being present. 

In March, the noted defalcation of Maj. W. J. Bodenhamer was 
discovered. 

May 21st, the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church convened in Springfield. Rev. Dr. Blake was moderator. 
Rei)resentatives were present from Pennsylvania, California, Texas 
and even from Scotland. The session lasted more than a week. 



1875 ITEMS. 



In January, during the progress of a religious row at the African 
M. E. church, a negro, named Bob Johnson, was fearfully stabbed. 

During the month of Fe1)ruary there was a great religious revival in 
the city, conducted by Rev. T. Marshall. There were 192 converts. 
The religious meetings were followed by a temperance revival in 
March. 

March 15th a fire on College street destroyed Denton's livery stable, 
and Cassler & Co's. furniture and coffin store, and damaged Chas. 
Evan's restaurant. May 9th another fire destroyed ten business 
houses occupied by J. L. Carson, H. O. Dow & Co., McCorraick 



778 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

& Co., Wilde Bros., A. R. Fearn, and Stone & Gatewood. Loss 
nearly $40,000. 

March 24th Dr. J. C. Reed died of pneumonia, aged 56, and on the 
8th of April Dr. A. A. Shutt committed suidide by shooting himself 
while alono in his office, on the corner of College street and the public 
square. He left a wife and three children. The cause of his suicide 
was supposed to be financial embarrassment. 

Mrs. Mary Picher, a daughter of Col. Henry Sheppard, died about 
September 1, at Logansport, Ind., while on her way to Clifton Springs, 
N. Y. The body was brought home and buried at Springfield. 

Sudden Deaths. — May 18th Wm. Barren, a tinner, aged about 40, 
fell dead in the alley at the northeast corner of the public square. 
The verdict of the coroner's jury was that the death was '* superinduced 
by intoxication." In the same month a stranger from Arkansas, 
drove up in front of a wholesale house, and as he pulled up his team 
he fell over backwards dead, from heart disease. A collection was 
taken up for the proper preparation of the body, and it was sent home 
in charge of a companion of the unfortunate man. 

Homicide. — November 5th Amanda Collins, living in the south 
part of town, killed her husband, James Collins, by crushing in his 
skull with an ax. The cause, as shown, was his ill-treatment of her 
and threats to " fix her with a knife," he being jealous of her. The 
woman gave herself up. A little boy nine years of age witnessed the 
killing. Collins and his wife were negroes. 

The erection of the gas works was begun in May of this year. 



RESUME FROM 1865 TO 1875. 

As soon as the debris of the war had been swept away, Springfield 
began to improve very rapidly and very substantially. Indeed, the 
town outgrew the country tributary to its local trade, and, to use the 
common but incorrect expression, business of all kinds was " over- 
done." The effects were soon felt. About the summer of 1870, shortly 
after the completion of the present St. Louis & San Francisco rail- 
road, and the location of that portion of the city known as North 
Springfield, a reaction occurred from which it took several years to 
recover. The mushroom pojjulation, whose presence added to value 
only in point of numbers, disappeared as suddenly as it had come ; 
and, while in itself this detracted nothing from the city's real status, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 779 

it had a disheartening effect which told upon values. This was sup- 
plemented by the financial troubles of 1873, and for a time empty 
business houses and residences confronted the passer-by in every part 
of the city. 

But all this, like the lopping off of superfluous limbs from a healthy 
tree, was for ultimate benefit. While the city was at a stand-still, the 
oountrj^ was making rapid improvement. Enterprising, intelligent 
farmers filled the vacancy in the population caused by the fleeing idlers 
from town. Under their experienced and careful supervision, the rich 
lands throughout the county that had hitherto been " hidden talents " 
were made to equalize the ruinous differences heretofore existing be- 
tween town and county, and the result was soon visible in a generally 
improved condition of affairs. Another lasting benefit derived from 
the scourge of " hard times," to which the town was subjected in those 
years, was the awakening of its capitalists to the fact that Dame For- 
tune would not persistently smile upon those who would not help 
themselves. This forced realization was made manifest in a concen- 
trated eflbrt toward establishing manufactories, public improvements, 
and other essential adjuncts to healthy advancement and permanent 
prosperity. 

It may now be well to speak of the effect produced by the laying 
out of North Springfield — or " Moon City," as it was at first called — 
and the circumstances connected therewith. Some of these circum- 
stances are noted elsewhere, but will bear repeating in this connec- 
tion. Immediately before the old Atlantic & Pacific railroad (now 
the "Frisco") was completed to Springfield — and for some time 
before — a controversy arose in regard to the location of the depot. 
This was in the flush days of 1869-70, before spoken of. A propo- 
sition was made by the company to run the road in on a survey that 
would bring the depot within a half mile of the public square, pro- 
vided a certain sum should be raised. If this was not done, another 
route would be taken which would be less expensive in construction, 
but which would necessitate the location of depot buildings at least 
one mile north. An indifference, or rather a stinginess, on the part 
of some of our moneyed men at this crisis cost the immediate advan- 
tage incident to the co-operation tendered by that corporation. The 
depot was located at the threntened point, about one mile to the north, 
and antagonistic interests at once sprung up. The new town, or North 
Springfield, as it was called, developed a wonderful vitality, and was 
aided in all its enterprises by the railroad company. 



780 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

A bitter rivalry arose between the two ))laces. The compaii}' built 
an enormous frame hotel — the Ozark House — three stories in height, 
handsome in appearance and elegant in its appointments, which was 
destroyed by fire in the spring of 1875. As an offset to this, the cit- 
izens rallied to the assailed, pride of " old town," and, forming a joint 
stock company, erected the commodious, four-story brick structure 
known as the Metropolitan Hotel. In a thousand different ways, dur- 
ing the first few years succeeding the completion of the road, was this 
antagonism promoted. After it had been demonstrated that "old 
town " could not be " busted," and that " new town " could not be 
kept from growing, the hatchets were, by tacit agreement, buried ; 
and since then the prosperity of both towns have been promoted by a 
very oeneral recoo;nition of the fact that our interests are mutual. The 
short, open space between the places has been gradually occupied ; 
and it will be but a brief period when it will require a sharp-sighted 
and well-informed person, indeed, to point out the line of demarka- 
tion between old Springfield and " Moon City," or " new town." 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

CAPT. WM. S. JOHNSON, U. S. A. 

Captain Johnson is the son of .James J. and Julia (Graham) Johnson, who were from 
Pennsylvania, and of Scotch-Irish origin. His parents moved to Fulton county, Illinois, in 1835, 
and it was there that William S. was born, May 7th, 1841. He was educated in his native 
county, and, upon the 8th of April, 1861, enlisted as a private in company A, 4th battalion. 
District of Columbia, under President Lincoln's first call, and served three months. In Au- 
gust, 1862, he came to Springfield, Missouri, and enlisted in the 1st Arkansas cavalry as pri- 
vate, but was promoted to the first lieutenancy in October, and in February, 1863, was 
again promoted to the captaincy of his company. He was wounded in the right arm 
at the battle of Fayetleville, Arkansas, and the arm was saved by taking out a section of 
bone four and one-half inches in length. September, 1864, he was transferred as first lieu- 
tenant of the veteran reserve corps at AVashington City, where he was also regimental 
quartermaster in the provincial cavalry at K street barracks. He was at the theatre when 
Lincoln was assassinated, and had charge of the battalion that acted as escort of the body 
to the White House. In 1866, he was superintendent under Col. J. M. Moore, for the build- 
ing of national cemeteries in the State of Virginia, and was on duty until June 12th, 1867, 
when he was transferred to the regular array and assigned to duty at Fort Wayne as quarter- 
master. May 20th, 1871, he retired with rank of captain, mounted. January, 1871, he 
came to Springfield and engaged in the photograph business, and followed it until 1882. He 
was married December 28th, 1863, to Miss Nora Oustott. Their union has been blest 
with six children, three of whom are living, viz. : Wra. H., Julia G. and Harry D. The 
captain is a Mason, and a member of the A. 0. U. W. 

HENKY KANNING. 

Mr. Kanning was born at Kiel, Denmark, where he was educated and learned the tailor's 
trade. In 1849, he was drafted into the army, and served two years. He came to the United 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 781 

States in 1852, landing at New Orleans. In 1861, he enliisted in the 6th Kentucky volunteers 
as second lieutenant, company H. He was mustered out in the winter of 1864. In 1865 he 
went to Leavenworth, Kansas, and carried on a tailoring establishment, working about six- 
teen hands. In 1870 he went to Oswego, Kansas, and resided there until the fall of 1882, 
when he came to Springfield, Missouri. Mr. Kanning was married at Louisville, Kentucky, 
in 1857, to Miss Mary Kimmel. They have six boys and five girls, all living. He is a 
member of the A. O. U. W. His parents died in Denmark, his father at the age of sixty- 
nine, and his mother at the age of sixty-three. His father was a German soldier, and fought 

against Napoleon the Great. 

MARTIN KEENER. 

Mr. Keener is the son of Gottleib Keener, and was born at Batenheim, Germany, May 9, 
1846. He came to the United States, landing at New York, September 1, 1865. He then 
went to South Bend, Ind., and then to Michigan. In the summer of 1869 he went to Daven- 
port, Iowa, and in the spring of 1870, he went to Fort Scott, Kansas, and in October of that 
year he came to Springfield. November 7, 1870, he bought out the bakery of C. Woollmann, 
who had started the bakery the year previous. Mr. Keener now has the largest bakery in 
the city, and has carried on the business successfully for thirteen years. In 1870 he was 
married to Mrs. Woollmann, widow of C. Woollmann. They had by that marriage one 
daughter. Mrs. Keener died September 23, 1879. Mr. Keener's parents were natives of 
Germany. His father died when he (Martin) was a boy, and his mother died in 1876. 
They had four sons and one daughter. 

JOSIAH T. KEET. 

This gentleman is the son of Charles Keet, and was born in England September 8, 1822. 
He emigrated to America and settled in Arkansas in 1839. In 1840 he moved to Barry 
county, Missouri. He began merchandising before he was of age, and has been engaged in 
it steadily to the present, except about six months. He came to Springfield in 1862, and 
has been engaged in the wholesale and retail trade until within the last five years, when 
they concluded to do an exclusive wholesale business. The firm was at first Keet, Massey «& 
Co., but now it is Keet, Rountree & Co. They have the only wholesale dry goods and boot 
and shoe house in the city, and sell for about one hundred an fifty miles southeast, south, and 
southwest of Springfield. Mr. Keet was married in Barry county, Missouri, August 10, 
1843, to Elizabeth P. West. They have been blest with six children. He is a Mason, and 
he and his wife are members of the Methodist church. 

THOMAS W. KERSEY. 

Mr. Kersey is the son of Benjamin and Amanda (Van Gilder) Kersey, and was born in 
Knox county, Illinois, June 28, 1851. He was educated at the State Normal University, 
and at Eureka College. He entered the law office of P. A. Willoughby, at Galesburg, 111., 
and next in the office of Robert Dollard, at Yates City, 111. He was admitted to the bar Sep- 
tember 10, 1874, at Ottawa, 111., before the Supreme Court. In November, 1874, he came 
to Springfield, Mo., and is now of the firm of Kersey & Price, attorneys. He was marrried 
April 25, 1876, to Miss Lizzie, daughter of A. A. Powell, of Springfield. Their union has 
been blest with three daughters. Mr. Kersey is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and 
he and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian church. His parents are living 
in Springfield. They had but two children. The firm of Kersey & Price enjoy a good 
practice and deserve the confidence they receive. 

THOMAS M. KINNEY. 

Mr. Kinney is the son of John and Mary (Roach) Kinney, and was born November 1, 
1850, in county Limerick, Ireland. His parents emigrated to America when he was an in- 
fant, and when he was still a small boy, they moved to Lafayette, Indiana. Thomas was 



782 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

educated at Notre Dame College, and at the age of sixteen he went to St. Louis and worked 
at his trade. In 1869 he went to Hannibal, Mo., and worked at his trade two years and then 
went to Columbus, Ky., and lived there over two years. He then returned to St. Louis 
and remained there until 1877. In November of that year he came to Springfield and 
worked some six months for Shiple}', the tailor. He then embarked in business for himself 
with only a hundred dollars worth of stock. He now owns the building, No. 238 Boonville 
street, where he carries a splendid stock of piece goods, and employs about ten of the best 
tailors, and where the best work is done in the cit3^ His stock and building is worth about 
six thousand dollars. Mr. Kinney was married April, 16, 1872, at Hannibal, Mo,, to Miss 
Mary A. Nevatt, a native of England. Her father was Isaac Nevatt, for many j-ears editor 
and publisher of the Lancaster Advertise?- in England. Their union has been blest with 
two sons and two daughters, all living. Mr. Kinney's father died in 1862, and his mother 
when he was some five or six years of age. 

JAMES M. KIRBY. 

Mr. Kirby is the son of Hendley and Elvira J. (Gilbert) Kirby, and was born in Robertson 
county, Tennessee, August 24th, 1844. In 1857 his parents moved to Arkansas, coming via 
Springfield. In November, 1863, he came to Springfield and enlisted in Col. J. E. Phelps' 
2d Arkansas regiment, cavalry, in company K. He was mustered out at Memphis, Ten- 
nessee, August 20th, 1865, and returned to Springfield where he has since resided. He was 
for a long time a wholesale liquor dealer, and has accumulated considerable propert}'. He 
was married to Alvira J. Williams, of Indiana. Their union has been blest with seven 
children, five of whom are now living. Mr. Kirby is a member of the Knights of Pythias. 
His mother died in 1861, and his father in 1876, at their home in Arkansas. 

CAPT. CHARLES KROFF. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Elizabeth (Derry) Kroff, and was born in Monroe 
county, Ohio, December 11th, 1837. In 1853 he went to Decatur county, Indiana. He was 
educated at Milford, Indiana, and at Asbury University, located at Greencastle, Indiana. 
He studied law at Asbury, and in February, 1866, he graduated at the Indiana State Univer- 
sit}', and was then admitted to the bar. In July, 1866, he came to Hermitage, Hickory 
county, Missouri, and there practiced his profession until March 1st, 1883, when he came to 
Springfield. During the time he was in Hickory he was prosecuting attorney for seven 
years, upon the Republican ticket. Captain Krofi' was married at Quincy, Hickory county, 
Missouri, July 21st, 1867, to Miss Mar\?* Green. Their union is blest with two sons and two 
daughters. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. Captain Kroff 's parents 
were from Switzerland, and came to this countrj- in 1808 and settled in Ohio. His father 
died in 1852, and his mother December 25th, 1875. They had thirteen children, ten of 
whom are living. In 1861 Captain Krofl' enlisted in company F, 11th Indiana volunteers, as 
a private and was in the following engagements : Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Port 
Gibson, Raymond, Champion Hill, Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Carrion Crow Bayou, Lake 
Tasse, Halltown, Va., Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. He was mustered out 
as captain of the company in which he first enlisted, August 10th, 1865. He is now engaged 
in the law practice and real estate business. 

B. H. LANGSTON. 

This gentleman was born upon a farm three miles southeast of Springfield, Missouri, 
and was educated in the log school houses of his native county. At the age of fourteen he 
enlisted in the 8th Missouri cavalry. Col. W. F. Geiger, U. S. A., and served three years, 
having enlisted in August, 1862. He was mustered out at Little Rock, Arkansas. In 
1872 he was appointed deputy U. S. marshal, and served until 1877. He was then ap- 
pointed deputy revenue collector, and in 1881 received the appointment of collector. Mr. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 783 

Langston was married in 1867, to Miss Martha, daughter of John Pursley. Their union 
has been blest with six sons. He is a member of the I. 0. O. F., K. of H. and A. O. U. "W. 
He and his wife are members of the M. E. church. 

W. W. LANGSTON. 

Mr. Langston is the son of Jackson P. C. and Mariel (Gallian) Langston, and was born 
Jan. 1, 1842, three miles southeast of Springfield, Missouri. He remained at home until 
the civil war, and in August, 1861, he enlisted in Holland's company, three months' ser- 
vice. He was afterward appointed second sergeant of the 26th Missouri infantry, Col. 
John S. Phelps. He served with that regiment six months, and in July, 1862, enlisted in 
company D, 8th Missouri cavalry. He was first lieutenant, but was afterward promoted cap- 
tain. They were mustered out at St. Louis in August, 1865. He returned to Greene 
county, and farmed upon the old homestead. In 1880 he was elected to represent the east- 
ern district of Greene county in the Legislature, and is now deputy internal revenue col- 
lector for his brother, Brj^ant H. He lives upon the farm where he was born. He was 
married August 15, 1862, to Miss A. Ingram. Their union has been blest with two sons 
and four daughters. He and his wife are members of the M. E. church. 

COL. JOHN W. LISENBY. 

Colonel Lisenby was born March 22, 1836, in Washington county, Tennessee, and is the 
son of Charles and Susan (Carr) Lisenby. He was the seventh of a family of twelve chil- 
dren. His father dying when he was about thirteen years of age, the remainder of the fam- 
ily moved to Monroe county, Kentucky. John W. received his education at Columbia, 
Adair county, Kentucky, and taught school about three terms. In April, 1859, he came to 
Springfield, Missouri, and soon after taught school in what was then known as the Lane 
school house, three miles southwest of town. He accepted a clerkship in the general store 
of Logan & Morton, in the fall of 1859, and when the war began was a member of 
the Home Guards. In 1861, he enlisted in company D, Missouri volunteers, Phelps' 
regiment, and was first-lieutenant of that company, and afterwards promoted to 
the captaincy. He was wounded severely at the battle of Pea Ridge, March 7, 
1862, being shot in the left shoulder and through both legs. This was in the six 
months' service, and upon the 30th of August, 1862, he was mustered in company A, 8th 
cavalry, Missouri volunteers, as captain, and afterward major. His health becoming poor, 
he resigned his commission in February, 1865, but was promoted to lieut. colonel in a few 
few months afterward. At the close of the war he was appointed clerk of the county, pro- 
bate and common pleas courts, and in 1866 was elected upon the Republican ticket as clerk 
of that court, and served in that capacity for four years. In 1873 he was elected mayor of 
the cit}-, which office he filled with satisfaction to his constituents and honor to himself. He 
was in the real estate business here since 1865, and the firm of Milner & Lisenby did the 
largest business in that line in Springfield. Col. Lisenby was married to Miss Columbia, 
daughter of John H. Jennings, Esq., upon the 9th of May, 1865. Mrs. Lisenby, died Octo- 
ber 13, 1872. The firm of Milner & Lisenby dissolved in the early part of 1883, and the 
captain still carries on the business. 

WILLIAM MASSEY. 

This gentleman is the son of James and Faithful (Strickland) Massey, and was born 
March 19, 1824, in South Carolina. His parents moved to Middle Tennessee in 1825, and to 
Greene county, Missouri, in 1835, and settled three miles east of Springfield. In 1838 
William went to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and then to St. Louis, Missouri, and back 
to Springfield. In 1849 he again went to St. Louis where he remained three years 
and then came back to Springfield, where he has been actively engaged in business 
ever since. He was one of the company that built the Metropolitan hotel, and has also 
built several large stores upon the square. He has been city treasurer for two terms, and 



784 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

has always been prominently identified with the building interests of Springfield. Mr. 
Massey was married in 1845, to Miss Almarinda C, daughter of Joseph Kountree. That 
marriage was blest with seven children, four sons and three daughters. His first wife dying, 
he married Miss Laura Oustott, by whom he had one son and one daughter. His father 
was born in Ireland, and came to the United States when a child. During the Indian wars 
he was captain of a company. His wife died in 1837, and he died in 1864. They had nine 
children, but three of whom are now living, viz. : Mrs. McAdams, Mrs. Z. M. Rountree and 
William, who, during the war, was a quartermaster in the Union army. 

JAKE MARX. 

This gentleman was born in Prussia, November 13, 1850, and is the son of Emanuel and 
Hannah Marx. In 1867 he came to America and located at Louisville, Kentucky, where he 
was a clerk in a dry goods and clothing house for two years. He then went to Paducah, Ken- 
tucky, and sold the same line of goods for about eight years. He came to Springfield in 
February 1878 and was a partner in the dry goods and clothing house of Cohn Bros. & Co. 
He bought out his partners and has since carried on the business alone. He carries an 
immense stock of fine goods and is deservedly popular. Mr. Marx was married at Louisville 
on the 19th of September, 1877, to Miss Francis Cohn. 

WILLIAM McADAMS. 

The subject of this notice is the son of William and Gabella (Barnes) McAdams, and 
was born in 1815, in county Down, Ireland. His parents emigrated to America when young 
William was about nine years old, and settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His mother 
died soon after, and his father in 1839. William, jr., our subject, learned the saddler's and 
harness-maker's trade in Pittsburg, serving five years at the business. In 1840 he came to 
the new and growing West and settled down permanently in Springfield, Missouri. Here 
he opened a shop for the manufacture and repairing of saddles and harness, and has 
been in the business for over forty-two years. He had the first shop of the kind 
in Springfield, and probably in Greene county. He built up a large and lucra- 
tive business, and wishing to retire, he sold out his stock of goods to Smalstig 
& Co. Mr. McAdams was elected county treasurer of Greene county in 1858, and served 
until 1864. He was married October 31, 1841, to Miss Margaret Massey, daughter of James 
Massey. By this union they have been blest with eight children, five boys and three girls, 
of whom two boys and two girls are now living. Mr. McAdams has been a member^of the 
city council several terms. He is a member of United Lodge, No. 5, A. F. and A. M., and 
Royal Arch Chapter, No. 15. He is secretary of both the lodge and chapter. Himself and 
wife are members of the M. E. church south. He is one of Greene's landmarks, and is 
regarded as an upright Christain gentleman. 

JOHN P. McCAMMON. 

Mr. McCammon is a son of Samuel and M. E. (Brown) McCammon, and was born May 
25, 1853, near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and was educated at Wesleyan universitj', located at that 
place. He graduated from that institution in 1877, and taught at the university one jear. 
During the years 1878 and 1879, he was superintendent of public schools at Brooklyn, Iowa. 
He resigned and came to Ash Grove, Mo., where he taught school iwo years. He then came 
to Springfield and studied law in the office of Hubbard & Simmons. He had read law pre- 
viously in the office of Gen. Weaver, of Iowa. Mr. McCammon was admitted to the bar in 
this city, June 22, 1881, and was appointed notary public January 30, 1883. His father was 
a native of Pennsylvania, and moved to Iowa about 1851. He died in 1864, at Pulaski, 
Iowa. His wife is still living. They had three sons and two daughters, John P. is the old- 
est. He is a member of the Masonic order, and a young lawyer of good promise. 



t 




MC.'i) 



i 



1 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 785 

JAMES Mccarty. 

Mr. McCarty is the son of James and Bridget (Coakley) McCarty, and was born in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, in January, 1827. He lived in that city nineteen years, and then learned the 
trade of a slater at Harrisburg, Pa. In 1856 he went to Saline county, Mo., and in 1861, he 
came to this county and settled in Pond creek township. In early times Mr. McCarty 
freighted goods from KoHa to Springfield and Fort Smith, Ark. He was married in Iowa 
Cit3% la., in October, 1858, to Miss Margaret Kennedy. Their union was blest with nine 
children, seven of whom are now living. Mr. McCarty's father was a native of county Cork, 
Ireland, and came to the United States in 1833, landing at New Orleans. He died at Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, in August, 1859. His wife died in the same city soon after coming to this coun- 
try. They had a family of nine sons and one daughter, James being the only one born in 
America. He has been a property holder in Greene county for over twenty years. 

JAMES W. McCOLLAH. 

Mr. McCoUah is a son of John W. and Nelcenia (Short) McCollah, and was born at 
Kingston, Tennessee, January 25th, 1845. His parents came to Greene county, and settled 
about ten miles southwest of Springfield. In 1852 his parents removed to Stone county. Mo. 
and remained there until 1866. Upon the 13th of January, 1865, James enlisted in company 
A, 1st Missouri regiment. At the close of the war Jhe came to Springfield, and from 1866 
until 1878 he wasdeputy postmaster of the citj'. In 1880 he was elected city treasurer upon 
the Republican ticket, which office he still holds, discharging the duties of that responsible 
office in a most acceptable manner. Since 1878 he has been connected with the government 
mail service. He was married in November, 1869, to Miss Anna Stevens. That union was 
blest with three sons and one daughter. His first wife died March 14th, 1880, and he was 
married the second time to Miss Catherine H. Greene, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- 
Collah are members of the M. E. church. His mother died in November, 1860, and his 
father died October loth, 1864, and he had been in the State service for two years, and was a 
strong Union man during the war. They had six children, four sons and two daughters. 

Mr. James W. McCollah is the second child. 

ii 

WILLIAM JASPER McDANIEL (deceased). 
Mr. McDaniel was the son of Samuel A. and Sarah (Bray) McDaniel, and was born May 
12th, 1832, ill North Carolina. When he was about twe^lve years of age his parents came to 
Missouri and settled in Christian county. At the age of twenty-one Jasper came to Spring- 
field and accepted a clerkship in the store of Maj. McElhany at eight dollars per month. 
He was married in this oounty November 11, 1863, to Miss Emma Evans, a native of North 
Carolina. Three sons and two daughters bless the union. Mrs. McDaniel is a member of 
the M. E. church south. Wm. J. McDaniel 's father was a native of Nortk Carolina also, 
and died in April, 1876. His mother died in March, 1865. They had a family of three sons 
and four daughters, the oldest son, Alfred, was killed by bushwhackers near Ozark, Mis- 
souri. Jasper was the sixth child, and at his father's death received a handsome patrimony, 
and being one of the most careful, far-seeing business men of the county, he had already ac- 
cumulated a fine estate, to which was added his portion of his father's property, and made 
him one of the wealthiest men of the city. He was enterprising and progressive, many of 
the best buildings in Springfield being built by his money and judgment. He died in the 
spring of 1883. 

MAJOR ROBERT J. McELHANY. 

This gentleman was born in Grainger count3^ Tennessee, about tlie year 1815, the family 
records being lost upon his father's death, when young Robert was seven yt-iirs of age. Be- 
ing thrown upon his own resources when a mere child, he faced the world and fought through 
all obstacles, and came out victorious. He would carry his book in his hat, and read at 
noon and other odd times, while his horse was resting during the day, and took advantage 
of every spare hour he had to improve himself intellectual!}'. He came to Missouri in 1835, 

50 



786 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

penniless, in company with a blacksmith, lie helped the blacksmith burn a coal pit, and 
then secured a position on the U. S. survey at forty-five dollars per month, for three months. 
He soon returned to Springfield and accepted a position as clerk in a store, virhere he worked 
for one year. Then three friends advanced him one hundred dollars each, and with that sum 
he bought a stock of groceries, and opened out in the business here, which he followed three 
or four years, and next engaged in the dry goods business, which he followed until 1865. 
He then sold out, engaged in banking, organizing the first national bank of Springfield in 
1870, and has been its president to the present. He was postmaster of Springfield, under 
Polk's administration, and had been a major of militia in 1840. During the late civil war 
he was captain of Co. A, 46th infantry; the company was called out late and saw no active 
service. He was one of the prime movers in the wagon-factory enterprise of Springfield, 
which is one of the noted industries of the place. Major McElhany was married November 
9, 1838, to Miss Cordelia M., daughter of John and Margaret Bunch, of Polk county, Mis- 
souri. Mrs. McElhany is a native of Grainger county, Tenn., and is a neice of Gen. Clement 
C. Clav, one of Alabama's senators, who resigned his seat at the commencement of the late 
war. They have three children living, viz. : Margaret M., wife of Hon. S. H. Boyd, Robt. 
L., and Lucy, wife of the late Col. L. A. Campbell, of Mississippi. Major McElhany is a 
Royal Arch Mason, and has been a member of the Methodist church for thirty-four years. 
He is one of Greene's most substantial citizens, and upright in all dealings with his fellow-man. 

DU. ALEXANDER W. McPHEPvSON. 

Dr. McPherson i- the son of Mark and .Jane (Boggs) McPherson, and was born in Boone 
countv, Kentucky, September 7th, 1820. His father died when he was but eighteen months 
old, and his mother died at Helena, Arkansas, in 1841. They had five children, two boys 
and three girls, only two of whom are now living, viz. : Alexander W. and Elizabeth A. 
Dr. McPherson lived in Kentucky until 1840, when he moved to Helena, Arkansas, where he 
was engaged in farming for some time, and, in 1841, he was second clerk upon a Red river 
steamboat. He then removed to Texas, where he lived some seven months, when he was 
summoned home to attend his mother's funeral. December 28th, 1843, he came to St. Louis, 
where he was married to Miss Almira Cummings. Their union has been blest with nine 
children, five of whom are now living. After his marriage he went to Ghent, Kentucky, 
and from there to Louisville. In February, 1845, he returned to Helena, Arkansas. He 
next moved to Norwalk, Ohio, in 1848. He graduated from Sterling medical college at Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, in 1851, and in January, 1853, he moved to St. Louis county, Missouri, where 
he practiced his profession until 1862. He then carried on farming until March, 1870, when 
he came to Springfield, and for ten years was extensively engaged in the cattle business. 
He was elected in 1881 and 1882 city recorder of Springfield, and in November, 1882, was 
elected upon the Democratic ticket to the office of treasurer of this county. Dr. McPher- 
son ii a Mason, and is a member of the Baptist church. His brother, Wm. M., was presi- 
dent of the Missouri Pacific railroad for four j'ears, and also of the St. Louis and Illinois 
Bridge company. He died November 2d, 1872, in St. Louis, Miesouri. Dr. McPherson's 
wife died in November, 1882. 

WALTER F. McPHERSON. 
Mr. IMcPherson is the son of H. W. and Martha (Stone) McPherson, and was born at Wa- 
bash, Indiana, May 19th, 1849. He was educated at the university at Indianapolis, but now 
located at Irvington, Indiana. He graduated in the scientific course. He learned the trade 
of carpenter at Wabash and Indianapolis. He came here in February, 1876, and the first 
buildings of importance built bj' him were the residence of W. G. Porter, on St. Louis 
street, and the school building at Ash Grove. He built the first year about twenty-five 
houses, and in 1882, between seventy-five and a hundred. He employs about twenty -five 
hands, and is the largest contractor and builder in the city. In 1882 he built the residence 
of Col. Fellows. He was married November 25th, 1871, to Miss Matilda Stephens, of Wa- 
bash, Indiana. Their union has been blest with two sons and one daughter. Mr. McPher- 
son is a member of the K. of H., and himself and wife are members of the Christian church. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 787 



ELDER HENRY W. McPHERSON. 



This gentleman is the son of William and Mary (Stickney) McPherson, and was born 
December 19, 1811, in Baltimore, Md. His parents moved to Lafayette county, Indiana, in 
1824, where Henry received his education. In 1837 he was licensed to preach by the Chris- 
tian church at Wabash, Ind., and preached in what is known as the old "Boundary Line 
church," one of the first churches organized in the county. He preached at that church 
until 1875, and then moved to Springfield, Mo., and is now an elder in the Christian church 
at this place. He was married May 1, 1834, to Miss Martha Stone, of Scott county, Ken- 
tuck}\ Their union has been blest with nine children, five sons and four daughters. Mrs. 
McPherson has been a consistent member of the Christian church for over fifty years. El- 
der MoPherson's father was a native of Scotland, and came to the United States in 1808 as 
a missionary of the Congregational church. He was educated in G-lasgow and Edinburghj 
Scotland, and in his work in America he traveled from Elaine to Georgia. He died at the 
iige of seventy-three. His wife died when Henry was an infant. Elder McPherson is one 
of the " salt of the earth," and enjoys the confidence of all. 

JAMES T. MEANS, M. D. 

Dr. Means was born in Monroe county, Koutucivy, September 4, 1824. He is the son of 
James and Sidney (Mayfield) Means. His father was a native of North Carolina, and his. 
grandmother on his mother's side was born in Wales. His father died in Monroe county, Ken- 
tucky, in 1854. James T., our subject, came to Mt. Vernon, Lawrence county, Mo., in 1846. 
He was reared upon the farm, but began the study of medicine in 1844, and graduated in the 
medical department of the State University in 1847, under the instruction of Dr. McDowell, 
who afterward established McDowell's Medical College at St. Louis. He commenced the 
practice of medicine at Mt. Vernon, and afterwards removed to Cassville, Barry county, 
where he remained ten years, and then moved to Farmington, St. Francois county, where 
he continued the practice until the war broke out. He was the surgeon of a cavalry regi- 
ment under Gen. Jeff. Thompson, in 1861, after that he was with Gen. Sterling Price, and 
was in most of the battles of the trans-Mississippi department. He was not actively engaged 
in military or professional duty during the war all the time, as he sometimes would be re- 
lieved for a few months. His family returned to Kentucky during those trying times. At 
the close of the war he practiced medicine at Hodginville, Larne county, Kentucky, for a 
short time, then went to Gallatin, Tennessee, where he lived two years. From there he 
moved to Pocahontas, Arkansas, where he remained about eighteen months, when he came 
to Springfield in 1869, and has lived here ever since. He was married in 1862 to Miss Lizzie 
M. Curtis, He is a member of Solomon lodge, A. F. and A. M., and is also a member of 
the Christian church. Mrs. Means is an Episcopalian. 

WASHINGTON MERRITT. 

This gentleman is the son of Samuel and Sallie (Ross) Merritt, and was born in William- 
son county, Teimessee, January 30th, 1809. His forefathers were among the earliest settlers 
of North Carolina, his grandfather, James Merritt, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. 
His father was a pioneer settler of Tennessee, and moved to Kentucky late in life, where he 
died. Washington was reared upon a farm in Tennessee, where he early learned what is 
meant by hard work. In July, 1833, he was married to Louisa Owens, of his native count}-, 
and in the spring of 1840 he emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, where he became a 
leading citizen, and improved several farms in Campbell township. His first wife died in 
January, 1842, and he then married Mrs. Maria Chapman. She died in March, 1854, and in 
August, 1856, Mr. Merritt was married to Elizabeth Blakey. Mr. Merritt is the father of 
twelve children, and those that are now living are all doing well. In politics Mr. Mer- 
ritt has always been a Democrat, and ever since his residence in this county has been a con- 



788 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

sistent member of the Christian church. No man in the county stands higher in the regard 
of his fellow-man than he, and he is one of the few landmarks showing the character of the 
early settlers of this part of the State, that is yet left in full vigor to show what manner of 
men it took to make the " wilderness blossom as the rose." 

JAMES R. MILNER. 

This gentleman is the son of David M. and Mary A. (Chambers) Milner, and was born at 
Mount Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio, September 4th, 1845. He attended the public 
schools of his native town until 1862, when he enlisted in company D, 98th Ohio regiment. 
He served until the war closed and was mustered out at Louisville, Kentuck}'. He was with 
Sherman in his " march to the sea." After the war ceased he attended the law department 
of the Michigan University' for two years, graduating in 1867. In September of that year 
he came to Springfield, and practiced his profession for some time, and in 1869 was deputy 
United States collector for Southwest Missouri. In 1870 he was elected upon the Republi- 
can ticket to the office of county superintendent of public schools, which oflSce he held for 
two years. Mr. Milner was president of the board of regents of the State normal 
school from 1870 until 1874, and was deputy United States attorney for some time of this 
part of Missouri. In 1880 he was elected from the second ward, to represent that ward in 
the city council. He has been engaged in the real estate business nearly ever since coming 
to the county. He was married July 5, 1876, to Miss Hattie A. Cummings, who, at that 
time, was lady principal ofDrury College. They were married at the bride's home at Ober- 
lin, Ohio. He and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian church, of which he 
is a deacon. Mr. Milner's father is still living at Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. His mother died in 
187;^. They had six children, three boys and three girls, all living, of whom James R. is 
the youngest son. 

COL. SAMUEL MOORE. 

Col. Moore is the son of Galihew and Rhuda (Lawrence) Moore, and was born February 
27, 1819, in Surry county. North Carolina. He was educated in his native county, and re- 
mained at home upon the farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He then married 
Miss Sarah Moore, of Hawkins county, Tennessee, in Januarj', 1842. Their union was 
blest with five children, viz. : Anna M., Laura E., Francis A., a physician of Lamar county, 
Texas, Samuel, jr., and Walter S., a lawyer, now judge of the common pleas court of Lamar 
countjs Texas. Col. Moore lived in Dade, Polk and Cedar counties in Missouri, and in 1849, 
he went to California, where he lived two years. In 1852 he sold goods in Greenfield, Dade 
county, Missouri, and remained there six years. In 1858 he moved to Osceola, St. Clair 
county, Missouri, and lived there until 1861, when he was burned out entirely by Jim Lane's 
Kansas troops. He then went to Fa3'etteville, Arkansas, and remained there until 1865. 
His next removal was to Matamoras, Mexico, and from there to Paris, Texas, where he lived 
until 1868. Then he moved to Springfield, Mo., where he has been city treasurer and street 
commissioner. He and his wife are members of the ^I. E. Church South. Col. Moore's 
father died in 1864, and his mother in 1863. The colonel's tather represented Surry county 
jn the North Carolina Legislature twice, and at an early day was colonel of the North Caro- 
lina State militia. At present. Col. M. is City Recorder of Springfield. 

CAPTAIN PHILIP C. MORHISER. 

The captain is the son of J. P. and Mary M. (Fogelson) Morhiser, and was born in Balti- 
more, Maryland, May 11, 1812. He was educated in his native city. In 1836 he went with his 
parents to Dubuque, Iowa, where Philip was chief of police for four years. He afterward 
became a member of the city council and president of the board of town trustees, and after 
that received the appointment of city marshal. In 1861 he had charge of a force of detec- 
tives employed in the custom-house for the government. In 1863 he was made captain of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 789 

company G, 8th Iowa cavalry. He was wounded in the head at the battle of Noonan, where 
he and his company were captured and taken to Macon, Georgia, and then to Charleston. 
South Carolina, and there paroled. He was chief of police on patrol under General 
Thomas at Nashville, and in the fall of 1865 was mustered out at Clinton, Iowa. In 1866 he 
was appointed by the governor to take charge of a distillery. During 1867 and 1868 was 
again marshal of Dubuque. In the fall of 1869 he came to Springfield, Missouri, and sold 
goods for a year, and has been a member of the city council from the first ward. He was 
married November, 1834, in Baltimore to Miss Amelia Buch. They were blest with seven 
children, six girls and one boy. The captain is a Mason and his wife is a member of the 
Episcopal church. His father came to Baltimore from Prussia in 1809. He was a soldier in 
the wars between France and Prussia some years before he died in 1849, and his wife in 1854. 
They had eleven children, Ihree of whom are now living. The captain was the fourth 
child. 

LEON MOKICE. 

Mr. Morice is a native of France, and came to the United States in 1867. In 1869 he 
went to St. Louis, and in May, 1876 he came to Springfield. He was married to Miss Bour- 
guenot, and by their marriage have two children, Edniond and Eugenie. Mr. Morice is 
by trade an engraver, and worked at it for some time in Philadelphia. He is one of the 
firm of E. J. Bourguenot & Co., candy manufacturers of Springfield, and do the largest 
business of the kind in the Southwest. 

THOMAS J. MURRAY. 

This gentleman is the son of W. C. and Malinda (Stone) Murry, and was born December 
5, i857, two and one-half miles southwest of Ash Grove, Greene county, Mo. He was 
educated in the country schools and at Ash Grove. In the fall of 1880 he taught school 
upon Leeper prairie, and from January 1, 1881, until November, 1882, read law in the office 
of W. H. Davis, and was there admitted to the bar by Judge Geiger. He is a young man of 
much promise and is building up a good practice. His parents are yet living in this county. 
They came from Monroe county, Tennessee, and located in Dade county. Mo., in 1854, and 
in the summer of 1855 they came to this county. They had nine children, five sons and four 
daughters, Thomas J., being the oldest child. 

JOHN H. MURPHY. 

This gentleman is the son of William and Isabella (Rider) Murphy, and was born in Pitt- 
sylvania count3% Virginia, December 11, 1807. His parents moved to Edgar county. 111., in 
1819, and at the age of twenty John went to Danville, 111., and entered the law office of John 
J. Brown, a prominent attorney of that place. He was admitted to the bar in 1838, and 
practiced there until 1853. In 1836 he was elected, upon the Whig ticket, to the Illinois 
Legislature, from Vermillion county, and served until 1840. In 1853 he moved to Alton, 
111., where he lived twelve years, and in 1865 went to Topeka, Kansas, and was appointed 
district judge for one term. While at Alton he was a member of the city council for seven 
years. He was receiver of the land office at Danville, 111., appointed by President Taylor. 
He has been U. S. commissioner both in Illinois and at Springfield, Mo. He came here in 
August, 1867, and practiced law for about five years, and has held the office of city treasurer 
and recorder. He was married in December, 1829, in Danville, 111., to Miss Cynthiana Al- 
exander. Their union was blest with four children, but one of whom is now living, Wil- 
liam, at Alton, 111. His first wife died March 24, 1840, and upon the 8th of December fol- 
lowing, he was married to Miss Ada Pinsoii. Mr. Murphy's father died June 16. 1840, and 
his mother, at the age of eighty-eight, upon the 16th of December, 1870, in Edgar county, 
111. Thev had seven children, three sons and four daughters. Mrs. McCowan, of Edgar 
county, ill., and John H., are the only children living. 



790 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

CHARLES S. NEISWANGEK. 

This gentleman is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth S. (Askew) Neiswanger, and was born 
at St. Clairville, Ohio, April 14, 1849. In 1868 he went to St. Louis, Mo., but soon after 
came to Springfield where he was in the drug store of Milner & Co. for two years. He then 
went back to St. Louis, where he graduated in the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and 
also took a private course in chemistry at Washington University under Professors Leon- 
hardt and F. E. Nipher. He returned to Springfield in 1880, where, upon January 11th, of 
that 3'ear, he was married to Miss Hayes. They have one child, Helen. Mr. Neis- 
wanger's father is a noted veterinary surgeon, of St. Clairville. He and his wife reared a 
family of four boys and four girls, all of whom are living. Neiswanger Bros, have one of 
the best appointed retail drug stores in Soutliwest Missouri, and do the largest retail busi- 
ness in the city. Charles S. and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian 
church. 

LEWIS A. NEWTON. 

This gentleman is the son of Henry W. and Mary (Coleman) Newton, and was born June 
16th, 1832, in Caroline county, Virginia. He was reared upon the farm, and attended Rich- 
mond College for three years. After completing his education he returned to the farm and 
lived there until 1859, when he moved to Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where he taught school 
two terms, and then went to Owensburg, Kentucky. He returned to Lawrenceburg soon 
after, and upon the 30th of September, 1860, was married to Miss Eliza V., daughter of Ed- 
win Martin. Their union was blest with nine children, four boys and five girls. He came to 
Springfield, Missouri, in October, I860, but soon went to Cassville, Barry county, and fol- 
lowed his profession of teaching. In the spring of 1862 he returned to Springfield, and ac- 
cepted the position of first clerk in the quartermaster's department, which position he held 
until November, 1865. In January, 1866, he went with Captain R. B. Owens to Fort Riley, 
Kansas, and took charge of the abstract department. In November, 1866, he came back to 
Springfield, Missouri, and engaged in prosecuting claims against the government* He was 
elected upon the Democratic ticket to the office of county collector, in 1874, and served two 
years. In 1869 he was city assessor, and a member of the council in 1871, and has been a 
member of the school board as one of the directors. Mr. Newton is a Mason, and he and his 
wife are members of the Baptist church. His father died in 1852 and his mother in 1876. 
They had seven children, four boys and three girls, of whom Lewis A. is the oldest. 

JOB NEWTON. 

This gentleman was born in the State of Delaware, .July 26, 1826, and came to St. Louis, 
Mo., in 1888. In 1849 he crossed the great plains to California, leaving St. Louis in March 
and reaching California in the following September. The train he was with took the first 
merchandise to Salt Lake. In 1851 he returned to St. Louis, and in 1854 he re-crossed to 
California and freighted goods for John Howe, with a large wagon train. He returned to St. 
Louis January 8, 1855, and upon the 5tli of October, 1855, again started to California, going 
by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Hp came back to St. Louis in 1856, where he remained 
until 1868, when he came to Springfield, and brought his family the year following. He 
was engaged in the general merchandise business "until 1872, and then embarked in the gen- 
eral produce trade, which he still carries on. He was elected to the city council in 1869, 
from the fourth ward, upon the Democratic ticket. He has always taken an active part in 
the building up of the city, and was a leading spirit in the erection of the opera house. He 
was married in September, 1856, to Miss Minerva C. Ault. They were blest with five chil- 
dren, all sons, three of whom are now living. Mr. Newton is a Royal Arch Chapter Mason, 
St. John's Commandery, No. 20. His father died when he was but an infant, and his mother 
died in St. Louis soon after her removal to that city. Mr. Newton is one of the staunch 
business men of Springfield, and has done much to advance her commercial interests. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 791 

WILLIAM S. NORFLEET. 

Mr. Norfleet is the sou of David and Elizabeth (Shackleford) Norfleet, and was born 
March 10, 182G, in Wayne county, Kentucky. His parents emigrated to Polk county, Mis- 
souri, in 1838, and at the n.'j,e of eighteen William came to Springfield, and went to school 
to J. A. Stephens, who was killed by Zagonyi's men in their charge into Springfield, in 
1861. He lived here until 1848, and studied medicine in the office of Dr. Shackleford. In 
the fall of 1848 he went to Sarcoxie, Jasper county, and practiced his profession for a time. 
In the spring of 1850, he went to California, and returned in the winter of 1854, to Spring- 
field. He next purchased a farm on Grand prairie, four miles northwest of the city, where 
he dealt largely in stock. He sold tlie farm in 1863, and in 1868 he bought another farm 
upon Kickapoo prairie, a mile and a half southwest of Springfield, where he lived until Sep- 
tember 15, 1881, when he moved into Springfield. He suflered greatly during the war at the 
hands of the soldiers, his stock driven off, and himself kept a prisoner for a week in the 
court-house. Mr. Norfleet was married May 13, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth C. Shuliz, a native 
of Tennessee. Their union has been blest with seven children, five of whom are now living, 
three sons and two daughters. He is a Mason, and his wife is a member of the M. E. 
Church South. His father sold goods for a while at Ebenezer, this county, but was a farmer 
most of his life. He died in Texas, in 1868, and his mother died in 1862 at Ebenezer- 
They reared four boys, all now living, William S. being the oldest. Mr. Norfleet is one of 
Greene's affluent citizens and a thorough gentleman. 

SAMUEL ODELL. 

Mr. Odell is the son of Samuel and Ovela (Welch) Odell, and was born at East Hartford, , 
Connecticut, October 8, 1834, and was educated there and in Lower Canada. At the age of 
thirteen he was bound out for three years to learn the carpenter's trade. In 1858 he went 
into the "oil regions" in Pennsylvania and Canada. He put down the first well at Enesci- 
low. He enlisted in Ma}-, 1861, in company A, 5th Connecticut volunteers for sixty days, 
and was at the battle of Bull Run. After the expiration of sixty days, he and his brother 
Alexander joined company A, 8th Connecticut volunteers, and remained three years and 
ten months. He was wounded at the battle of Seven Pines, and was captured before Rich- 
mond and confined six weeks at "Castle Thunder ".and escaped. In 1865 he returned to 
the oil regions, and was master and superintendent for the United States petroleum company. 
In 1866 he went to Cincinnati, and from there to St. Louis, Missouri. In 1868 he was a dele- 
giite to the national Democratic convention from the eighth ward of St. Louis, that nomi- 
nated Seymour and Blair, and also a delegate to Jefferson City in the interest of John S. 
Phelps. H|! came to Springfield in the latter part of 1868, and in 1871 was street commis- 
sioner, and in 1872 was a member of the council from the fourth ward. In 1877 he went to 
the Black Hills, and travelled over the great West. He is now proprietor of the Odell house 
on Boonville street. He was married February 2, 1868, to Miss Victoria Bouguenot, who 
was born at Paris, France. They have one son and two daughters. Mr. Odell's father died 
at East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1846, and his mother died in 1864. They had three chil- 
dren, viz. : Alexandria, Victoria, and Samuel. Samuel's father was a civil engineer, and was 
on the government survey in Illinois, Missouri, and the one establishing the bo\indary line 
between the United States and Canada. 

JOHN. H. ONSTOTT. 

Mr. Onstott is the son of Jonh W. and Rebecca Onstott, and was one of a family of two 
sons and two daughters, born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Julj' 23, 1839. His father, John 
W., was a native of Kentucky, born in Shelbyville in 1781. He served in the "war of 
1812," and was in the same company with Dick Johnson, who killed Tecumseh, enlisting as 
a private, but coming out as a commissioned officer. After the war he came to Little 
Rock, Arkansas, and entored 80 acres of land, where the court-house now stands. He sold 



79i> 

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



the land for a shot-gun and thirty doHars in mon^v Tn iqqt i ^ • , 

FayetteviUe, where he died in IHfiS HiV ^ ^m ! '""''"^ ^''^^ '"^ ^^-^^y to 

Missouri, inAugus, 1882 S e w! ' a S ^^0^::; " /'^"^ ''" '''^^ ^" ^P""^^^'''^' 
stott at Little Rock. Tl e subil of th i, L tJ """' T^ ^"' '"^""^'^ *« *^^ '^^'^ O- 
cated at FayetteviUe, th^^^ p^esL" ove^ ^tt'r tTrallrlt" ^^'^"^T ^'°"^^^' ^- 
to Illinois, whither he removed his mother'^and f ni^ a e h-1 t^^^ 
C.V.1 war, he came to Springfield, this county, where he his been ^ . ^^''' '^' 

sole proprietor, its " ^etrn^f b^ t^l ors: ^u^hS^M^^ 

Dow & Co. In 1882, he^orglZd'^et th wLZ^rptrnlt'c '^'^''^ ''"'■ '' ^^ ^• 
capital of $10,000, and is now the president IT ^"'P "'"""* Company, with a cash 

They work about 75 operatives, al haTfouTL i^^^^ria''' '"^'7 °' ^'^^ ^^"^^^"• 
works cover half an acre of ground Thev h^ve th ? .^^ ''drummers." Their 

sale of the Davis Automatic a.y stck! " MrOn o r "" "^ '/' manufacture and 
sey. of Springfield, February 14 1869 Th« ^ .u T"' ""^'"'^ '^ ^''' ^^<i^ M«s- 
a. jr. L. O. be'longs K of P K o H I^d r^" ^''^,^^^"7^^'-' E^-, and John 
temperance advocate,\nd laborLfrduts^^t th^t ca^s? '^''- ^^ ' ^^^° ^ ^*^^"»" 



CHAPTER XXXI. 
RESUME OF THE CTrY'S HISTORY FROM 1876 TO 1883. 

""ofa .SiT'^"t1^'''^'%''^"/^^-^- ""■ E-tension-Incidents-Rise and Fall 

Cemetery-'puWi^sZr-CWl'^ ^^^^^ ^^^^-a - Nation!! 

y ""'^^'^'"'^'* — *-*^"'^ches -Lodges — Biographical Sketches. 

GENERAL. 

By 1876 Springfield had assumed the proportions of a city and 
.nee that t„„e its p.-ogress in that direction has never recdUd a 
check Wl.oles;.le and jobbing houses have been established, and 
a considerable foreign trade has long been attracted to the ;iace 
Manuf„ctor,es have been built and operated and made fairly successful. 
The streets have been repaired - although there is still much improve- 
ment needed ,n this particular -additions made to the corporation, 
reforms ot every sort introduced into its municipal government, and 
in short, there has been an honest, earnest etfort of the vast majority 
of the people to make the city what it should be. Many northern men 
w,th then- proverbial pluck, enterprise, and sagacity, have been at- 
tracted to the place, and to them in great part is due much of the 
City s prosperity. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 793 

^priugfield has never been without its dead weights, however. 
Certain of its citizens, who have lived long in the phice, have always 
opposed every enterprise to which they have been asked to contribute 
a dollar, and there are yet a few old fogies, with objects selfish and 
sordid and ideas old and obsolete, who have opposed and still oppose 
all schemes of public improvement likely to cost themselves a penny, 
but the proportion of this class of individuals to the entire population 
never was large, and each year is growing smaller by degrees and beau- 
tifully less. " Old Scrooge " lives in Springfield yet. He has made 
some money by the industry and enterprise of others, and by the 
Shylockian system of cent-per-cent ; but he does not enjoy his gains, 
or permit others to, and in a few years will die aud make no sign, and 
be buried *' unwept, unhonored, and unsung." Vex not his ghost. 

The building of the Memphis road, as the Kansas City, Fort Scott, 
& Gulf Railroad is called, especially its completion through from 
Kansas City to Springfield, was the beginning of a new era of pros- 
perity in the history of Springfield. The extension of the branch of 
the *' Frisco" road from North Springfield to Ozark, and thence 
southward into Arkansas, promises ultimately important results, but 
as yet has not begun to bear full fruit. A short history of the build- 
ing of the Gulf road to Springfield may not be inappropriate. 

The idea of a line of railroad from Kansas City to Memphis, via 
Springfield, is by no means a very recent one. Years ago the feasi- 
bility of the project was recognized, aud initiatory steps taken toward 
the enterprise. It was, from some cause dropped, and not again re- 
vived until 1870. A convention was then held in Springfield, as before 
noted, which was attended by delegates from most of the counties along 
the proposed route, aud amid the greatest enthusiasm it was resolved 
to once more undertake the building of so important a line. Col. 
John M. Richardson, then of our city, was elected president, and 
Greene county, together with Dade and others, issued bonds in its aid. 
The amount of the Greene county issue was $400,000. Work was 
commenced at once, and the road bed constructed from Springfield to 
Ash Grove, in this county. Considerable grading was also done in 
Dade county, but at this stage the financial panic of 1873 overtook the 
work and completely prostrated it. This placed our people in an 
embarrassing position. Over $200,000 of the $400,000 issue had been 
sold, and the holders were clamoring for their interest. We had 
nothing to show for the investment but the twenty miles of road which 
was rapidly going to ruin. Varied and desperate efibrts were made from 



794 



HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 



time to time by our people to get the enterprise in such a condition 
that some public benefit could be realized from the investment. In 
1875 three public-spirited citizens, Messrs. L. H. Murray, H. E. 
Havens and another man, purchased of Mr. Richardson all the 
right, title and interest his company had in the road, with a view of 
pushing its completion. But they were met with obstacles at every 
step which were insurmountable, owing to the prejudices toward rail- 
roads, and for two years their investment, like that of the county, was 
so much dead capital. 




OPERA HOUSE, SPRINGFIELD, MO. 



The road — or the proposed road — was at first called the Spring- 
field and Western, but its name changed about as frequently as its 
fortunes. In the fall of 1877 the spirit of public enterprise, so often 
the offspring of desperate necessity, again strove with the people and 
they determined to resurrect the sleeping Springfield and Western, 
and give Messrs. Murray, Shepherd, and Havens an opportunity to 
build their road. The matter wns agitated, meetings were held all 
over the county, and subscription boojis opened. In a short time the 
sum of $35,000 was secured, the subscribers receiving for their money 
transportation certificates — dollar for dollar. The contract was at 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 795 

once let to Ash Grove, and in the spring of 1878 tlie cars began to run 
between that place and Springfieki. In 1881, under a new manage- 
ment, the present, the line was completed between Springfield and 
Kansas City. 

Immediately after the Kansas City connection had been made, 
property of all sorts, and especially realty, in Springfield advanced 
rapidl}^ and considerably, increasing in value in one year from 50 to 
200 per cent, and now (in March, 1883,) is still advancing. Build- 
ings of every valuable kind are going up all over the unoccupied por- 
tions of town, and there is not, and has not been for months, a vacant 
house in the city. Just now, it may be well to state for the benefit 
of some future historian, that the early completion to Springfield of a 
branch of the Chicago and Alton railroad system is confidently looked 
for. What the future of the city will be of course can only be con- 
jectured, but it is now certainly promising enough to satisfy the most 
sanguine and hopeful. 

THE ARKANSAS TRADE. 

What is known as the " Arkansas Trade," has been, and with 
proper attention, always will be, an item of importance to the mer- 
chants of Springfield. This territory embraces the leading towns and 
cross-roads, places of business in Northwestern Arkansas this side, and 
even beyond, the Boston mountains. It amounts to over a million 
dollars per annum, and is beingyearly increased, the venturesome mis- 
sionaries of our wholesale houses constantly spying out new fields of 
operations within the borders of much abused " Rackensack," It is 
largely from this country that the enormous quantities of cotten, hides, 
furs, and peltries, which form so important a part in our exports, are 
received. This trade is nursed carefully; and so long as our mer- 
chants manifest their present enterprise in catering to the wants of 
Northern Arkansas, it will be retained. 

The completion of the Ozark branch of the St. Louis and San Fran- 
cisco Railroad to Harrison, Arkansas, certain of accomplishment in the 
near future, will greatly facilitate trade and communication between 
the merchants of Northern Arkansas and those of Springfield. This 
line of railway will open up a large section of country tributary to 
Springfield, and not only give it communication with the outer world, 
but assist largelj' in its development, now in a very imperfect state. 
At present a great deal of the commerce between the sections is 
carried on by the primitive method of wagoning. From far down in 
Arkansas, in Boone, Carroll, Marion, and other counties, daily come 



796 HISTORY OF GKEENE COUNTY. 

into Springfield teams hauling cotton, furs, hides, etc., to this market, 
returning soon afterward, commonly with loads of merchandise for 
the Arkansas retail dealers. The cotton haulers are numerous, and 
a class sui generis. With any sort of a team, a horse and a mule, an 
ass and a horse, in viohition of the Pentateuch, these Rackensack 
teamsters make a vocation of hauling cotton to Springfield, and follow 
it for many months in the year. Two bales is an average cargo per 
wagon. The round trip sometimes occupies ten days. Often the 
teamsters travel in caravans. They camp out every night, even in 
the coldest weather, and are unlettered, uncouth, and unrefined, but 
jolly, generous hearted, and honest. 



INCIDENTS OF THE CITY's HISTORY FROM 1876 TO 1883. 

In 1876 the population of Springfield was 5,653, divided as follows : 
Whites, 4,452; colored, 1,201. The population of North Springfield 
was 1,038 — whites, 1,005 ; colored, 33. 



1877. 

In July, 1877, the residence of Henry Matlock, on North Campbell 
street, was burned ; loss, $2,000. In October a little son of J. G. 
Willeke was accidentally scalded to death. 

In the fall and winter of 1877 great interest was manifested in 
Springfield in the science, or subject, or wiiatever it may be, of the 
spiritualism, or the spirit philosophy. Numerous meetings were held, 
and numbers of prominent citizens became spiritualists. A "liberal 
society," with many members, was formed, and held regular meet- 
ings. Lectures were delivered by Mrs. Nettie Pease Fox, who was 
regarded as the leader of the believers in the harmonial philosophy. 
A magazine, called The Spiritual Ofering^ was established this year, 
with an office at 215 South street. Mrs. Fox was the editress of the 
Of'ering, which publication was short-lived, as was the " liberal soci- 
ety," as a society. Mrs. Fox left Springfield a fewyears later. Her 
husband, " Mr. Nettie Pease Fox," as he was sometimes called, was 
also a spiritualist. Furthermore, he is remembered as a borrower of 
money, but not a prompt payer at all times. Later in 1877 Prof. W. 
F. Jamieson lectured for the spiritualists and Liberals. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



797 



1878. 

In January, 1878, the Patriot newspaper issued a daily morning 
edition. The paper was a folio, with five columns to the page, and 
and contained telegraphic news, markets, etc. It was not a long- 
lived journal, failing to receive sufficient support. The paper was 
ahead of the times. 

February 26, began a discussion between Prof. W. F. Jamieson, 
spiritualist and " Liberal," and Elder W. R. Cunningham, of the 
Christian church, on the subject of spiritualism. The debate lasted 
for some days, and attracted considerable attention. 

August 21, a terrible storm of wind and rain visited the city, de- 
molishing buildings, prostrating orchards, shade trees, etc. Keet, 
Rountree & Co.'s two-story building was unroofed and torrents of 
water poured in on the goods with which the building was well filled. 
The M. E. church was injured. The cotton mill was damaged to the 
extent of $1,500. A building in the rear of the post-office was ut- 
terly demolished. A shoemaker's family had just moved in, but all 
escaped uninjured. 

CENSUS REPORT OF SPRINGFIELD FOR 1878. 





o5 

OS 


00 






i 






"«' 






e 


S 


e 


2 


B 


CO 


<» 




e 


AOSS. 


t^- 


^3 


S 




!5 

13 


1 




a 


^ 






S^ 






4) 








•« 




to 




e 


•1^ 


o 


e 


e 


e 


s 








"to 
















^ 


a 


^ 


^ 


a 


^ 


^ 


^ 


^ 


Under 10 years 


789 


240 


979 


792 


256 


1048 


1531 


496 


2027 


Between 10 and 20 


620 

545 

343 

224 

100 

43 

14 

2 


223 

173 

125 

73 

38 

14 

5 

7 


848 

718 

468 

297 

138 

57 

19 

7 


508 

452 

318 

241 

140 

58 

20 

1 


187 

154 

98 

64 

37 

16 

6 

2 


695 

60G 

416 

305 

177 

74 

26 

3 


1128 
997 
661 
465 
240 
101 
34 
3 


410 

327 

223 

137 

75 

30 

11 

9 


1538 


Between 20 and 30 


1324 


Between 30 and 40 


884 


Between 40 and 50 


602 


Between 50 and 60 


315 


Between 60 and 70 


131 


Between 70 and 80 


45 


Over 80 


12 






Total 


2680 


898 


3526 


2530 


820 


3350 


5160 


1718 


6878 







THE MRS. THOMPSON TRAGEDY. 



On the evening of May 29, 1878, a fearful tragedy occurred in 
Springfield, which horrified the citizens at the time, and must ever be 
remembered with a shudder. The locality where the terrible event 
occurred, was the residence of W. H. Lawson, Esq., on East Walnut 



798 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

street, between South and Jefferson streets, and the actors were Mrs. 
F. M, Thompson and Miss Nettie Thompson, mother and sister of 
Mrs. Lawson. 

Mrs. Thompson out her unmarried daughter's throat, and then 
committed suicide. The ahirm was given and a number of citizens 
repaired to the scene. Those who first arrived say that when tiiey en- 
tered the room one woman was lying on the bed in a pool of blood, and 
the other on the floor, each with her throat cut almost from ear to ear, 
and the blood still spurting from the ghastly wounds. The coroner 
and jury unite in asserting that it was altogether the most horrible 
sight ever presented to their eyes. 

Before the coroner's jury, Mr. W. C. Holland testified that he was 
going home, passing Dr. Clements' house, between half-past ten and 
eleven o'clock, when he heard the door-bell rino;inor at the scene of the 
tragedy, and going on, saw Mrs. Lawson standing on the steps of her 
house. She asked him to come in, when he inquired what was the 
matter, but she replied she could not tell him. He thought possibly 
that burglars were in the house, and hesitated for a moment, when Dr. 
Clements arrived, and the two went in together. .Going into the par- 
lor, Mrs. Lawson said that her mother had killed Nettie and then 
herself. The first intimation which Mrs. Lawson had had of the trag- 
edy was hearing a strange gurgling noise, and the fall of a body on 
the floor. She thought it was her children ; calling to them, and find- 
ing them all right, she went into her mother's room and found her 
and her sister, with their throats cut. 

Dr. Clements testified that about six weeks previous he was called 
to see Mrs. Thompson, and learned that at times she could not sleep. 
She was an oldish-like lady, being something near fifty years of age, 
and at times was very nervous. He had seen her every day after that 
up to the time of the tragedy, two weeks prior to which she had 
another attack of melancholy, but had been better and eaten heartily. 
The day before her suicide the doctor saw her, and she seemed cheer- 
ful, talking and laughing as lively as a young girl. At near eleven 
o'clock he was called in by Mrs. Lawson, and found Nettie Thompson 
on the bed and Mrs. Thompson on the floor near the bed, in the terri- 
ble condition before described. Other witnesses testified to the same 
effect. The jury rendered their verdict in accordance with the above 
facts, further finding that the act was committed by Mrs. F. M. Thomp- 
son while laboring under temporary insanity, induced by recent sick- 
ness. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 799 

The instrument with which the deed was done was an old, dull and 
rusty razor, which one of the children had found in the cellar a 
few days before. The razor was found on the bed, seeming to have 
been thrown or dropped there by Mrs. Thompson. Some of the 
young lady's garments, lying in a chair near the bed, were marked 
with bloody streaks, showing that the razor had been wiped off before 
it was used the second time. 

Miss Nettie Thompson was aged about sixteen, and was a young 
lady of much promise. The three ladies, with the children of Mrs. 
Lawson, were living alone in the house, Mr. W. H. Lawson being in 
St. Louis, where he is employed in business. 



1879. 

January 18, 1879, Mrs. Wellman's boarding house was burned. 
Loss, $1,500. 

November 1, the first number of the Daily Extra, an evening 
paper, was issued by Renshaw & Ingram, who are still (1883) the 
publishers. At first the Extra was a folio sheet, containing but five 
columns of matter to the page. It has been enlarged to a seven-col- 
umn paper. From the start, the Extra has been Republican in poli- 
tics, but has many readers and admirers among those of opposite 
politics. 



1880. 

At the city election this year, M. J. Rountree was chosen mayor ; 
G. D. Emery, marshal ; Z. M. Rountree, recorder; R. L. Goode, at- 
torney: all Democrats. The Republicans elected H. D. Brown, 
clerk; J. W. McCoUah, treasurer; Isaac Wunder, assessor. Four 
tickets were in the field — Democratic, Republican, Greenback and 
Temperance. The latter received 100 votes. 

The population of the place this year, as reported by the census 
enumerators, was 6,524. (See general history for 1880.) 



THE NATIONAL CEMETERY. 

The National cemetery was established in 1867. The land, five 
acres, was purchased from the city at a cost of $218.75. The first 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 801 

superintendent wiis Frane ; the next Martin Schmidt ; the next, 

R. C. Taylor ; the next,, the present, Capt. Peter McKenna. The 
total number of interments is 1,564, of which 848 are known, and 716 
are unknown. The total includes 30 Union citizens. 

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

The public schools of Springfield were not efficiently organized 
until April 24, 1867. James Baker was the first president of the 
school board, and D. L. Gorton, the first superintendent. In 1869, 
J. H. Nixon was superintendent; succeeding Nixon were B. F. New- 
land, in 1872-3; C. W. Hutchinson, in 1873-4: Jonathan Fairbanks, 
in 1874-5-6 ; R. L. Goode in 187- ; J. Fairbanks, in 1878 to — . The 
main school building was erected in 1869. The site, corner of Jefier- 
son and Olive, was purchased for $2,000. The colored school build- 
ing was completed in the spring of 1872, at a cost of $4,867. In 
1868, the high school was taught in the Mathias building, with 68 
pupils ; the primary in Phelps' hall, with 204 })upils ; total white 
pupils, 272. The colored school was taught in the African M. E. 
church, with 48 pupils. Present nunibei-, about 2,000. 

CHURCHES OF SPRINGFIELD ST. PAUL's M. E. SOUTH. 

From the conference held at McKendre's chapel. Cape Girardeau 
county, Missouri, beginning September 15, 1831, Rev. J. H. Slavens, 
who, after two years on trial as a minister, had been received into the 
conference, was appointed to what was called the James Fork of 
\\hite River Mission. Rev. Slavens spent the first Sabbath after 
conference at Greenville, Wayne county ; the next on the Gasconade 
river; he reached Springfield about the middle of that week, and 
stopped with Wm. Fulbright, who lived near the large spring bearing 
his name, now in the western part of town. The next Sabbath, 
which was October 10th, he preached in Mr. Fulbright's house, and 
this was the first sermon ever preached in Greene county. Three 
weeks thereafter, or on October 31, 1831, Rev. Slavens preached 
again and organized the first class of members of the M. E. church 
west of the Gasconade and south of the Osage river. The original 
members, eight in number, were Mrs. Ruth Fulbright, Isaac Woods 
and wife, Jane Woods, Bennett Ro])l)erson, Elvira Robberson, 
Samuel S. Mackay, and Sarah Mackay. (The last named afterward 
became Mrs. Sarah Mitchell). 

Polly Alsup, who afterward lived in Robberson township, north of 
51 



802 HISTORY OF GRKENE COUNTY. 

Ebenezer, was the first person who made a profession of religion on 
this mission. Rev. Shivens reported 47 members on his circuit at 
the close of the year 1831. Of this circuit, take Springfield as a 
center and Bolivar, Greenfield, James Fork, Hartville and Buffalo as 
points on its periphery, and some idea may be found of its extent. 
During: the first decade the mission became a district, with 1,850 
members. "Springfield circuit" had 580; but how many there 
were connected with Springfield cliurcJt cannot now be learned. 

Springfield was made a station in 1848. Rev. A. H. Matthis was 
the first stationed preacher. In 1849 he reported 80 members. The 
station that year was left "to be supplied." David Ross was the 
" supply," and in 1850 he reported 87 members. In 1860 Spring- 
field station reported a membership of 207. Then the next year the 
civil war broke out and the church suffered greatly in every way. 
Before the close of the conflict. Rev. L. M. Vernon, of the M. 
E. (Northern Methodist) church took possession of the church build- 
ing and records and held them both until about the close of the year 
18G8, when the building was recovered by its proper owners, but the 
records were never restored. 

As an instance of how the church suffered in loss of membership by 
the war, it may be stated that in 1870, five years after the close of 
hostilities, Springfield station reported a membership of only 119 
against 207 ten years previously. In 1880 the number of members 
was 226. At this writing (February, 1883,) the number is 209. 

The first house of worship occupied by the Methodists of Spring- 
field was built in the spring of 1832, only a short time after the 
organization of the first class, and stood about one mile east of the 
public square, near a large spring. It was a log house, with a pun- 
cheon floor, and furnished Avith slab benches, and a very plain pulpit. 
William Fulln-ight was the architect and contractor and built the 
house complete for $18. It was named and known as the Kickapoo 
Meeting House. As the land on which it stood had not yet been put 
on the market by the government, the site was never deeded to the 
church. The first quarterly conference of which there was any record 
was held in this meeting house, April 27, 1833. Rev. Jesse Green 
was presiding elder; James McMahan, P. C. ; Rev. J. H. Slavens 
secretary. The minutes of the conference 1831-2 (if any conferences 
were held) were never recorded. 

The next house, a neat frame building, was erected in 1843, on a 
lot some two blocks southwest of the public square in Springfield. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



803 



The site was deeded to Rev. J. H. Slavens, J. R. Dauforth, E. Headlee, 
and E. Perkins, trustees, who had been appointed by the quarterly 
conference held January 1, 1842. 

The present church building, a substantial brick, was built in 1858, 
and stands on the southwest corner of Walnut and South streets. 
Its present value is estimated at $10,000. During the war this church 
was used for a variety of military purposes, being occupied at differ- 
ent times as a hospital, a commissary store house, a barracks, and an 
arsenal. At one time it was well nigh filled with shot and shell and 
ordinance stores of all sorts. At the time of Gen. Marmaduke's 
attack on the city, January 8, 1863, the building was cannonaded by 
Collins' battery of Shelby's brigade. Three or four cannon shot 
struck the south walls ; the indentations are yet plain to be seen. 
Other shots passed through the roof. 

The pastors who have served the church at Springfield since its 
organization have been the followins:: — 



J. H. Slavens,^ 
James McMahan, 
H. J. Joplin, 
J. P. Neil, 
M. B. Evans, 
Edwin Robberson, 
C. F. Dryden, 
T. T. Ashby, 
B. P. Wood, 
Elijah Perkins, 
Silas Williams, 



S. S. Colburn, 
W. W. Jones, 
Joseph Williams, 
J. M. Kelly, 
B. McC. Roberts, 
G. M. Winton, 
Joseph Dines, 
A. H. Mathias, 
David Ross, 
J. L. Porter, 
D. S. Holman, 



A. H. Powell, 
J. W. Hawkins, 
J. H. Rhea, 

D. M. Proctor, 
W. M. Protsman, 
G. W. Horn, 
Warren Wharton, 
M. J. Law, 

E. S. Smith, 
T. M. Cobb, 
W. M. Poase, 



and Rev. C. H. Briggs, the present pastor. 



CHRIST CHURCH, EPISCOPAL. 

This church was organized in the spring of 1859, Rev. T. I. Hol- 
comb, who was formerly assistant in Christ's church, St. Louis, being 
the first minister. The original members were : Mrs. Wade H. Bur- 
den, a pioneer church woman ; Mr. J. A. Stephens, the first senior 
warden ; Mr. H. B. Farmer, first junior warden ; Miss Laura J. Berry, 



1 Dr. Slavens was received on trial in 1829, into full connection in 1831, and 
located in 1835. He was a practicing physician in Greene county for many years. On 
his way to James' Fork of White River Mission, in 1831, he overtook some movers at 
noon one day. He alighted and took lunch with them. The family settled near 
where Springfield now is, some of whom were present when he organized the class 
and one of whom became his wife. They were married the next summer and Brother 
Slavens had to go to Cooper county to get a preacher to marry them. 



804 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

first udult baptized ; Miss Sue Ware, baptized by immersion in Fnl- 
bright's spring ; Mrs. Dixon, a lineal descendant of John Rogers, the 
martyr ; Mr. Royal Greaves, Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Steele, Mrs. San- 
ford Peck. The following were additional members prior to the war : 
Lieut. Cregho, Dr. Cecil, Mrs. Wm. Simpson, Miss Mollie Fairchild 
and Miss Fannie Goft'. Mr. Holcomb first came to Springfield, at the 
request of Mrs. Burden, to baptize her infant daughter, and Miss 
Nellie Burden was therefore the first person baptized into this church 
in Springfield. During Mr. Holcomb's first visit here he also baptized 
several others, members of some of the leading families of the place. 
The baptisms were performed in the Presbyterian church, and for 
some time after that the services of the church were held in Temper- 
ance Hall, which stood on the east side of the public square. After 
that, services were held on alternate Sundays in the Baptist church. 
Mr. Holcomb remained in charge until the spring of 1861, when he 
was called to the charge of St. Paul's church in Cincinnati, which he 
accepted for three months, hoping while there to obtain aid for the 
construction of the new church which the society contemplated ereet- 
inof here. The war comins^ on about this time, Mr. Holcomb did not 
return, and the project of building was postponed. This society had 
services occasionally during the time of the war, among which was 
one extraordinary service, conducted in the Baptist church by a Con- 
federate oflScer, a layman, who read the Episcopal church service and 
then called upon Col. Mitchell, a Methodist minister, to close with 
prayer, which he did with a great deal of earnestness,, including a 
lengthy exhortation to the congregation. About the year 1868, under 
the efibrts of Rev. Wm. Charles, the erection of the present church, 
on the corner of East Walnut and Kimbrough streets, Avas commenced, 
but it was not completed and consecrated until New Year's eve, 1870. 
The consecration services were conducted by the Rev. C. T. Robert- 
son, LL. D. The church was at this time under the care of Rev. J. 
H. Waterman, by whose eff'orts the house was completed and cleared 
of debt. This church has always been celebrated for its excellent 
music, having always maintained a good choir. The first regular quar- 
tette choir was organized by Mrs. Burden, before mentioned, and con- 
sisted of Miss Jennie Stephens, soprano ; Miss Fannie Stephens, alto ; 
Wm. Stephens, tenor, and Geo. M. Sawyer, bass, with Miss Annie 
Stephens, organist. Among those who have officiated as organists 
were Miss Nellie M. Madison, Mrs. James Smith and Miss Clem Cul- 
bertson. The present membership is eighty. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 805 

The rectors who have served this church have been Rev. T. I. Hol- 
comb, Rev. C. Nash, Wm. Charles, J. H. Waterman, Timothy O'Con- 
nell, Frank B. Gilbert, T. W. Mitchell, T. F. C. James, Octavius 
Parker and Wm. Page Case. The parish aid society, now called Par- 
ish Guild, was organized in 1867, and has been in active operation up 
to the present time, with the exception of a few months. This band of 
ladies has been very successful in raising money for church purposes. 

THE FIRST CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SPRINGFIELD. 

This church was organized in the year 1844. Relating to its begin- 
nino" is the followino- minute : — 

" Ozark Presbytery of the C. P. Church, in session on the 4th of 
April, 1844, at Ponime de Terre camp ground, in Polk county. Mo. 
On petition: — Resolved, that a new congregation be organized in 
Springfield, to be known and called Springfield Congregation of the 
C. P. church, bounds to be Springfield and its vicinity, and Revs. J. 
Carthel and T. M. Johnson attend the organization of said cou^rega- 
tion." This resolution was carried out, and on the 19th of May, 
1844, the following named persons, many of whom are dead, signed 
the constitution, and thus became an organization : — John S. Bigbee, 
C. B. Holland, Enialine H. Holland, and "Leah," a black woman, 
S. B. Allen, H. Snow, S. H. Owens, A. Younger, Richard Younger, 
J. T. Morton, John S. Kimbrough, Mary Hackney, Katharine Kim- 
brough, Jane N. Younger, Lucinda Morton, Susan Julian, and a few 
other names by transfer. H. Snow, C. B. Holland, and S. B. Allen 
were elected ruling elders of the congregation, and S. B. Allen was at 
once made clerk of the session. This duty he faithfully performed 
until his death in July, 1847. C. B. Holland was then chosen clerk 
of the session, and has been performing the duties of this office for 
thirty-six 3'ears. For some years the congregation had no house of 
worship. In the year 1859 they began to erect the present brick, but 
the war came on and the congregation was disbanded, and the work 
on the house ceased. The house was used during the war by the 
Federal army and somewhat damaged. In 1868 the congregation 
was reorganized, the house completed, and in 1869 it was dedicated, 
the Rev. J. B. Logan officiating. The following are the ministers 
who have at different times had charge of the church : — 

J. Cathrell, T. M. Johnson, J. B. Logan, C. C. Williamson, Z. A. 
Anderson, W. W. Waters, Wm. McKenzie, J. N. Edminston, P. A. 
Rice. C. W. McBride, T. W. Pendegrass, and O. C. Hawkins. 



806 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The present pastor, R. V. Atkisson, came from Union Seminary, 
New York City, and began to labor with the congregation in 1881. 
The present membership is now about ninety. During the year 1882 
the Sabbath school quadrupled itself. Also in the same year sixteen 
hundred dollars were expended in repairing and furnishing the house. 
The house is now one of the most beautiful, convenient, and comfort- 
able buildings in the State. Its estimate value is $12,000. There 
is no debt over the congregation. While its membership is small, the 
aggregate wealth of the congregation will fall short of few in the land, 
outside of our large cities. The congregation has met many difficul- 
ties. It was about evenly divided on the war question, and thus for a 
number of years held no regular services. Its membership now is 
made up of early settlers and Southern families. Many of its original 
members are alive to-day. At times its membership has reached 
nearly three hundred. Many have gone from it to work in other parts 
of the land, while many have gone to their reward. 

BAPTIST CHURCH. 

The First Baptist church of Springfield, Mo., was constituted on the 
second Saturday in July, 1852. Springfield was then a village of about 
seven hundred souls, and there had hitherto been no Baptist preach- 
ing. Living here at that time was Elder B. McCord Roberts, who had 
but lately been a presiding elder in the Methodist church, but who, 
having changed his theological views, was now a Baptist and a mem- 
ber of the Liberty church, this county. To him is due the honor of 
being the main instrument and leader in the establishment of the 
church. The constituent members besides him were : Wm. Phillips, 
B. F. Price, William Evans, Nathaniel Robinson, Finella B. Caynor, 
Aaron Beckner, Francis A. Allen, P. H. Edwards, John Young and 
B. W. Henslee, of whom four lived in the country. 

Rev. Roberts was elected pastor, and the little flock gathered to be 
fed once a month in the small brick house on Olive street, northwest 
of the present Christian church house. As early as January, 1853, 
efforts were made to "arise and build," and in 1861 they entered 
their new house. In the intervening years the church, to find a place 
for worship, " went from house to house," meeting in Rev. Roberts' 
house, in the M. E. church, and in the Temperance Hall. During this 
time four ministers served as pastors — B. McCord Roberts, R. Eaton, 
Geo. White and James Kennon. Six months after entering their new 
house, they were forced to vacate and surrender it to the soldiers, who 
occupied it as, in truth, a church militant. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 807 

The buildins: was first used bv the Confederates, after the battle of 
Wilson's Creek, as a hospital, and then as a commissary department 
and storehouse. Soon after the Federals gained permanent possession 
of the town, in February, 1862, it was occupied first as a hospital and 
then as a home for Union refugees. For awhile, in 1864, Gen. San- 
born's body-guard used it for headquarters. 

At one time during the war an amateur dramatic club gave regular 
entertainments in the church for the benefit of the "refugee fund. " 
Among the members of this club was Miss Dosia Smith, who was aft- 
erward imprisoned in St. Louis as a "rebel spy," but on a proper 
investigation of her case she was honoral^ly acquitted. Miss Mary 
Phelps, daughter of Gov. John S. Phelps, Mrs. Burden, and Mrs. 
Fairchild were among the other members. From May, 1861, to Sep- 
tember, 1866, religious services were suspended, and during these 
years the house was badly abused, the seats all being destroyed, and 
the walls defaced and otherwise damaged. 

In September, 1866, with Rev. E. Alward, as moderator, the re- 
maining members of the old church and other Baptists in the city — 
13 in all — reorganized and again began business as co-laborers with 
the Lord. The following were officers in the organization : Clerk, F. 
P. Rosback ; treasurer, J. W. Lisenby ; deacon, B. W. Henslee, and 
pastor, Rev. E. Alward. Rev. Alward was pastor until July, 1867, 
during which time there were nineteen accessions to the church. 

In November, 1867, Rev. Geo. Kline assumed pastoral care of the 
church, and continued pastor until March, 1870. When he came, 
there was 37 members, and during his pastorate, 131 members were 
received. For several years about this time the church was a bene- 
ficiary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. There has 
been no pastorate in the history of the church before nor since so suc- 
cessful as was Mr. Kline's. The pastors since have been Dr. Chas. 
Whiting, Revs. J. C. Maple, J. F. Howard, J. D. Biggs, M. D. 
Bevan and J. H. Garnett. 

The contributions of the church in the decade between 1866 and 
1876 averaged over $1,500.00 per annum. During the latter part of 
that decade the church indulged high hopes caused by a legacy left it 
by one of its members, Mrs. Dr. T. J. Bailey. After years of sus- 
pense, however, the courts awarded the pending suit in favor of certain 
heirs, under a provision in the old Drake Constitution which not only 
deprived the church of its legacy, but defeated another wish and de- 
sign of hers — the establishment of a female college at Springfield. 



808 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



From 1873 to 1879, the church suffered severely in various ways. 
Her membership was depleted by deaths and removals, and weakened 
by financial reverses and the great stagnation in business which was 
so universally felt. Latterly, however, its condition was greatly 
changed for the better. The present membership is about 130. They 
are united, firm in the faith delivered once for all to the saints, and 
trusting in the Almighty arm they hope for greater conquests for the 
Risen Redeemer than they have ever made. 




CALVARY rKKWHV'J'KKIAN CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MO. 

The present church building was finished in April, 1882. It is a 
is a very neat edifice, with a seating capacity of 300, and a study and 
vestry. Its cost was about $3,500. 



CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



The first Presbyterian church ever formed in Greene county, Mo., 
was organized by Rev. E. P. Noel, at the house of Mrs. Jane Renshaw, 
near Cave Spring, on the 19th ot October, 1839. It was, and still 



HISTORY OF GREENE COU.NTY. 809 

continues to be known us the Mt. Zion Presbyterian church, of Cave 
Spring, and originally consisted of ten members. (See History of 
Cass township. ) 

On the 22d of April, 1849, eight persons were dismissed from this 
church at Cave Spring, to join with a number of Presbyterians in and 
near Springfield, for the purpose of organizing the First Presbyterian 
church of Springfield, Mo. This church was organized the same day 
by Rev. Dr. Ballard, of St. Louis and Rev. G. A. M. Renshaw, a 
home missionary, then preaching in the vicinity. This organization 
took place in a school house, then standing on Benton avenue, on the 
ground now occupied by the residence of Mr. W. C. Beck. Both of 
these churches were connected with the new School Presbytery of 
Osage. The church at Springfield continued in this connection and 
prospered for about ten years, during which time a lot was purchased 
and a house of worship was erected on Jefferson street, between East 
Walnut and Elm streets. This building is still standing and is now 
(1883) known as the Vinton boarding house. 

In the years 1859-130, the agitations and disturbances incident to 
the war began to be felt. The elders of the church in Springfield at 
that time, all resided in the country, in the region of the present 
Belleview church. They, in connection with the minister (Rev. Mr. 
Morton) sought to transfer the ecclesiastical relations of the church 
to the " United Synod," or what afterwards was known as the 
Southern General Asseml)ly. This proving to be decidedly unsatis- 
factory to the church members living in town, on the 28th day of 
August, 1859, a new church was organized by Rev. H. M. Painter, 
and named the " Calvary Presbyterian Church of Springfield." There 
were thirty one original members, of whom Mr. Chas. Sheppard, Mrs. 
Rhoda Sheppard and Mrs. Anna Elliot alone remain upon the roll. 
The church was by vote of its members placed in connection with the 
Old School Pres])ytery of Lafayette county, in the synod of Upper 
Missouri, in which connection it continued until the union of the old 
and new school assemblies in 1870, brought it into connection with 
the Presbytery of Ozark, where it now is. This action of the town 
members in Ijringi ng about the organization of*a new church while 
they were still members of the church, whose officers resided in the 
country, proved highly unsatisfactory to the latter, the former were 
immediately cited for trial and a most lively church quarrel seemed 
imminent, but wiser counsels soon prevailed and each party went on 
its chosen way without interference with or from the other. 



810 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

During the war the church property was sold for debt by order of 
the civil court, and was purchased by Mr. Chtis. She[)pard, and made 
over by him to the trustees of Calvary Presbyterian church. Much of 
the time during the war, this church was the only place where religious 
services were held in Springtield, being occupied by citizens and 
soldiers in common. Rev. Frederick H. Wines beino; stationed at 
this point as an army chaplain, conducted services, and acted as pastor 
and chaplain alike, and is gratefully remembered by many citizens. 

Soon after the war. Rev. James H. Paige became the first installed 
pastor of the church and so continued for a number of years. During 
his pastorate the parsonage on East Walnut street was projected and 
built. After this. Rev. J. Howard Nixon, D. D., now of New Jersey, 
and a brother of Mrs. Rhoda Skeppard, being here on account of his 
health, preached for a time and was of great service to the church. 

In 1873, Rev. C. H. Dunlap, so pleasantly remembered l)y all 
who knew him, was called as pastor. His pastorate continued to the 
close of the year 1879 and was most fruitful in good Works. Under 
him the present handsome church edifice was planned and carried for- 
ward to the completion of the basement, or lecture room. Soon after 
the occupanc}^ of these lower rooms, in the latter part of 1879, Mr. 
Dunlap resigned and returned to New Castle, Pa. He was immedi- 
atel}^ succeeded by Rev. J. J. Marks, D.D., as stated supply. Dr. 
Marks was of great service to the church, being highly respected and 
beloved by all. He continued with the church until the present 
pastor was called in March, 1881. 

The church edifice was completed in the spring of 1882 at a total 
expense of $2,500, including furniture, and was formally dedicated on 
the 19th of March, 1882. The present pastor, Rev. D. P. Putnam, 
began his services with the church on the 2 2d of April, 1881 and 
was formally installed pastor on the 23d of March, 1882. The church 
now numbers nearly 300 and has a Sabbath school of al>out the same 
number. 

CIVIC ORDERS MASONIC LODGES UNITED LODGE. 

United Lodge, No. 5, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by Anthony 
O' Sullivan, and was formed by uniting Taylor Lodge, No. 5, and 
Greene Lodge, No. 101. The charter bears date May 30, 1857. Some 
of the charter members were Charles Carlton, Joseph Gott, Wilson 
Hackney, R. B. Faulkner and James R. Danforth ; and some of the 
first officers were, Charles Carlton, W. M. ; Joseph Gott, S. W. ; 
Wilson Hackney, J. W. The present officers are: W. A. Hall, W. 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 811 

M. ; W. L. Bigbee, S. W. ; W. S. C. Dillard, J. W. ; Job Newton, 

treasurer ; Joseph Gott, secretary ; John Grenade, S. D. ; McDan- 

iel, J. D. The present membership is fifty, 

SOLOMON LODGE. 

Solomon Lodge, No. 271, was instituted by M. J. Hubble, D. D. 
G. M. The dispensation was issued January 11, 1868. The charter 
bears date October 15, 1868. The charter members were John Y. 
Fulbright, J. E. TefFt, W. F. Dunn, and others. The first officers 
were : John Y. Fulbright, W. M. ; J. E. Tefft, S. W. ; W. F. Dunn, 
J. W. ; J. M. Rountree, treasurer; J. L. Carson, secretary; F. S. 
Jones, S. D. ; E. A. Finney, J. D. ; S. H. Jopes, tyler. The present 
officers are : W. F. Dunn, W. M. ; O. H. Travers, S. W. ; J. R. Fer- 
guson, J. W. ; P. T. Simmons, treasurer; Ely Paxson, S. D. ; 

Whitson, J. D. The present number of members is ninety-five. 

ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER LODGE. 

Springfield Royal Arch Chapter Lodge, No. 15, was instituted by 
John D. Daggett, G. H. P. The dispensation was issued January 15, 
1851. The charter bears date May 16, 1851. Some of the charter 
members were John Dade, John Chenoweth, B. R. Johnson, James 
R. Danforth and R. A. Hufford. The first officers were: John Dade, 
H. P.; John W. Chenoweth, king; B. R. Johnson, scribe; J. J. 
Clarkson, C. of H. ; H. W. Might, P. S. : Wm. B. Farmer, R. A. C. ; 
R. A. Hufford, secretary ; J. H. Haden, master of third veil ; J. W. 
Danforth, master of second veil ; F. B. McCurdy, master of first veil. 
The present officers are : O. H. Travers, H. P. ; F. W. Laker, king ; 
F. M. Ramey, scribe ; D. C. Kennedy, C. of H. ; W. T. Bigbee, P. 
S. ; T. H. B. Lawrence, R. A. C. ; J. R. Ferguson, treasurer ; B. F. 
Lawson, secretary; W. F. Dunn, master of third veil; Ely Paxson, 
master of second veil ; W. S. Johnson, master of first veil ; J. M. 
Gear, guard. The lodge meets in the third story of the court-house. 
The present membership is seventy-six. Two of the past high priests 
of this chapter — Anthony O'Sullivan and C. F. Leavitt — have filled 
the position of Grand High Priest of the order in this State. 

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR COMMANDERY. 

St. John's Comniundery, No, 20, K. T., was instituted by Wilson F. 
Tuttle, Deputy Grand Commander. The dispensation was issued 
April 1, 1872. The charter bears date Octolier 8, 1872. The char- 



812 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ter members were Frederick King, Charles H. Evans, Washington 
Galhind, A. O. Fairchild, F. J. Underwood and James B. Stockton. 
The first oflScers were : Frederick King, eminent commander ; Job 
Newton, generalissimo ; C. H. Evans, captain general ; F. J. Under- 
wood, prelate; B. F. Lawson, senior warden; C. F. Leavitt, junior 
warden ; John A. Nattross, treasurer ; John H. Paine, recorder ; Geo. 
H. McCann, warder. The present officers are: W. A.Hall, eminent 
commander; F. M. Ramey, generalissimo; Frank Lawson, captain 
general ; Ely Paxson, senior warden ; W. T. Bigbee, junior warden ; 
T. H. B. Lawrence, treasurer ; John H. Paine, recorder ; Job New- 
ton, warder; W. F. Dunn, standard bearer ; John R. Ferguson, 
sword-bearer ; John M. Gear, sentinel. This lodge also meets in the 
third story of court-house. I'he present membership is fifty-eight. 

ODDFELLOWS NEW HARMONY LODGE. 

Harmony Lodge No. 71, I, O. O. F., was instituted October 21, 
1854. The charter and records of the lodge being destroyed during 
the war, the early history can not be obtained. On the 18th of March, 
1864, the lodge was reorganized by J. B. Winger, D. D. G. M., and 
the following officers were elected: — J. B. Perkins, N. G. ; H. T. 
Hunt, V. G. ; W. M. Armstrong, secretary ; B. Kite, treasurer. On 
the 8th of August, 18()8, a second lodge, under the name of America 
Lodge No. 195, was instituted by R. W. West, D. D. G. M., with the 
following charter members : — G. H. McCann, W. C. Peck, M. V. R. 
Peck, A. Demuth, J. Demuth, J. J. Bently, and J. W. McCollah. 
The first officers were M. V. R. Peck, N. G. ; A. Demuth, V. G. ; 
G. H. McCollah, secretary ; W. C. Peck, treasurer. On the 8th of 
June, 1874, the two lodges were, by act of the Grand Lodge, consol- 
idated under the name of New Harmony Lodge No. 71, I. O. O. F. 
The present officers are H. E. Nearing, N. G. ; B. White, V. G. ; E. 
D. Ott, R. S. ; A. V. Guerringer, P. S. ; Joseph Buck, treasurer ; B. 

F. Huntington, C. ; T. H. Hymen, W. 

CHOSEN FRIENDS. 

Springfield Council No. 13, Order of Chosen Friends, was instituted 
l)y James E. Cowan, Deputy Supreme Chancelor, June 28, 1882. 
The charter members were H. M. Cowan, F. Cowan, N. N. Kinney, 

G. W. Hackney, W. H. M. Reid, M. Echelberry, C. C. Clements, B. 
Scott, J. Combs, H. B. Reeves, J. C. Hanson, J. H. Kerns, W. S. 
C. Dillard, H. Schaller, L. C. Neiswanger, J. F. Atzert, W. F. Mc- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 813 

Ciackeii, J. L. Richardson, W. A. Disbrow, D. W. Merrett,F. Win- 
kle, S. O. Morrow, and J. H. Onstott. The first officers were H. M. 
Cowan, P. C. C. ; N. N. Kinney, C. C. ; G. M. Hackney, V.C. ; W. 
H.M. Reid, secretary; C. C. Clements, medical examiner; J. L. 
Richardson, treasurer; Jno. Coombs, J. F. Atzert, and J. H. Kern, 
masters. The present officers are the same as the first. The lodge 
meets in the hall of the A. O. U. W., every alternate Wednesday 
evening, and is increasing in membership at the rate of two initiations 
every meeting. The present membership is 29. 



DRURY COLLEGE. 

This institution was organized under the general statutes of Mis- 
souri in August 1873. The corporate name first adopted was Spring- 
field Colleg'e, but the name was changed, December 10th, following, 
to that of Drury Colleae in honor of the late (1883) Samuel F. Drury 
of Olivet, Michigan, its principal contributor up to that time. Origin : 
The pastors of the several missionarv churches of the Congregational 
order that sprung up along the line of the Atlantic and Pacific 
(" Frisco " ) railwav, seeing the need of a school of higher education, 
especially for teachers of the public schools, resolved with their church 
support to found a college and locate it where the greatest liberality 
should be shown on part of the citizens. Carthage, Neosho, and Spring- 
field competed for the location, and the last won. Among those 
who did most towards this enterprise may be mentioned Rev. H. B. 
Frv, of Carthage ; Rev. H. D. Lowing, of Neosho ; Hon. W. I. Wallace, 
of Lebanon ; and Rev. J. H. Harwood and C. E. Harwood, of Spring- 
field. Pre-eminent among these promoters stands the name of Rev. 
Mr. Harwood. Citizens of Springfield subscribed fifty thousand dollars 
in money and lands, and additional donations were received from Mr. 
Drury and friends in Michigan, Ohio, and New York. 

The first board of trustees of " Springfield " and also "Drury 
College," was comprised, besides several prominent gentlemen of 
Springfield, of the following gentlemen from a distance ; N. H. Dale, ot 
Neoslu) ; W. I. Wallace, of Lebanon ; C. L. Goodell and S. M. Edgell, ot 
St. Louis, and S. F. Drurv, of Michigan. Rev. N. J. Morrison, D. D., 
formerly president of Olivet College, Michigan, was elected president 
of the board and also president of the college. Mr. Morrison had al- 
ready done much to forward the enterprise, and himself drew the articles 
of association which constitute the college charter. He also mapped 
out the different departments of the institution , its course of study , etc . , 
much as they exist at this writing. The first term of the college 
opened September 25, 1873, with thirty-nine pupils in attendance. 
The faculty consisted of Pres. Morrison, Prof. G. H. Ashley, and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUMTY. 815 

Prof. Paul Roulet. Later in the term Miss Mary Carkener, of St. 
Louis, was added to the force of teachers. The first building was a 
two-story brick structure, costing $7,000, which was begun in August 
and was ready for occupancy by September 25. A frame edifice for 
the musical department was next erected, and about the same time a 
fine boardino; house for vouns; ladies called " Walter Fairbank's Hall " 
was begun, but not completed till 1875. The latter building is an elegant 
brick structure and cost about $32,000, nearly all of which was con- 
tributed by Charles Fairbanks, of London, England, and named in 
honor of his deceased son Walter. 

On November IG, 1880, during a furious snow storm, and in the pres- 
ence of one hundred and fifty visitors from a distance and a large com- 
pany of Springfield people,the corner-stone ofthe fourth building was laid 
with imposing ceremonies. This building was the Stone Chapel, which 
was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1882. Many prominent gentle- 
men were present at the laying of the corner-stone, and a banquet was 
given at Fairbank's Hall, and in the evening a great meeting was held 
and speeches made on educational topics in the City Opera House. 
The chapel was designed for class rooms, lecture room, music hall and 
the various religious purposes of the institution. Forty thousand 
dollars had been expended on this edifice, and it was within five thousand 
dollars of completion when it burned. Mrs. Valeria G. Stone, of 
Maiden, Mass., had given twenty-five thousand dollars towards its 
cost, and it was named " Stone Chapel " after its benefactress. At 
this writing (April, 1883,) the rebuilding of the chapel as it originally 
was is far under way, the insurance money and liberal gifts of the 
Springfield people being about sufficient therefore. In just twenty- 
two days from the time the hammer was first raised for that purpose, 
a wooden structure, costing twenty-five hundred dollars, was erected 
and entered by the college for chapel purposes. Licluding furniture, 
something more than one hundred thousand dollars has been expended 
by the college on buildings. The campus embraces about thirty 
acres, part in oak grove and part open prairie, which it is designed to 
mcrease to forty or move acres. It is very eligibly situated, midway 
between the two business centres of the city (Springfield and North 
Springfield), admirably drained on land gently sloping eastward and 
southward. It is capable, by judicious management, of fine effects in 
landscape gardening. 

The college has a large and valuable library, consisting of about 
15,000 bound volumes and 17,000 pamphlets, including duplicates in 
both cases. This library is open daily to the public as well as students. 
Four departments in chief are embraced in this institution, viz. : The 
College proper. Preparatory School, Conservatory of Music, and Art 
Department. 

The institution has a small but valuable museum of natural history, 
a cabinet of minerals and geological specimens, and physiological, 
chemical and philosophical apparatuses sufficient for class-room pur- 




SroNK <HAPEL, BRURY COLLEGE. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. - 817 

poses, and pianos, organs, etc., for students of music. During the 
first decade (now nearly completed), nearly 2,000 students in the 
aggregate have been connected with the college, most of whom, how- 
ever, have been students for a limited period, and in the preparatory 
department. A large number who have taken part of the college 
course have been called away by business. 

The college corporation consists of twelve trustees, besides the pres- 
ident. These hold office for four years, retiring in sections of three, 
the remaining members choosing successors for the out-going members 
by ballot. The board holds all ultimate authority, appointing teach- 
ers and officers and administering its pecuniary affairs. The discipline, 
as well as the instruction of the college, is placed with the faculty. 

The college has property, including an endowment of $50,000, of 
fully $200,000 valuation. More than a quarter of a million has been 
donated, from first to last, by people in all parts of this country, and 
even Europe, embracing sums ranging from twenty-five cents to fifty 
thousand dollars in a single gift. Mrs. Stone, previously mentioned, 
has given the most — her donation being seventy-six thousand dollars. 
That lady has given more than a million dollars to some thirty Amer- 
ican colleges and theological seminaries. 

Personal application to the benevolent has secured the college re- 
sources for the most part, the two gentlemen who have done most 
active work in soliciting aid being Rev. J. H. Harwood and President 
Morrison . 

While not sectarian in any narrow sense, the college has a quasi 
connection with the Congregational denomination of Christians, the 
charter requiring seven of the board of trustees, when the board is full, 
to be Congregationalists. No ecclesiastical body is allowed to inter- 
fere in the college management. College gratuities are distributed 
without regard to theological bias, and all students for the Christian 
ministry and children of ministers are exempt from the usual charges, 
except for fine art courses. 

No sketch of the life of Drury College would be complete without 
some reference to the trials through which it has passed. Of poverty 
Drury College has had its full share. Its organization was effected on 
the basis of gifts and pledges valued at one hundred thousand dollars. 
Before the first term opened, on the 25th of September, 1873, by the 
disastrous effects of the commercial collapse which had paralyzed the 
country, these " great expectations " had shrunken fully seventy-five 
per cent. Before the first college year ended the corporation was un- 
able to pay its debts, and claims against its property went to the ex- 
tent of judgments in the court and threatened execution. Even two 
or three years later the credit of the college was so bad that one bank 
refused to renew its paper, and it was widely thought that the enter- 
prise would soon succumb to a load of accumulated debt. And what- 
ever of external lack of repute among men, or of internal discord and 
weakness, has afflicted the college, any vacillation in discipline, any 

52 



818 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

short comings in the standards of instruction, any failure to take ad- 
vantage of inviting opportunities for growth and expansion, has been 
largely attributable to the same want of means. 

With all the noble generosity of the people of Springfield toward 
Drury College, it yet remains true that most of the resources of the 
college have thus far been brought over the weary distance of fifteen 
hundred miles from the tar East. If any one imagines it an easy task 
to get money for a college in Missouri from wealthy men in New York 
and Boston, let him consider how an appeal for a college in Alaska or 
Mexico would fare if made to himself. And yet few life tasks are 
fuller of encouragement, or more inspiring. That must be a dull soul 
that takes no joy from the privilege of organizing and founding insti- 
tutions of the public good. 

The religious element has always been strong and prominent in the 
work of Drury College. This motive inspired the conception of the 
enterprise ; this has sent hither nearly all the resources ever contrib- 
uted to it ; this holds officers and teacthers to their ill-requited tasks 
for the college. A very large portion of the students have always 
been church members. Of twenty-three young men who have gradu- 
ated from the college, thirteen have entered the ministry, or are pre- 
paring therefor. Two of the lady graduates are foreign missionaries. 
Not a few of the present undergraduate students are preparing to fol- 
low these in religious work. 

The college has also had an important influence on the public schools 
of the Southwest. Probably two hundred of its students have been, 
or are now, teachers in these schools. Doubtless also it has done its 
share toward elevating the general standard of teaching and education. 
From the first the officers of the college have cultivated relations of 
friendship and co-operation with teachers of the public schools. 

Below is a list of the officers and instructors of Drury College, at the 
present time, April, 1883 : 

Board of Trustees. — Nathan J. Morrison, D. D., ex officio, presi- 
dent. Terms will expire June, 1883 : Rev. Henry Hopkins, Kansas 
City ; Hon. John W. Lisenby, Springfield ; T. Blonville Holland, 
Esq., Springfield. 'terms will expire June, 1884: C. L. Good- 
ell, D. D., St Louis; Hon. Stephen M. Edgell, St. Louis; Hon. 
James Richardson, St. Louis. Terms will expire June, 1885 : William 
H. Wilcox, D. D., LL. D., Maiden, Mass. ; James S. Garland, Esq., 
St. Louis; Hon. Charles E. Harwood, North Springfield. Terms 
will expire June, 1886: Edwin T. Robberson, M. D,, North Spring- 
field ; Charles Sheppard, Esq., Springfield ; Carlos S. Greeley, Esq., 
St. Louis. 

Executive Committee. — John W. Lisenby, chairman, T. Blonville 
Holland, Charles E. Harwood, Edwin T. Robberson, George M. 
Jones, Charles Sheppard, Nathan J. Morrison. George A. C. Wool- 
ley, Esq., secretary and treasurer ; Jere C. Cravens, Esq., counsel. 

Faculty. — Nathan J. Morrison, D. D., president, Stone professor 
of moral and mental philosophy; Laura M. Saunderson, A. B., prin- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 819 

cipal of the ladies department and instructor in anatomy and phys- 
iology ; Paul Roulet, A. M., professor of mathematics and instructor 
in French ; Oliver Brown, A. M., professor of the Latin language 
and literature; George B. Adams, A. M., Nickerson professor of 
history and English literature, and instructor in German ; Edward 
M. Shepard, A. M., professor of natural science, and instructor in 
chemistry; Edward P. Morris, A. M., professor of the Greek lan- 
guage and literature, and instructor in physical science; Frederic A. 
Hall, A. M., principal of the preparatory department ; Kate O'Donald, 
assistant in preparatory department ; Clara J. Hatch, instructor in 
drawing and painting ; George B. Adams, A. M., librarian; Paul 
Roulet, A. M., secrteary of facnlty. 

Faculty of the Conservatory of Music. — William Havemann, A. 
M., professor of vocalization ; William A. Chalfant, professor of the 
piano and organ ; Edward L. Busch, professor of harmony and 
orchestra. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



JOHN H. PAINE. 



Mr. Paine is the son of Jessie L. and Harriet (Allen) Paine, and was born May 14th, 1832 
in Lawrence county, Tennessee. "When he was four years of age his parents moved to Dal- 
las county, Missouri, where he grew to manhood. He was educated in Dallas county and at 
Ebenezer, Greene county. He sold goods for his father in Dallas until 1858, when he was 
elected clerk of the county and circuit courts upon the Democratic ticket, and served until 
1861. In 1863 he moved to Springfield and entered the quartermaster's department under 
Capt. K. B. Owens, and remained in that office until the war closed. In 1872 he was ap- 
pointed city clerk, and served until 1874. In 1874 he was elected clerk of the circuit court 
upon the Democratic ticket, and held that office four years. In 1879 he was appointed dep- 
uty circuit clerk, under J. E. Ferguson, which position he held until 1882, when he was ap- 
pointed deputy county clerk under J. D. Van Bibber. In November, 1882, he was elected 
county recorder of Greene county, beating his opponent by 228 votes. Mr. Paine was mar- 
ried upon the 19th of August, 1863, to Miss Mary E. Cross, of Trumbull county, Ohio. 
They have been blest with six children, four girls and two boys. His wife is a member of 
the Christian church, and he is a member of the Knights Templar, and a Ro3'al Arch Ma- 
son. His father, Jesse L. Paine, was elected clerk of the county court of Dallas county for 
three consecutive terms, and was at one time probate judge of that county. He died in 
Texas in 1868, and his wife died in 1880. 

JACOB PAINTER. 

This gentleman is the son of Samuel and Betsy Painter, and was born in Burke county, 
N. C, in 1810. When he was two years of age his parents moved to Tennessee, and when 
he was fifteen they moved to Montgomery county, 111. In 1831 he came to Greene county, 
Mo., and settled at the "Big Spring," five miles southeast of Springfield. In 1832 Mr. Pain- 
ter built a mill near his home. He built it all himself, hewing the timber and forging the 
iron for the machinery used. This was about the first or second mill erected in the county. 
People came for fifty miles to get their corn ground. He also ran a blacksmith shop, and he 
would fill up the hopper of the mill and start it grinding, and then work in the shop until it was 
ground. He is also a lock and gunsmith, and carried on the business before any one else in 



820 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the county. He made for years, on an averaaje, two pistols per day, selling them for ten dol- 
lars a pair to those outfitting for trips across the plains. Mr. Painter was married, in 1830, 
to Miss Betsy Compton. Their union was blest with two sons and two daughters. His first 
wife died in 1836, and in 1839 he married Fannie Freeman of this county. They had four 
sons, all living. His second wife died May 16, 1880. Mr. Painter is the only one living of a 
family of six children. He is living in the same house built by him forty-five years ago. 
He is one of the old landmarks of the county, and politically is, and alway hag been, a Demo- 

JOHN A. PATTERSON. 

Mr. Patterson is the son of Joseph A. and Martha (Alsup) Patterson, and was born in 
what is now Webster county, Missouri, September 11, 1848. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools and at Dansville, New York, seminary. In 1870 and 1871 he was elected to the 
oflice of school superintendent of Webster county, upon the Liberal Republican ticket. He 
was admitted to the bar at Marshfield, Missouri, in September, 1875, and in October of that 
year came to Springfield. He was elected city attorney in 1877-8 upon the Republican ticket. 
Mr. Patterson was married to Miss Lou M., daughter of Rev. J. P. Bridwell of Webster county, 
Missouri, formerly of Louisville, Kentucky. Their union has been blest with three sons and 
one daughter. Mr. Patterson's father came from Nashville, Tennessee, to Webster county 
in 1840. They both died the same year, 1881. They had two sons, John A. and Gideon 
M., a dentist of Springfield. 

DR. HORACE MONROE PARRISH. 

Dr. Parrish is the son of Peyton and Mary A. (Porter) Parrish, and was born at Russell- 
ville, Logan county, Kentucky, March 18th, 1823. In November, 1837, he, with his brother 
Edwin R., and his uncle William Parrish, came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled nine 
miles northwest of Springfield, on Grand Prairie. In March, 1840, he began the study of 
surveying under County Surveyor J. L. McCraw, and then under J. C. Farmer. Upon the 
9th, of February, 1841, he entered the oflBce of Dr. G. P. Shackleford, and graduated 
in the medical department of Kemper's College, March 1st, 1845. Nine years after he 
was given the degree at Nashville, Tennessee. He followed his profession until 1866, and 
from 1867 until 1880, followed surveying. He did a large practice in medicine, often riding 
fifty or sixty miles to see patients. He is a Royal Arch Chapter Mason, and of the United 
Order No. 5. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his wife of 
Calvary Presbyterian Church. Besides his town property, the doctor owns about twelve 
hundred acres of land in the county. He was married July 17th, 1849, to Mrs. Sarah J. 
Collins, nee Carson. They had five children, viz. : Albana C, wife of Dr. Clements ; Mary 
B., wife of E. E. Adams, of Chicago ; Sarah E., Joseph E., and Frank M. (deceased). The 
doctor's grandfather, Joseph Parrish, was an Englishman, and came first to Virginia, and 
from there to Kentucky in 1793. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was 
wounded at Guilford court-house in the hip. 

JOHN A. PATTERSON. 

Mr. Patterson is the son of Louis and Mary (Pearson) Patterson and was born in 
Hamilton county, Tennessee, November 24, 1830. He was educated at home and 
at Cleveland college. In 1863 he came to Wright county, Missouri and in 1855 
he came to Greene county, and settled near Walnut Grove, where he farmed until 
1861. He then came to Springfield and went into Capt. J. E. Smith's company of mili- 
tia. In November, 1864, he was elected sheriff of the county upon the Republican ticket, 
and re-elected in 1866 and 1868. He had been United States deputy marshal in.1863-4. In 
1871-2 he was deputy county clerk. He was city marshal in 1873-4 and 6. In 1877-8 and 9 
was deputy sheriff under A. J. Potter. In November, 1880 he was elected sheriff, and re- 
elected in 1882. Mr. Patterson was married February 8, 1853, in Monroe county, Tennessee, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 821 

to Miss Sarah C. Heiskell. Thej'have had ten children, all of whom are living. Mr. Pat- 
terson is a member of Masonic and Odd Fellow's societies, and has made one of the best 
county officers the county ever had. His father was born in 1797, in Virginia, and moved 
to Tennessee when young, and died there in 1866. He was a farmer and a tanner. His 
mother was born in 1800, and died in 1878. They had thirteen children, John A. being the 
fourth child. Mrs. Patterson's father, Daniel Heiskell, was born in Shenandoah county, 
Virginia, March 7, 1799, and died in Monroe county, Tennessee, July 22, 1875. He was a 
great religious worker, and built a church at Sweet Water, Tennessee, costing him six thou- 
sand dollars. Her mother was born in Greene county, Tennessee, April 15, 1803, and died 

August 1, 1841. 

ELY PAXSON. 

Mr. Paxton is the son of M. and Maria (Shipman) Paxson, and was born January 17, 
1847, in Hancock eounty, Ohio. He was educated in the public schools, and 
learned the cabinet-maker's trade in his native county. He came to Springfield, 
Missouri, October 24, 1868, and worked for J. Kassler at the undertaking business 
for two and one-half years. He then went into partnership with Mr. Kassler 
and in March, 1880, bought his partner's interest and since that time has carried 
on business alone. He has the largest establishment in the city, and is one of 
the staunch business men of the city of Springfield. He was married March 20, 1873, to 
Miss Anna Belle Keet, daughter of Thomas Keet, of Springfield. He is a Mason and a 
Knight of Honor. Himself and wife are members of Grace Methodist church. Mr. 
Paxson's parents are living in the city. They came to Springfield in May, 1867, and his 
father is now in the shop with his son Ely. 

JAMES W. PEACHER. 

Mr. Peacher is the son of Alexander and Nicy (Brightwell) Peacher, and was born in 
Orange county, Virginia, September 26th, 1830, and was educated in his native county. He 
worked upon the farm until the age of twenty-one, and then learned the trade of plasterer. 
April 11th, 1857, he came to Springfield, Missouri, and followed his trade until the war. 
During the war he remained in town selling goods as a clerk and for himself. In the years 
1868-9 he lived upon his farm near Springfield, but returned lo town, and for a year was in 
the grocery business, and next in the dry goods trade. In October, 1877, he opened out a 
stock of boots and shoes, and has the only exclusive, and the largest, retail boot and shoe 
house in Springfield. He was married January 15th, 1865, to Miss Juliet Ingram, daughter 
of S. N. Ingram. She died in 1872, and on the 14th of January, 1875, Mr. Peacher was 
married, the second time, to Miss Jimmie, daughter of J. T. Campbell. Their union has 
been blest with two sons and one daughter. Mr. Peacher is a member of the A. P. and A. 
M., and his wife is a member of the Christian church. His father died in 1865, and his 
mother in 1877, in Virginia. Both were over eighty years of age. They had seven children, 
four sons and three daughters, James W. being the third child. 

COL. JOHN E. PHELPS. 

This gentleman, who was an active participant on the Union side during the civil war, is 
a native of Greene county, born April 6, 1839, He was the first born of five children of Gov. 
John S. Phelps, whose biography is given at length in this volume. There were two sons 
and three daughters of these children, of whom John E., and Mrs. Mary Montgomery, of 
Portland, Oregon, still survive. Those deceased were, Thomas H. B., Lucy Jane, and a second 
Lucy Jane, born after the death of the first of that name, and christened in honor of her 
memory. Col. John E. Phelps was educated partly at Fayette ville, Arkansas, completing 
his course at the private school of Charles Carleton at Springfield. He began business for 
himself at the early age of 13, when he made quite a speculation on a cattle trade, selling his 
purchase to Indian Agent A. J. Dorn, at a profit of $1,500. He continued in the cattle 
trade, and driving mules to the Southern market till 1859, when, in partnership with A. J. 



822 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Dorn and J. L. French, he went into the wholesale grocery business, and was the first com- 
mercial traveler (" drummer ") that represented a Springfield house and he carried his sam- 
ples in his saddle bags, his mode of locomotion being on horseback. This business he 
continued till cleaned up by the Confederates after the battle of Wilson's Creek. He then 
proceeded to RoUa, and did scouting duty for Gen. Curtis, furnishing his own horse, and re- 
ceiving no compensation. At the battle of Pea Eidge, he was a volunteer Aid on the staff of 
Gen. E. A. Carr. Subsequently, he received an appointment as second lieutenant in the 
regular army, and went to Helena, Arkansas, and reported to Gen. Carr as Aid on his staff. 
He served eighteen months of that staff, partly in St. Louis and partly on the campaign in 
the rear ofVicksburg. He was then ordered home on account of physical disability, and 
arrived there July 4, 1864. The very next day he began organizing a volunteer regiment, 
•which was mustered in March 18, 1864, as the second Arkansas Cavalry, and was ordered to 
Memphis, Tennessee, which place they reached by an overland march of forty-two days, 
reaching there January 25, 1865. There the regiment did duty till May, when it was ordered 
to Lagrange on out-post duty. There Col. P. was mustered out at his own request, his rank 
then being Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers ; and the board of examiners pronounced 
him physicallj' incompetent. He requested to be sent on frontier duty at Fort Laramie, 
but instead of having his request granted, he was ordered to his regiment at Little Rock. 
This was the 3d regiment U. S. regulars, in which Phelps held the rank of first lieutenant, 
and brevet captain, major, and lieutenant colonel. He was then at home, sick and disgusted 
■with scenes of war, and so closed his military career by tendering his resignation, which was 
accepted in September, 1865. Since then, he has lived in private life, except being for a time 
receiver of the U. S. land oflBce, under President Johnson. At this writing he is traveling 
for the machine house of D. M. Osburn & Co., Auburn, N. Y. Col. Phelps was married 
July 21, 1864, to Margaret J., daughter of William White, of Greene county. They have 
two daughters and one son, who are at school in Springfield. Politically, Col. Phelps is a 
Democrat, and during the war fought to save the Union — not to free the negro. Few men 
have done more public service for a less compensation than Col. John E. Phelps. 

MRS. MARY PHELPS (deceased). 

Mrs. Phelps was born in Portland, Maine, in the year 1813. Her maiden name was 
Whitney, her father being a sea captain. While she was yet young he lost his life at sea 
during a storm, and shortly afterward the death of her mother left her an orphan in the full 
sense of the word. In 1837 she was married to John S. Phelps, who had but recently been 
admitted to the bar, and in the fall of the same year they concluded to cast their lot in the then 
far West. After arriving at St. Louis, and profiting by the advice of friends in that city, 
they determined upon Springfield as their future home, and from that year until the day of 
her death, with the exception of occasional visits to relatives, she was prominently identi- 
fied, in a woman's sphere, with all that went to make up the history of our city. 

Mrs. Phelps possessed characteristics which pre-eminently fitted her for the arduous 
duties which devolved upon the wives of Southwest Missouri in those early days. Added 
to a cultured mind, which served to temper the asperities of frontier life, she brought a will 
that never failed in the accomplishment of the many prominent undertakings in which sheen- 
gaged. Hundreds of instances corrobatingher womanly enterprise are upon the lips of those 
of our older citizens whose intimate acquaintance with the deceased dated back forty years, 
but one will serve to illustrate the hearty spirit with which she entered upon the new life 
into which she had been ushered. It occurred about a year after their arrival in Springfield. 
Her husband was then a struggling practitioner, and from his scant fees had saved sufficient 
to purchase a lot at the corner of what is now St. Louis street and Benton avenue. The 
circuit at that time embraced as much territory as is now contained in two or three Congres- 
sional districts, and in his arduous practice he was frequently absent from home for months 
at a time. They were then boarding with " Uncle Joel " Haden, and it was after one of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 823 

those long jaunts over the circuit, that returning to his boarding house in the evening, Mr. 
Phelps missed his wife, and upon inquiry the landlord called his attention to a newly erected 
log cabin upon his lot, with the remark that he guessed she would be found over there. He at 
once proceeded to the place indicated and was welcomed by his young wife to the first home 
he ever owned. During his absence she had the cabin built, and had furnished it in accord- 
ance with the demands of those primitive times, having conceived and executed the plan as 
a pleasant surprise for her husband. 

During the civil war the active and philanthopic efforts of Mrs. Phelps will ever remain 
inseparable with the history of the sad strife in the Southwest. Like her husband she 
espoused the Union cause, and labored unremittingly in support of her convictions. When 
friends and neighbors had fled, terror-stricken, from the country which was almost a constant 
scene of strife, she remained at her post nursing and caring for the sick and wounded sol- 
diers. The day before the battle of Pea Kidge, in which both her husband and son were 
engaged, she left the city for the camp, with several wagons laden with provisions, lint, 
bandages, etc. Arriving on the ground just as the second day's fight began she inspired 
*he troops with courage by the fearlessness and enthusiasm with which she entered into the 
work of caring for the wounded of her husband's regiment. During the entire day she was 
exposed on the field of battle attending in person to the removal of those who required 
attention, and many a wounded soldier on that hard won day, had reason to bless Mary 
Phelps for her thoughtfulness and patriotism in providing comforts which otherwise would 
have been unattainable. 

At the battle of Wilson's creek, when the panic-stricken Federal troops abandoned the 
field and their leader — the brave Lyon — to the triumphant enemy, Mrs. Phelps secured 
the body of the dead chieftain, removed it to the homestead, and had it properly cared for. 
At the close of the war, Congress, in recognition of the services which she had rendered during 
the war, placed at her disposal a large appropriation, for the purpose of establishing a sol- 
diers' orphan's home. A building was erected near the city, in which were gathered a 
number of these " wards of the nation," who were cared for until they were claimed by 
relatives, or found homes. 

Although advanced in years she was physically vigorous until she contracted a severe cold» 
which caused typhoid pneumonia and resulted in her death on Friday morning, January 
15th, 1878. Her mental faculties remained unclouded to the last, and she crossed the "dark 
river " with a full consciousness of all that was going on around, giving directions to her 
attendants with that firmness and decision which had characterized her entire life. The fu- 
neral services were held on Sunday afternoon, at two o'clock, at Christ (Episcopal) church, 
Rev. Thomas F. James officiating. The very large attendance proved the high esteem in 
which the deceased was held in this community. The church was densely packed, and hun- 
dreds were gathered around the entrance, unable to gain admission, half an hour before the 
arrival of the corpse. The chief mourners were Gov. Phelps, Mrs. Montgomery, his daugh- 
ter, and Col. John E. Phelps and wife. The pall bearers were C. B. McAfee, J. T. Morton, 
C. B. Holland, E. J. McElhany, L. A. D. Crenshaw, Mr. Epperson, Capt. Julian and .John 
S. Waddill, being from among our oldest citizens, who, for more than a quarter of a century, 
had been intimate friends of the family. The exercises at the church were brief, consisting 
of a burial chant, rendered by the choir, the reading of the burial service, and the singing 
of the hymn, " Rock of Ages," by the choir and congregation. A large concourse followed 
the remains to their final resting place, in the Hazelwood cemetery. 

In the death of Mrs. Mary Phelps an active and useful life was suddenly brought to a 
close. The poor, and those cast down by misfortune, lost a large hearted and sympathizing 
friend, whose place was not easily filled, and citizens in every station will, for many years, 
miss one whose busy life reflected such earnest, practical Christianity, inasmuch as she "vis- 
ited the sick," " comforted the weak hearted," " raised up those who were cast down," and, 
as far as in her power lay, went about " doing good unto all men." Such a life is not with- 
out its reward. 



824 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

DR. CHARLES E. PIERCE. 

Dr. Pierce is the son of Samuel W. and Mary O. (Loomis) Pierce, and was born at La- 
fayette, Indiana, September 15, 1853. He was educated at Battle Ground high school and 
at Valparaiso, Indiana. In 1874 he entered the E. M. College at Cincinnati, and graduated 
at the winter term, January 22, 1878. He then went to Shelby county, Tennessee, and fol- 
lowed his profession until 1880, when he went to Arkansas and remained until January, 
1883, when he came to Springfield, Mo. He was married January 16, 1883, to Miss Grace 
A. Young. He is a member of tlie I. O. O. F. and his wife is a member of the Presbj'terian 
church. His father, Samuel W., was a son of Rufus and Polly Pierce, and was born in 
Springfield, Ohio, July 9, 1828, and died at Lafayette, Indiana, January 28, 1860. His par- 
ents were married July 4, 1852, at Lafayette, Indiana. They had four children, viz. : 
Charles E., George T., born August 14, 1855; Otho, born March 8, 1858, and died July 23, 
1858, and Mary Olive, born March 23, 1860. 

FELIX R. PORTER. 

This gentleman is the sou of William C. and Judith R. (Owen) Porter, and was born in 
Weakley county, Tennessee, March 7, 1841. His parents moved to Springfield, Missouri, 
in June, 1856. They lived some little time in town, but his father soon purchased a farm 
three miles east of Ebenezer, this county. It was here that Felix was educated and grew to 
manhood. At the commencement of the civil war he enlisted in the Confederate service 
under Capt. Bradford, whose company was then attached to Gen. Price's body-guard. After 
the battle of Pea Ridge he was taken sick, but in the fall of 1862, he joined company A, 3d 
Missouri cavalry. Col. C. E.Green. The regiment was attached to Gen. Marmaduke's bri- 
gade upon the 12th of January, 1863. They surrendered at Shreveport, La., June 7, 1865. 
Mr. Porter was in the battles of Helena, Little Rock, and Poison Springs. At Little Rock, 
he had his gun shot from his hands, and was wounded in the left leg. At Poison Springs 
he was wounded in the right shoulder. He was married January 17, 1867, at Smithville, 
Arkansas, to Miss Sadie Fields. Their union has been blest with two sons and two daugh- 
ters. He was elected by the city council in 1873, to the office of street commissioner, and has 
been to a considerable extent engaged in mercantile business. He was elected justice of the 
peace upon the Democratic ticket for Campbell township, in 1882, His father was born in 
Rockingham count}^ North Carolina, in 1803, and came to Williamson county, Tennessee, 
in 1811, where he married and reared a large family, all sons. 

WILLIAM G. PORTER. 

Mr. Porter is the son of William C. and Judith R. (Owen) Porter, and was born January 
30th, 1829, in Williamson county, Tennessee. In 1836 his parents moved to the western 
portion of that State, and in May, 1856, came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled upon 
a farm ten miles north of Springfield. William G. soon after purchased a farm of his own 
several miles east of Springfield, where he lived until after the civil war. Just before the 
battle of Pea Ridge a detatchraent of Gen. Curtis' men and some of Gen. Price's pickets 
had quite a little fight at his place. Mr. Porter had a small stock of merchandise which the 
soldiers unceremoniously appropriated to their use, besides taking everything of value in the 
house. He is the oldest tobacconist in the Southwest, having followed it since coming to 
the State. He was married in Weakley county, Tennessee, February 5th, 1850, to Miss Mary 
A. Stubblefleld. Their union was blest with five sons and two daughters, all of whom are 
living save one son. His father was born in Rockingham county, N. C, in 1803, and was 
taken to Tennessee in 1811. He died at his home in Arkansas in 1878, and his wife died in 
1881. They had a large family, all of whom were boys. 

BENJAMIN B. PRICE. 

This gentleman is the son of the Hon. William C. Price, and was born in Springfield, 
Missouri, January 1st, 1848. He was educated at Salisbury institute at Batesville, Arkansas 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 825 

and at Mountain Home, Arkansas. He studied law in St. Louis in his father's office, and at 
Springfield. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1873, before Judge Geiger, and was 
also admitted at Mountain Home, Arkansas, in 1875, and at Dallas, Texas, in 1881. He was 
for several years probate judge of Ozark county, Missouri. He returned to Springfield in 
February, 1882, and formed a law partership with Thomas W. Kersey. December 8th, 
1882, he was married to Miss A. H. Beal, of Ellis county, Texas. Mr. Price is a member of 
the I. 0. O. F. 

KEY. DOUGLAS P. PUTNAM. 

Mr. Putnam is the son of Rev. Charles Marsh and Abbie S. (Edgerton) Putnam, and was 
born at Jersey, Ohio, February 8th, 1844. He graduated from Wabash Indiana College, at 
Crawfordsville, Indiana, and received his theological education at Union Theological Semi- 
nary, New York city, and at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was ordained to preach 
in the Presbyterian church at Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was assistant pastor for one year. 
In 1871 he went to Monroe, Michigan, where he had charge of the church until 1881. He 
then came to Springfield, Missouri, and took the pastorate of Calvary Presbyterian church. 
In 1862 he enlisted in the 92d Ohio infantry as a private, and served as adjutant's clerk. 
There were five ^rea^-^rj-ea^-grandsons of Gen. Israel Putnam in the regiment, viz. : Col. B. 
D. Fearing, Douglas Putnam, jr., Daniel E. Putnam, David E. Putnam, David Putnam and 
our subject. The first four were wounded. Our subject was married June 22d, 1870, to 
Miss Jeannie H. Williamson, daughter of John A. Williamson, prominently connected with 
railroads in New York, but now of Lafayette, Indiana. They have five children, four girls 
and one boy. Mr. Putnam has in his possession several very old letters written by General 
Washington, General Putnam and John Hancock. They bear dates of 1776 and 1777. The 
father of our subject was born in February, 1802, in Marietta, Ohio, and graduated from 
Yale College in 1826, and at Andover Theological Seminary in 1829. He then took charge 
of the Presbyterian church at Jersey, Ohio, where he remained until 1869, just forty years. 
He died in 1870, and his wife died in March, 1878. 

WILLIAM S. RIGGS. 

Mr. Riggs was born February 26, 1829, in Maury county, Tennessee. He was educated 
in his native county, and in 1855 he came to Greene county, Missouri, and settted six miles 
north of Springfield. Here he was engaged in farming until 1867, when he moved into the 
city, where he has since been engaged in carpentering and hotel keeping. The hotel is on 
the corner of Boonville and Water streets, is a two story frame, 52x31, and contains thirteen 
rooms and basement. Mr. Riggs was married in March, 1856, to Miss Emily McCracken. 
Her family were among the earliest settlers of the county. They are blest with three sons 
and one daughter. Mr. Riggs' parents were natives of North Carolina. His father died in 
1849 and his mother is yet living in the county. They had seven sons and two daughters, 
William S. being the second child. 

DR. EDWARD A. ROBERTS. 

Dr. Roberts was born and brought up in the State of Georgia. In May, 1866, he came to 
St. Louis, from there to New Orleans, but returned to St. Louis, July 11, same year, and 
passed through the terrible cholera ordeal of that year. In August took the cholera — after 
partial recovery became a patient of St. Luke's hospital (Episcopal) and remained one 
month until fully restored to health. November 1, 1866, he was appointed super- 
intendent and resident physician of St. Luke's hospital, where he remained over 
six years, resigning December 1, 1872. He was then appointed visiting physician 
upon a salary, but after four months he came to Springfield where he has practiced 
his profession. In 1877 he was appointed alms-house and jail physician and holds 
that position for 1883. He was a member of the city council from the third ward 
upon the Democratic ticket during the years of 1876-7-8 and 9. He was the Democratic 



826 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

candidate for mayor in 1881, but was defeated by James Abbott, by thirty-five votes. He 
was also defeated in 1882 by Geo. S. Day. He is now councilman from the third ward, 
elected April 3, 1883. In 1882 he was appointed city engineer and street commissioner. 
He is a member of the board of health, and is chairman of the Democratic county central 
committee. The doctor has always taken an active part in public enterprises, and is one of 
the most useful citizens of the county. He was married February 28, 1868, to Miss Minnie 
B. Coleman. They are blest with two children, Roberta Lee, born July 4, 1870, and Susie, 
born June 1st, 1875. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal church, and he has been 
junior and senior warden of the church at Springfield. Dr. Roberts' parents were natives 
of Virginia. His mother died in 1852, and his father died in 1856. They had a family of 
ten children, Edward A. is the oldest. 

JAKE ROTHSCHILD. 

This prince of Springfield's merchants is the son of Leopold Rothschild, and was born 
February 12th, 1850, upon the beautiful and historic Rhine, in Germany. He was educated 
in that country, and in August, 1868, he came to America, landing in New York. He 
soon after removed to St. Louis, but only lived in that city a short time, and "then went to 
Marshfield, from where he moved to Springfield, and opened out one of the largest 
stocks of clothing ever brought to this part of the State. He is well and favorably known 
all over the country, having traveled several years for wholesale houses of Cincinnati and 
Chicago. 

JUDGE M. J. ROUNTREE. 

Judge Rountree is the son of Joseph and Nancy (Nichols) Rountree, and was born March 
24th, 1820, in Maury county, Tennessee. He received his early education from his mother, 
an intelligent, cultivated lady, and from the common schools of his section. At the age of 
twenty he went to work upon a farm by the month, working in the summer and going to 
school in the winter. In December, 1829, the parents of our subject moved to Missouri and 
settled upon Wilson's creek, within two miles of Springfield. Judge Rountree was married 
upon the 7th of March, 184-, to Miss Mary Winton, of Polk county, Missouri. They have 
had eight children, four of whom are now living. Their first born died in infancy. Sarah F. 
died in her nineteenth year, Bentley J. is a traveling salesman, Joseph W. is in the nursery 
business with his father, Mary E. at home with her parents, Thomas J., a tobacconist at 
Carthage. In 1845 he bought a small farm three and one-half miles southwest of Spring- 
field, where he lived about six years, when he sold out and bought a place of two hundred 
acres southeast of Springfield, where he lived until the war closed. He then sold his farm, 
and went to Springfield temporarily, but soon purchased an eighty acre tract of land east of 
the city, and started a nursery in 1867. In 1870 he traded for the house where he now lives 
on East Elm street, which is upon a four-acre lot. He was a justice of the peace for four 
years. In 1872 he was elected judge of the county court, and held that position six years. 
In 1880 he was elected upon the Democratic ticket to the mayoralty of the city of Spring- 
field. Judge Rountree is a self-made man, and no man in this county stands better in the 
estimation of his fellow-citizens than he. 

BENTLEY J. ROUNTREE. 

Mr. Rountree is the son of M. J. and Mary L. (Winton) Rountree, and was born in 
Greene county. Mo., January 2, 1849. He was educated here in this county and remained 
at home upon the farm until the civil war. In 1864-5, was in the quartermaster's depart- 
ment at Springfield, under Capt. C. B. Owen, as post messenger. When the war closed he 
went to school for two years, and then acted as salesman for his father in the nursery busi- 
ness. He was married September 30, 1868, to Miss Eva Hovey, daughter of E. Hovey, of 
Springfield. They were married at Buffalo, Mo. They have three children, Hattie, Min- 
nie, and Herman. From 1872 to 1874 Mr. Rountree was in the drug and grocery business, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 827 

and was also a teacher of music for some time. Prom 1875 to 1879 he was traveling sales- 
man for H. D. Brown, dealer in musical instruments, etc. Upon the first of January, 1880, 
commenced traveling for Jacob Strauss &Co., wholesale saddlery, etc., St. Louis, and so 
far has done well. Mr. Rountree belongs to one of the most respected of the pioneer fami- 
lies, and deserves the success with which he has met. 

WM. JONES ROUNTREE. 

This gentleman is the son of Almus L. and Delina (Mitchel) Rountree, and was born Oc- 
tober 17th, 1847, on the farm now owned by Z. M. Rountree, near Springfield, Missouri. He 
was reared by his grandfather upon the farm, and was educated at the public school of 
Springfield, At the age of seventeen he accepted a clerkship in the store of Masse}', 
McAdams & Co., of Springfield, where he remained until March, 1865, when he enlisted in 
company F, 14th Missouri volunteers, U. S. A. He was mustered out at Leavenworth, 
Kansas, the same year, and returned to Springfield, where he attended school until 1867. He 
then engaged with Massey, McAdams & Co., and sold goods for them for eighteen months. 
In the fall of 1869 he went to California, and returned in 1870 and took a position as clerk 
in the St. Louis and San Francisco freight and ticket ofiice, where he continued until 1873. 
In the spring of 1874 he went to Texas, and was chief clerk on the Houston and Texas 
railroad. He was next appointed agent at Calveras, Texas, where he remained until 1876. He 
returned to Springfield in the fall of that year, but soon afterwards went to Joplin, Missouri, 
where he sold groceries for nine months, when he returned to this city and took the position 
of conductor on the popular Gulf railroad. Mr. Rountree is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
K. T. and Brotherhood of Railway Conductors. He was married September 15th, 1876, to 
Miss Fannie E. Massey. They have three children, viz. : Frank M., John F. and Etta. The 
Rountrees are some of Grreene's earliest and best settlers. 

NEWTON M. ROUNTREE. 

Mr. Rountree is the son of Z. M. and Elizabeth (Massey) Rountree, and was born Nov. 
5th, 1838, on his father's farm three miles northeast of Springfield, Missouri. He was edu- 
cated in the county, and in 1860 entered the store of Massey & McAdams, as clerk, and in 
1864 became a partner in the house and so remained until 1869. From 1869 to 1871 he 
was of the firm of Keet, Massey & Co., and when the firm reorganized in 1871, it became 
Keet, Rountree & Co., and so continues. Mr. Rountree was married in 1867 to Miss Gra- 
bella, daughter of Hon. Charles Haden, of this county. Their marriage is blest with three 
sons and two daughters. Mrs. Rountree is a member of the Christian church. They 
are both of the pioneer families of the county, and none are more honorable or more 
highly respected in Greene county. 

JOHN G. RUSSELL. 

Mr. Russell is the son of James and Lucy (Bent) Russell, and was born in St. Louis 
county, Missouri, Nov. G, 1830. He was educated at St. Louis and at Yale college, but 
was called home by the death of his father before he completed the colle4-e course. He 
held several minor positions in St. Louis, and in 1863 became one of the firm of Park, Rus- 
sell & Co., or Oak Hill Fire, Brick Co., and so remained until 1875. He came to Springfield 
in the fall of 1879, and since 1880 has been one of the proprietors of the Queen City Mills. 
Mr. Russell was married Nov. 8, 1853, to Miss Pauline Parker, of St. Louis, formerly of 
Rocheport, Boone county, Missouri. They have had nine children, six girls and three 
bo3's, five girls and one boy living. Mr. Russell is a member of the Knights of Honor, and 
he and his wife are members of the Calvary Presbyterian church. His father died in St. 
Louis county, in 1850, and had been for many years a judge of the county court. He was 
born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, and emigrated to Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, 
in 1825, and moved from there to St. Louis county. Mr. Russell's mother died in 1870. 



828 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

EMIL SANDER. 

This gentleman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, January 1st, 1842, He learned the trade 
of cabinet-maker, serving some six years apprenticeship. In 1869 he came to the United 
States, landing at New York city. In the spring of 1874 he came to Springfield, Missouri, 
and has ever since been engaged in the furniture trade. His store is at 219 Boonville street, 
and is a two-story and basement building, 100x21 feet. They carry a general stock of fur- 
niture, carpets, picture material, etc., and do a wholesale and retail business. Mr. Sander 
was married in New York city, to Miss Alice Ashman. She died in 1876, and in 1881 he 
was again married to Miss Mary Swansen, of Wright county, Missouri. Mr. Lander has been 
very successful in business here in Springfield, and promises to be one of the leading mer- 
cantile men of the Southwest. 

DANIEL BOONE SAVAGE. 

Mr. Savage is a son of Thomas B. and Frances S. (Robinson) Savage, and was born April 
6th, 1838, in Madison county, Illinois. He received his education at Highland, Illinois, and 
lived upon the farm with his father until the war commenced. He enlisted in company C, 
117th Illinois infantry, as a private, but was afterward promoted corporal. He participated 
in the battles of Clinton, Mississippi; Fort De Russey, Louisiana; Pleasant Hill, Louisiana; 
Yellow Baj'ou, Louisiana; Lake Chicot, Arkansas; Lupelo, Mississippi; Hurricane Creek, 
Mississippi; Franklin, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee, and Blakely, Alabama. In 1865 he 
returned home and engaged in farming. In 1869 he came to Missouri and settled in Greene 
county. He was a member of the police force of Springfield in 1873, and deputy constable 
in 1874-5. In 1876 was elected constable of Campbell township, and re-elected in 1878 and 
served until 1880. He is now of the firm of Winkel & Savage, on St. Louis street. They 
have the largest meat market in the cit3% Mr. Savage was elected a justice of the peace of 
Campbell township in November, 1882. He was married November 29th, 1865, to Miss A. 
L. Hanptly, of Madison county, Illinois. Their union has been blest with nine children, 
seven of whom are living. He is a member of the M. E. church South, an Odd Fellow and 
a Knight of Pythias. His father was killed by a team running away in St. Louis in 1858. 
His mother died in 1871. They had ten children, five boys and five girls; seven are yet 
living, Daniel being the third son and fifth child. 

JOHN SCHMOOK. 

Mr. Schmook is the son of Michael and Fredricka (Zeuner) Schmook, and was born in 
Berlin, Prussia, August 29th, 1825. He was educated in his native city, and learned the 
cabinet-maker's trade under his father, serving some four years. From April 1st, 1846, to 
April 1st, 1849, he served in the Prussian army in the engineer corps. In 1850 he returned 
home to civil life and started in the cabinet business, which he followed until 1854. In Sep- 
tember of that year he crossed the Atlantic and landed at New York, where he lived for a 
year and a half, and then " came West." He first stopped at Iowa City, where he lived un- 
til 1856, and then went to New Orleans, then to Leavenworth, Kansas City and St. Joe. Not 
liking the business outlook in the places he visited, he returned to Iowa City, and remained 
there until 1859, when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and worked for Ebert, Hurst & Co., 
furniture dealers and manufacturers. He next went into business for himself. He accumu- 
lated quite a competency, and is and has been identified with all the leading industries and 
enterprises of the city. He has represented the third ward in the city council twice. He 
was married in St. Louis in 1865 to Miss Anna Kirfer. Their union has been blest with 
thirteen children, ten boys and three girls; five boys and one girl are living. Mr. Schmook 
is a substantial citizen and a public-spirited gentleman. 

PROF. EDWARD M. SHEPARD. 

Professor Shepard is a son of Samuel and Mary (Dennis) Shepard, and was born at Win- 
sted, Conn., May 15, 1854. In 1871 and 1872 he followed civil engineering on the Chicago 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 829 

and Northwestern, and the Boston and New York railroads. He graduated from Williams 
College, Massachusetts, in the class of 1878, receiving the degree of A. M. He arranged the 
museum at Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia. In 1878, he was called to the chair of natural 
science at Waynesburg College, Pennsylvania, but resigned to accept a similar call from 
Drury College, at Springfield, Missouri. He was married June 28, 1881, to Miss Harriet E. 
Ohlen, of Madison, New York,|a graduate of the Vassar College in class of 1874. She was 
lady principal of Drury College for three years. Prof. Shepard's father died in 1872 at 
Norfolk, Connecticut. His mother is living here with him. They had three children, the 

professor being the oldest. 

FRANK A. SHIPMAN. 

Mr. Shipman is the son of Jesse P. and Lydia (Huber) Shipman, and was born at Pindley, 

Hancock county, Ohio, April 13, 1858. He came to Springfield in May, 1866, where he was 

educated in the public schools. He clerked one year in a queensware house, and then for 

ten years was clerk in the bookstore of A. R. Fearn. He became a partner in the house 

February 1, 1882, and the firm is now A. R. Fearn & Co. They have the largest book, 

stationery and wall paper store in Southwest Missouri, and do both a wholesale and retail 

business. Mr. Shipman is a member of Grace M. E. Church. Jesse Shipman, the father 

of our subject, was born at Bloomington, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1827. He first moved 

to Ohio, from there to Chillicothe, Mo., and in 1866 to Springfield, Mo., where he died 

September 24, 1876. His widow is still living in Springfield. They had three sons and one 

daughter. 

CAPTAIN FRANCIS M. SHOCKLEY 

This gentleman is the son of B. and Lillie (Beal) Shockley, and was born in Tennessee, 
August 9, 1831. In 1841 his parents moved to Greene county. Mo., and it was here that 
Francis grew to manhood and was educated. He learned the trade of carpenter, and in 
1858 moved to Dade county, Missouri. He enlisted in the Home Guards, but after the bat- 
tle of Wilson's Creek he went to Illinois. He returned in 1862 and took charge of the 
government carpenter shop, receiving the same pay as captain, and so served until the 
close of the war. Capt. Shockley was married May 7, 1854, to Miss Fannie, daughter of 
Washington Armor, one of the early settlers of Southwest Missouri. Their union was blest 
with eight children, four of whom are now living. Captain Shockley is a large contractor 
and builder, having built many of the largest and best business houses in the city. He built 
the Christian church, of which he and his wife are members. His father was a native of 
Georgia, but moved to Tennessee in an early day. He died upon his farm near Springfield, 
Mo., in 1869. 

JOHN A. SHORT. 

Mr. Short is a son of Elias B. and Rebecca (McCullah) Short, and was born April 23, 
1852, ten miles southwest of Springfield, Missouri. He remained at home upon the farm un- 
til he was eighteen years of age. He then came to Springfield, and was a clerk in the post- 
office for five years. He was appointed postal clerk, or route agent, upon the St. L. & S. F. 
R. R. upon the 18th of November, 1876, to run between St. Louis and Springfield. He was 
married December 28, 1875, to Miss Mary E., daughter of Rev. T. H. Hagerty, of the Metho- 
dist church. Their union has been blest with one son and one daughter. Mr. Short is a mem- 
ber of the Knights of Honor, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist church. His 
parents are yet living upon the farm they settled when they first came from Tennessee. 
They had a family of six sons and two daughters. John A. being the third child. He is 
one of the most reliable officials in the postal service. 

PHILIP T. SIMMONS. 

Mr. Simmons, the present able prosecuting attorney of Greene county, was born in 
Davidson county, Tenn., January 15, 1848, and is the son of Dr. G. J. and Fannie (Taylor) 
Simmons. Dr. Simmons was a native of Virginia, and moved to Tennessee when a young 



830 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

man, where he remained till his removal to Logan county, Kentucky, in about 1854. He 
was once a phj'sician of large practice, and though still living in Kentucky, he has retired 
from his profession. Philip's mother died when he was about four years old, having borne 
a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, the subject of this sketch being the 
youngest. He received his education chiefly in Logan county, Kentucky, though he did not 
complete it till after he had been a soldier in the civil war. He enlisted in company A, 
8th (afterwards 12th) regiment of Lyon's brigade of Kentucky volunteers, and served till 
mustered out at Columbus, Miss., May 16, 1865. After his return home he attended school 
till 1868, then began the study of law in the office of Judge J. H. Bowden. He was admitted 
to the bar in November, 1869, by George C. Kogers, judge of the 4th judicial district of 
Kentucky. In January following, he came to Springfield, Mo., and taught school for six 
months at Fair Grove, in Greene county. In the fall of 1870, was admitted to the'practice 
of law in Greene county, and licensed to practice in all courts of record in Missouri. He 
received the Democratic nomination for prosecuting attorney in 1882, and the following 
November was duly elected, receiving a majority of 486 votes over his Republican com- 
petitor. February 11, 1873, Mr. Simmons was married to Miss Mary Doling, daughter of 
James M. Doling, of Springfield. They have five children, all of them boys. Mr. Simmons 
is a Free Mason, and also a member of the A. O. U. W. His wife is a member of the Chris- 
tian church of Springfield. 

GEORGE W. SITTLER. 

Mr. Sittler is the son of Jacob and Sidney (Cummings) Sittler, and was born August 
25th, 1847, in Shelby county, Illinois. He was educated in the common schools of his na- 
tive county, and at the age of nineteen he entered into an apprenticeship under Dr. Geo. H. 
Hannaman to learn photographic work. He served two years, and then bought the gallery 
from Dr. Hannaman in 1868. In 1872 he took A. R. Launey into partnership with him, 
under the firm name of Sittler & Launey. In August, 1881, he sold out to his partner and 
went to Fort Scott, Kansas, where he remained for a short time. In January, 1882, he came 
to Springfield and purchased the gallery of Capt. S. W. Johnson, where he now carries on 
the business. He is a member of the Photographic Association of America, attends all con- 
ventions of his fellow-artists and keeps posted in all things relating to the art. He has a 
large gallerv, and employs three assistants, one of whom, Robt. M. Root, does all kinds of 
crayon and water-color work, and enlarges pictures. The gallery is located on St. Louis 
street, just east of the square. He does quite a wholesale business in picture frames, mate- 
rials, chemicals, etc. He has one of the largest trades in the business in the Southwest. 
Mr. Sittler is a Knight of Honor, and a Royal Arch Mason. 

JOHN T. SMITH. 

The subject of this sketch was born May 23d, 1797, in Franklin county, Georgia, and is 
the son of John and Elizabeth (Morgan) Smith. He was educated at Willington college. 
South Carolina, from which institution he graduated. It was his fortune while attending 
college to have been many times examined by that prince of statesmen John C. Calhoun. 
He was a schoolmate of Gen. McDuffie, who afterward became the colleague of Calhoun 
in the Senate of the United States. Mr. Smith was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving 
about six months. Soon after that war closed his parents emigrated to that part of Missis- 
sippi territory, which subsequently became the State of Alabama, and located near Hunts- 
ville. In 1818, Mr. Smith was elected magistrate and served eight years. His father gave 
him a tract of land and seven negroes, and he farmed until 1832, by which time he had made 
fifty thousand dollars. In 1833 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and ran a large brewing 
establishment for three years, and then went into the wholesale grocery business, which he 
followed until 1841, and in it, also, he made about fifty thousand dollars. He then went to 
Virginia and bought sixty-five slaves, and took them to Henry county, Tennessee, where 
he carried on a mule farm of three thousand acres, until 1852. He then spent two years in 
different States buying up land warrants, and in 1855 came to Springfield, Missouri. He 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 831 

■was married Dec. 10th, 1816, to Elizabeth Shotwell, by whom he had seven children, four 
boys and three girls, of whom two girls are now living. His first wife died in 1852, and in 
July, 1867, he married Willea Dantyrell. He joined the Methodist church in Alabama, in 
1815. In early times he was a member of the Whig and Know Nothing parties. His 
father came to the, United States as a British soldier, and was twice wounded, and taken 
prisoner in Virginia. He was the first clerk of Madison county, Georgia, and served for 
twenty-seven years. He died in 1818, and his wife in 1816. 

HON. JARED E. SMITH. 

This gentleman is the son of William P. and Christian (Patterson) Smith, and was born 
in Maury county, Tennessee, October 8, 1826. He was educated in the common schools of 
his neighborhood and made the best of his advantages. When sixteen years of age he en- 
gaged as a driver, receiving for his services six dollars per month. In 1846 he was married 
to Miss Sarah Roberta Mack, and settled upon a small farm and began business for himself, 
occasionally working at the carpenter's trade. In 1851 he, with his wife and two children, 
removed to Springfield, Mo. He engaged in farming the first year, and then for six years in 
house building and cabinet making. In 1853 he borrowed capital and built a planing mill, 
grist mill, foundry, and machine shop, in which he used the first steam machinery in Spring- 
field. When the war came up he helped organize a company of Home Guards, who were 
^oon changed into U.S. volunteers, and participated in the battle of Wilson's Creek, 
August 10, 1861. He was soon after made captain of company D, 72d regiment, militia, 
and helped in the defense of Springfield, when it was attacked January 8, 1863, by General 
Marmaduke. In 1862 was elected to represent Greene county in the Legislature. In 1864, 
was elected upon the Republican State ticket as register of lands, and held that oflSce four 
years. He was also county treasurer of Greene county for two years. In 1868 he and his 
son-in-law, John R. Eurgerson, engaged in the drug business, and in 1873 the partnership 
was dissolved and Mr. Smith embarked in the crockery and queensware business. In 1876 
he was again elected to the Legislature, in which capacity he served his consituents well 
and faithfully. He has been identified with the public-spirited citizens of the county in de- 
veloping Southwest Missouri, and he isjustly regarded as one of Greene's most prominent 
citizens. 

WILLIAM N. SMITH. 

Mr. Smith is a son of P. R. Smith, and a grandson of Wm. B. Logan, and Gen. Nick E. 
Smith. He was born at Springfield, Mo., June 28, 1854. He was educated at Springfield, 
and for four years was book-keeper for Waldo C. Booth, one of the largest hardware dealers 
of Springfield. Since then he has kept books for some of the leading mercantile firms of 
the city. He was married January 19, 1879, to Miss Seldie Dyer, a niece of Col. D. P. 
Dyer, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Smith's father is and has been for many years county clerk of 
Newton county, Missouri. 

JAMES H. SMITH. 

This gentleman is the son of A. G. and Helen (Fitchett) Smith, and was born at Gran- 
ville, Ohio, July 22d, 1842, and was educated at Dennison University. In July, 1862, he en- 
listed in the 113th regiment, Ohio volunteers, U. S. A., as a private, and resigned as captain 
in 1865. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in January, 1867, where he engaged in business 
for two or three years, and then traveled for a St. Louis grocery house for nine years. He 
then returned to Springfield, where he has been engaged in the grocery business ever since. 
He is proprietor of the Spot Cash Grocery Store, upon South street, where he is doing a 
flourishing business. Mr. Smith married Miss Lizzie Wall, of Duquoin, Illinois. They 
have one child. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., A. O. U. W., and the K. of H. He and his 
wife are members of the Episcopal church. His father died in 1862, at Granville, Ohio, and 
his mother is living at Kansas City. They had a family of four sons, James H. being the 
third child. 



832 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



HOLLET H. SNOW. 



Mr. Snow in the son of William C. and Amanda (Hollingsworth) Snow, and was born in 
Greene county, Mo., December 13, 1847. He grew to manhood upon the farm, and in 1868 
was married to Miss Mary Lee, of this county. Their union was blest with two boys and 
two girls. In 1871 he came to Springfield, where he worked at Schmook's mill until 1879. 
He was then appointed policeman and served on the force a year; then was a deputy con- 
stable under D. V. Savage for six months, and from then until the spring of 1882, he was 
janitor of the public school building. On the 4th of April, 1882, he was elected to the office 
of city marshal, upon the Republican ticket. His first wife dying, Mr. Snow was married 
the second time to Julia E. Buckner. They have by this marriage one girl and two boys. 
He is a member of the Knights of Honor, and his wife is a member of the Christian church. 
His parents came from Indiana in 1844, and his father died March 28, 1865. His mother is 
living in Springfield. They had tliree girls and seven boys, Hollet being the fifth child. 

VICTOR SOMMERS. 

Mr. Sommers is the son of F. and Sara (Marks) Sommers, and was born at Rheim Pfalc 
m 1840. In 1853 he came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, and from there 
went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was for several years in a wholesale clothing house. 
In 1868 he came to Springfield, Missouri, where he has since been in the dry goods and 
clothing business. The style of the firm has never been changed since he came to the city. 
They first located upon Boonville street, where Scott & Good now have a saloon ; they then 
moved to where C. H. Heer & Co., now are, and in 1871, moved to where they are at pres- 
ent, upon the north side of the square. Mr. Sommers was married in 1869 at Louisville, 
Kentucky, to Miss Bertha Bakrow. He is a member of the L O. O. P. and of the B'nai 
B'rith, a Jewish society. Mr. Sommer's father died in 1867, and his mother died in 1874 
at Louisville. They had one son and six daughters. Their son Victor, being one of the 
leading merchants of Springfield. 

ERNST SPEAKER. 

Ernst Speaker is the son of John and Sophia Speaker,;and was born in the province of 
Mechlenburg, Germany, in September, 1847. He came to the United States when six or 
seven years of age, and located at Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he learned the tinner's trade. 
In November, 1867, he came to Springfield, Missouri, where he followed his trade until Sep- 
tember, 1880. Then, in partnership with G. W. Hackney, they opened out a large stock of 
stoves and tinware, where they do a flourishing business at 217 Boonville street. Hackney 
& Speaker is one of the solid firms in the city, and they deserve the success they have met. 

LEWIS SUTTER. 

Mr. Sutter is the son of John and Elizabeth (Tinsley) Sutter, and was born September 
7th, 1842, in Clay county, Missouri. His father was born in Lorraine, France, but his pa- 
rents soon after moved to Paris, where he took the position of butler for a nobleman, and 
traveled all over the old world with his employer. He went to Clay county, Missouri, in 
1837, and followed farming extensively until his death in October, 1860. His wife died when 
Lewis was but three years old. She was of the family of Tinsleys, of Kentucky, that pro- 
duced so much tobacco. Lewis was educated in Clay county, and remained at home on the 
farm until his father's death. In February, 1862, he enlisted in company F, Missouri State 
militia, at Plattsburg, Missouri, and was mustered out at Springfield, April 9th, 1865. He 
was married July 18th, 1865, in this city, to Miss D. E. Britte. Their union has been blest 
with two children, one son and one daughter. Soon after his marriage he went back to Clay 
county, where he lived until October, 1867, and then returned to Springfield, where he has 
been in the grocery business ever since. He is the senior member of the large grocery house 
of Sutter & Bryan on Boonville street. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 833 

COL. JAMES B. THOMAS. 

Col. Thomas was born in Fredrick county, Maryland, Febuary 4, 1806. He came West 
in 1833, and to Missouri in 1867, and to Springfield in 1874. 

WIN FIELD SCOTT THOMPSON. 

This gentleman is the son of Samuel S. and Mary H. (Flanagan) Thompson, and was born 
at Penn's Grove, Salem county. New Jersey. He was educated in his early youth in the 
common schools of his neighborhood, and at the age of eighteen he entered the Methodist 
Seminary at Pennington, N. J., where he remained three years, teaching during vacations to 
help defray his educational expenses. Immediately after leaving the school he began the 
study of law, which he prosecuted a year before entering a law school. In September, 
1864, he entered the famous law school of Albany, N. Y., and graduated from that institution 
in May, 1865. Upon the suggestion of his friend, Hon. Henry T. Blow, of St. Louis, he 
settled in Marshfield, Webster county, Mo,, in November, 1865, and entered upon the 
practice of his profession. In 1866 he was appointed county attorney, and held that respon- 
sible position until 1870. He was then appointed attorney and general agent of the Atlantic 
and Pacific railroad. In that capacity he settled the land question that had arisen between 
the "squatters" and the railroad company, to the entire satisfaction of both. In 1875 he 
assisted in the organization of the Webster County Bank, at Marshfield, and was elected 
cashier, being one of the stockholders. In May, 1879, he sold out his banking business at 
Marshfield, and engaged in the same business at Wellington, Kansas, for a year. In Octo- 
ber, 1880, he came to Springfield and was right of way agent for the Gulf railroad east of 
this city. He is now town site agent for all towns upon that road east of Springfield. Mr. 
Thompson is a member of the I. O. O. F., and has been a representative to the Grand 
Lodge several times. He was married September 16, 1866, to Miss Susanah W., daughter of 
Lazarus and Elizabeth Nichols, of Wright county, formerly of Kentucky. 

W. M. A. TOWNSEND. 

Mr. Townsend is the son of William and Mary (Langston) Townsend, and was born Sep- 
tember 5th, 1832, in Logan county, Kentucky. He is one of a family of twelve children, 
seven boys and five girls. His father emigrated to Missouri in the winter of 1832, and set- 
tled about three miles south of Springfield, where William grew up, attending the schools in 
his neighborhood. In 1849, he went to California, where he lived until 1853, when he came 
back to Missouri, and staid three years. In 1856, he and his father took a drove of cattle 
across the great plains, and reached California just six months after starting. He lived 
there until 1871, when he returned to Springfield, Mo., where he has built up an extensive 
trade in the boot and shoe line, both wholesale and retail. Mr. Townsend is sole proprietor 
and manager. He was married on the 16th of September, 1855, to Miss Nancy L., daughter 
of George Rainey. They have four children, two boys and two girls. Mr. Townsend is a 
Mason, and a prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. His moth«r 
died when he was quite young, and his father died in Cassville, Barry county. Mo., at 
about eighty years of age. He was one of Greene's earliest pioneers. 

OLIVER HOMER TRAVERS. 

This gentleman is the son of Jeremiah T. and Sarah R. (Navy) Travers, and was born 
April 3, 1846, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was educated in that city and in St. Mary's 
county, Maryland. In the fall of 1866 he came to St. Louis, Missouri, where he clerked in a 
commission house for about eight months. In May, 1867, he came to Springfield, and ac- 
cepted a clerkship in the drug store of Murphy & Clements, where he remained eighteen 
months. He then entered the law oflice of McAfee & Phelps, where he studied, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in the fall of 1869. In 1872-3 he was elected city attorney upon the Dem- 
ocratic ticket. In 1876 he was nominated for the Legislature, but declined to run. He was 

53 



834 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

prosecuting attorney of Greene county from 1879 to 1881. In 1881 was city attorney of 
North Springfield. In 1880 he made the race for the Legislature, against Walter Langston, 
Republican, and was only beaten by forty-six votes. Mr. Travers was married November 20, 
1869, to Miss Virginia, M., daughter of Dr. Wm. Tarrish, of this county. Their union was 
blest with three children, only one of whom, Fred. P., is living. Mr. Travers has been for 
several years high priest of the Springfield Royal A.rch Chapter, No. 15, Seignior "Warden 
of Solomon Lodge, No. 271, and Prelate of St. John's Commandery, No. 20, and a member 
of the I. O. O. P. As a lawyer he stands among the first of the Southwest, and as an orator 
he is surpassed by no man in Southern Missouri. His father is living in Maryland, and his 
mother died in 1859. They had five children, of whom Oliver is the oldest. 

JAMES D. VAN BIBBER. 

This gentleman is the son of Joseph and Susan (Boone) Van Bibber, and was born May 
3, 1828, in Liberty, Clay county, Missouri. In 1832 his parents moved to Randolph county, 
Arkansas, where they died, leaving James D., our subject, still a child. In 1844 he came 
with his grandfather, Daniel Boone, to Greene county, Missouri, and settled on a farm near 
Ash Grove. He worked upon a farm, and saved money enough to give himself a good 
common school education. He taught school several terms, two in 1849, and one in the win- 
ter of 1850. In May, 1850, he sold goods for Alfred Stealey, at Cave Spring, which position 
he held until Mr. Stealey's death in 1853. Mrs. Stealey then gave Mr. Van Bibber entire 
control of the store until 1856, when he bought the stock of goods from her, and ran it on 
his own account until 1860. He was married February 28, 1854, to Caroline, daughter of 
Alfred and Lucinda (Brower) Stealey. They have been blest with two children, viz. : Al- 
fred H. and Laura B. In 1869 he removed to Walnut Grove, where he lived until 1874, 
when he made the race for county clerk upon the Democratic ticket, and was elected. He 
served his term of four years, and was renominated and re-elected in 1878, and was again 
re-elected in 1882. 

He is held in high esteem by all political parties. He is a Mason, has been secretary of 
the lodge for several years, and is a gentleman in every sense. 

JAMES R. VAU.GHAN. 

Mr. Vaughan is the son of Thomas and Susan B. Vaughan, and was born January 6, 1845, 
at Murfeesborough, Tennessee. In 1849 his parents moved to that part of Greene county 
that is now Christian. James was educated at the Ozark high school under the instruction 
of Rev. J. C. Learned, and in 1859 he returned to Tennessee and attended the Union Uni- 
versity. He then returned to Ozark, and in March, 1862, enlisted in company C, 6th Mis- 
souri Cavahy, as a private, but was promoted to the rank of sergeant major, and so mustered 
out at Baton Rouge, March 12, 1865. He graduated from the Ann Arbor law school in 1868, 
and attended the university at Jacksonville, Illinois, one year before going to Ann Arbor. 
He returned to Ozark where he remained in the practice of the law until May, 1877, when 
he came to Springfield and formed a law partnership with Hon. S. H. Boyd. Mr. Vaughan 
was married May 10, 1871 to Miss B. A. Weaver. They have had one son and three daugh- 
ters. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is one of Greene's leading citizens. His 
father was a native of Rutherford county, Tennessee, born January 8, 1814, and died in 
Christian county, Missouri, August 18, 1880. His mother is yet living in Springfield. 
They had two sons, the subject of this sketch being one, and Samuel R. the other, and one 
daughter, Sarah R. now the wife of J. Bell, all living in Springfield. 

S. S. VINTON, Jr. 

Mr. Vinton is the son of Samuel S. and Margaret (Campbell) Vinton, and was born at 
Springfield, Missouri, July 16, 1857. He was educated at the public schools and at Drury 
College. He was married October 8, 1878, to Miss Ella Whitson, of Springfield, Their 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 835 

union was blest with one child. Mrs. Vinton died March 15, 1882. Mr. Vinton, since quit- 
ting school, has been engaged in business with some of the leading men of the county, both 
as clerk and as a partner. Since January, 1, 1883, he and his brother have been in the dry 
goods and boot and shoe business for themselves on the north side of the square. They are 
upright, enterprising young men and will succeed. 

K. S. WADDELL. 

Mr. Waddell is the son of Hon. John S. WaddeU, and was born at Springfield, Missouri, 
Nov. 6, 1850. He was educated at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and returned to Springfield, 
where for two years he was engaged in mercantile pursuits as a clerk. In 1874 he went 
into the wholesale house of Keet, Rountree & Co., and has been with them ever since. He 
was married Dec. 3, 1874, to Miss L. D. Shipman, of this city. They have two girls and 
one boy. Mr. Waddell is member of the A. 0. U. W., and he and his wife are members of 
the Methodist church. He has been quite successful in business and is one of the substan- 
tial young men of the county. 

JUDGE RALPH WALKER. 

Judge Walker is the son of Ralph and Ann (Bigley) Walker, and was born in Cloncanon 
House, county of Galway, Ireland, November 27th, 1831. He was educated at Ranell a Col- 
lege Athlone, in the central portion of Ireland, and subsequently in that historic city London- 
derry, where his family name became associated with the memorable defence of that place 
under the leadership of Governor George Walker in repelling the attacks of the forces by 
King James. At the age of eighteen he came to America, landing at Philadelphia in 1851, 
and in that year he went to St. Louis and accepted a position under his brother John, who 
was the agent of the Adams Express Company at that city. He continued in that position 
until 1854, when he accepted the first clerkship on the steamer Badger State, plying between 
St. Louis and St. Paul ; then on the steamer Thomas Swann, from Louisville to New Orleans, 
and afterwards on the Edward Walsh and Michigan, between St, Louis and New Orleans. 

From 1858 to 1862 he was general freight and passenger agent of the Wabash railroad 
in St. Louis. In the latter year he made a trip to Liverpool, England, taking over the first 
cargo of petroleum oil that ever crossed the Atlantic ocean. In 1865 he returned to St. 
Louis, and in 1866 he came to Greene county and engaged in the mercantile business at Ash 
Grove ; organized and laid out that town. In 1870 he was elected county judge by those 
who favored internal improvements regardless of party fealty. He served six years. In 1876 
he assisted in the reorganization of the Kansas City and Memphis railroad, in which ho be- 
came a director, and since the sale of that road to the Fort Scott and Gulf company he has 
laid out and organized the towns of Everton, Seymour, Cabool and West Memphis. He is 
also proprietor of the Ash Grove mines. 

In 1857 he was married in the city of Dublin, by the Bishop of Cork, to Frances J., 
daughter of Major Henry Wilson, ef Her Majesty's 32d regiment of foot. They have had 
eight children, seven boys and one girl, two of whom died in infancy. His eldest son, Harry 
W., is at present connected with the Globe-Democrat of St. Louis. Judge Walker is a 
Mason and Senior Warden of Christ's Episcopal Church, Springfield. 

WILLIAM HENRY WARD. 

Mr. Ward is the son of William T. and Louisa J. Ward, and was born October 10, 1842, 
in Greene county. Mo., two miles west of Springfield. He grew to manhood upon the farm, 
and when the, war broke out he joined the militia for a year, and then enlisted in the 2d 
Missouri light artillery, battery I, as first sergeant. He was at the battles of Springfield 
and Nashville. At Springfield he was wounded in the left hand. He was mustered out 
August 10, 1865, at Benton Barracks, St. Louis. Mo. He then came home and learned the 



836 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

trade of stone mason, and worked at it ten years, and during the time laid the foundation for 
some of the principal business houses in the city of Springfiald. In 1879 he moved to Chris- 
tian county and ran a saw mill, and in January, 1883, he returned to Springfield, and now 
has charge of the large saw mill of R. A. Campbell. His first vote was cast for Lincoln in 
1864. on the steamer J. D. Berry. He was married September 22, 1870, to Miss Lavinia, 
dauu;hter of Henry Clay, of Springfield. Their union has been blest with three sons and one 
dauiihter. His father was born January 10, 1814, in Tazewell county, Tenn., and came to 
Greene county, Mo., in 1837, settling upon the place where Col. J. H, Price now lives. He 
then moved six miles south of Springfield, where he has lived forty-five years. His first 
wife was Miss Priscilla Price, a sister of Judge Wm. C. Price. She dying, he married 
Louisa J. Epperson, bj' whom he had seven children, four sons and three daughters. His 
second wife died March 31, 1854. Mr. Ward, sr., was a Know Nothing before the war, and 
voted for Lincoln in 1864. He was one of the pioneers of the county, and one of Greene's 
best citizens. 

JOSEPH WARD. 

Mr. Ward is the son of Jacob and Annie (Smith) Ward, and was born in Pennsylvania, 
July 8th, 1839. When Joseph was quite a small boy his parents moved to Gallia county, 
Ohio, where he received his education and grew to manhood. In 1861 he enlisted in com- 
pany M, 11th Pennsylvania cavalry, and served four years and twenty-three days. He 
was mustered out at Richmond, Virginia, in the fall of 1865. He served for some time as a 
dispatch courier for Gen. McClellan and other noted generals. He came to Springfield, Mo., 
in November, 1865, and freighted goods from RoUa to Springfield. In July, 1866, he was 
appointed as one of the police force, and has served about five years in all. He was in the 
grocery business for a year, but is now on the force, and discharges his duty without fear 
or favor. He was married in 1867, to Miss Martha J. Beal, of this city. Their married 
life has been blest with two children, George S. (deceased), and Fred. He and his wife are 
members of the Christian church. Mr. Ward's father died in Pennsylvania, when he, Jo- 
seph, was eleven years old, and his mother died in Springfield, in 1879. They had seven 
children, four of whom are now living. 

DR. LORENZO T. WATSON. 

Dr. Watson is the son of Barnett and Jane (Holloway) Watson, and was born September 
17th, 1833, in Monroe county, Tennessee. He is the second child of a family of twelve chil- 
dren. He was educated in his native county at Hiwasse College, attending five j-ears. In 
1851-52 and '53, he taught school in Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina. He left Ten- 
nessee upon the 10th day of October, 1853, and reached Greene county, Missouri, Nov 
20th, on foot, having walked the entire distance. He taught school in Cass and Robberson 
townships for two years. He then studied medicine in the ofiice of Dr. Clinton, of Ash 
Grove, for one year. In the fall of 1856 he went to McDowell's College, St. Louis, and took 
one course of lectures. He then went to Hartsville, Wright county, Mo., and practiced 
medicine until the fall of 1858, when he returned to the same medical college and graduated 
in March, 1859. He then returned to Hartsville and practiced his profession until the war 
broke out, when he was appointed assistant surgeon of the 24th Missouri volunteers. Union 
army. He was afterward surgeon of the M. S. M. He was in the service about three years, 
and then came to Springfield and engaged in the mercantile business. He remained in 
business in the city about three years, and then moved out to his farm in Cass township, 
where he lived until 1881, when he came back and moved into the house where he now 
lives, on South street, said to be one of the first brick houses built in the city. Dr. Watson 
was married in August, 1865, to Miss Josephine Massey. They were blest with one child, 
Eddie. The doctor's parent's came to Missouri in 1851, and settled in Cass township. His 
ather died in 1861, and his mother in 1882, at the age of sixty-nine. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 837 

JAMES M. WILHOIT. 

Mr. Wilhoit is the son of Andrew and Jane (G-entry) Wilhoit, and was born in. Clay- 
county, Missouri, January 12th, 1834. He was educated in Clay, and at Hi'^^n School in 
Andrew county, Mo. He lived upon the farm until he was twenty-two years of age, and 
then taught school in Clay county for about live years. He learned the trade of carriage 
and wagon-maker from his father. July 2d, 1863, he enlisted in company C, 6th Missouri 
S. M. cavalry, but saw no active service. He was married November 23d, 1865, to Miss 
Nannie, daughter of Z. M. Rountree, Esq. They have had seven children, five boys and 
two girls. In the spring of 1870, he and F. J. Underwood organized the Springfield Wagon 
Company. In 1874, he was elected on the temperance ticket as marshal of Springfield, but 
has followed his trade most of the time since coming to Greene county. He took a contract 
to furnish meat to the Calf railroad in April, 1882. Mr. Wilhoit has been a Mason for 
twenty-five years, and is a member of the A. O. U. W. He and his wife are members of 
the M. E. Church South. His father died in 1868, and his mother died in 1874. They had 
a family of seven children. 

J. N. WILLIAMS. 

Mr. Williams is the son of John R. Wiilliams, who caine to this county about 1833, and was 
born here in October, 1840. He lived in Dade county, Missouri, from 1852 to 1856, and then 
removed to Barry county. He returned to Greene county in 1860, and in 1861 enlisted in 
the 8th Missouri volunteers, U. S. A., under Col. W, F. Geiger, and served about one year. He 
was a non-commissioned oflicer of company K. He was disabled and discharged. Since com- 
ing to Springfield, he has been actively engaged in business, and for the last twelve years has 
been in the produce business, most of the time with J. M. Garrett, and still remains at the 
old stand with A. Koenigsbruck. Mr. Williams was married March 19, 1865, to Miss Matilda 
P., daughter of Junius M. Rountree, one of the most prominent citizens of this county. 
Their union is blessed with five children, three boys and two girls. 

JOHN M. WOOD 

Is a son of John and Elizabeth (Morris) Wood, and was born in what was then a wilderness, 
but now Rockford City, Illinois, upon the 19th of September, 1836. His parents soon after 
moved to Tennessee, where young John received his education. His father was a cotton- 
spinner and also ran a tanyard. John worked with his father in Tennessee until they moved 
to Springfield, Missouri, in May, 1853. His father bought a farm five miles northwest of 
Springfield, where John lived with his parents until 1858, when he accepted a clerkship in the 
general store of Charles Shepard, in Springfield, where he remained eighteen months. In 
1860 he embarked in the mercantile business for himself in partnership with Joseph Wea- 
ver. The war coming on soon paralyzed all business, and the firm closed business. In 1864 
he engaged in the grocery trade and remained in that business until 1880. He is now of the 
general merchandise firm of Wood & Williams. Mr. Wood joined the Christain church in 
Tennessee, and is now elder and treasurer of that church, and has been a member of the 
city council. He was married in September, I860, to Miss Sarah A., daughter of Dr. Wil- 
liam Shackelford of this count^^ Their union has been blest with six children, three boys 
and three girls, all living. Mrs. Wood is of the same religious faith as her husband, and the 
family is one of the county's " salt of the earth." 

WILLIAM H. WORRELL (deceased). 

Mr. Worrell was born in Baltimore, Md., October 7, 1825. He lived in that city until 
1846, when he moved to St. Louis, Mo. He came to Springfield in 1859 and built the house 
on the square with glass front, where his widow is now doing business. During the war he 
was a Union man, but being lame he could not bear arms but assisted in raising troops, etc. 



838 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

His family became well known for their kindness in ministering to the sick and wounded 
soldiers, and have never received any remuneration. They have received many letters from 
soldiers who regained health under their tender care, and the officers spoke well of their 
unselfish offices to the distressed- When the Confederates had possession of Springfield 
Mr. Worrell and family had to leave. They returned,' however, with Curtis' army, and 
have carried on the same business of bakery and confectionery. Mr. Worrell was married 
in 1848, in Baltimore, to Miss Sophia N. Henry, often mentioned in these pages. Mr. Wor- 
rell died December 27, 1878. 

DR. CHARLES F. WRIGHT. 

Dr. Wright was born at Tiffin, Ohio, January 25th, 1849. His parents were Rev. Chas. 
A. and Hannah E. (Fisher) Wjright, the former being a minister of the Methodist church. 
Charles F. received his education at Heidelberg College, leaving school at the early age of 
fourteen to enlist in the cause of the Union against the enemies of the government. He 
joined company K, 49th Ohio regulars, enlisting January 1st, 1864, as drummer boy. 
Subsequently he was detailed as Gen. Wood's private orderly, and served until mustered 
out at Victoria, Texas, in the fall of 1865. Young as he was, he served with Gen. Sherman 
all through his active campaigning in the years 1864-5. In October, 1867, his parents and 
himself came to Springfield, this county, and Charles began studying dentistrj' the following 
year in the office of Dr. Natrass, and remained with him some three years. In the fall of 
1871 he went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and took a course of lectures in the dental col- 
lege of that city, which prepared him for the practice of the profession. On completing 
his course, he came back to Missouri, locating first at Lebanon, Laclede county, where he 
opened an office and practiced dentistry for three years. He returned to Springfield in the 
fall of 1875, opened an office, and has done here a successful practice ever since. Dr. Wright 
is connected with the Kansas City Dental College, and annually delivers lectures for the ben- 
efit of students attending that institution. He has the largest and most elegant dental par- 
lors in this part of the State, and is assisted by his brother, Silas A. Wright. December 
4th, 1870, Dr. Wright was married to Miss Jennie Smith, of Lebanon, Missouri. They have 
one son and one daughter, named respectively, Charles D. and Lizzie B. Rev. Charles 
Wright, above mentioned, was born in Syracuse, New York, and died in San Francisco, Cal- 
ifornia, in 1867, whither he had gone for his health. He was, for twenty-five years, a min- 
ister of the M. E. church. He was one of the first to volunteer for national defence at the 
outbreak of the civil war, and was first lieutenant in the 8th Ohio, and subsequently was 
captain in the 82d Oliio. His family numbered five children, three sons and two daughters, 
of whom Dr. Charles F. was the second in order of birth. His mother (widow of Rev. 
Wright), still resides in Springfield. Though still a young man. Dr. Wright has built for 
himself a reputation and a practice in his profession that many an older practitioner might 
envy; and his courteous treatment of all patients, under the greatest pressure of business, 
has won for him many warm personal friends — a thing fully merited by such a genial gen- 
tleman as Dr, Chas. F. Wright. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 839 

CHAPTER XXXII. 
NORTH SPRINGFIELD. 

Origin — A Rival City — First Comers — Hotels — R. R. Shops — Fire —Bank — Opera 
House — Items and Incidents — Churches — Lodges — Biographical Sketches. 

The town of North Springfield dates its existence from the comple- 
tion of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad to the present site of the town. 
But for the stinginess and selfishness of some of the moneyed men of 
old Springfield, the busy town of North Springfield, with all of its 
importance, would never have existed. 

As has been stated on other pages of this work, when the railroad 
was first projected to Springfield, there was no thought that there 
would ever be another town or city within half a dozen miles of the 
corporation of old Springfield. There was a belief, however, that the 
depot would be on the north side of Wilson's creek, or a quarter of a 
mile or so away on top of the ridge, and that the city limits would be 
extended still further to the north of the depot. Col. S. H. Boyd, 
who had been a partner of Gen. Fremont's in his purchase of the rail- 
road in 1866, carefully observed the progress of the enterprise after 
its affairs had passed into the hands of the Boston and New York cap- 
italists in 1868. 

Becoming well posted in the probabilities involved in the con- 
struction of the road. Col. Boyd purchased a half interest in a 
large tract of land lying in the north part of Springfield and 
adjacent to its northern limits. Messrs. Robberson and Boyd 
then purchased all lands lying in the southeast part of the city 
which would be available for depot grounds ; and when, at last, a 
meeting of the stockholders of the company was held in Springfield, 
to negotiate with the city for the location of the depot, it was found 
that suitable grounds within the city limits could only be purchased 
from these parties, at prices which, although very reasonable under 
the circumstances, the Scrooges of the old town were unwilling to 
pay. Many of them were opposed to paying a cent themselves for 
depot grounds, saying " that the depot will be built here anyhow." 

Messrs. Robberson and Boyd then offered the railroad company a 
half interest in the lands first mentioned, provided the depot should 
be erected where it now stands, and this proposition was finally ac- 



840 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

cepted. This led to the organization of the Ozark Land Company, 
consisting of the South PaciHc Railrdad Company, Dr. E. T. Rob- 
berson and C. H. Harwood, who had purchased the interest of Col. 
Boyd. 

In the early spring of 1870 a town was laid out adjoining the city 
of Springfield on the north, and North Springfield sprang into exist- 
ence as if by magic. The first building erected was the small frame 
building erected by the company, and used for some time as a real 
estate office, at the corner of Jeiferson and Commercial streets. The 
next was the residence and store of J. J. Barnard, who opened the 
first stock of groceries and provisions. Next came Mr. Payton's res- 
idence and Dr. Hansford's drug store. Mr. Barnard's was the first 
family that came to town, but was soon followed by Mr. Payton's, Dr. 
Hansford's, Mr. Mumfort's, and other families too numerous to men- 
tion. 

THE FIRST RUSINESS MEN. 

Among the pioneers to the new town was J. C. Jackson, grocer, 
who came when the town first began to build up, in the spring of 1870, 
and erected a two-story brick building, 20 by 64 feet, on the south 
side of Commercial street, near the corner of Jefferson avenue. H. 
H. Kaufholz, grocer, came in March, 1870, and began the erection of 
a two-story frame building, 23 by 50 feet, with a wareroom about the 
same size, on the corner of Commercial street and Robberson avenue* 
in which building he opened a general store in May following. This 
building was destroyed by the fire of October, 1872. The lumber 
trade was among the important business interests of North Springfield 
in 1870, and was represented in that year by T. R. Johns, Theodore 
Bloess, J. C. Degenhardt, McAllister & Barber. J. G. Raithel and 
Kennedy & Druhe. Mr. Johns was from Ohio, Mr. Bloess from Se- 
dalia, Mr. Degenhardt from St. Louis. All three of these gentlemen 
failed in a short time. 

RAILROAD LAND OFFICE. 

Prominent among the l)usiness interests of North Springfield, in its 
infanc}', was the real estate business, and in the little building, before 
mentioned, on the corner of Commercial street and Jefferson avenue, 
it is said that $90,000 worth of town lots were sold during the first 
six months. Besides this, thousands of acres of farming lands were 
sold during the same time, by Messrs. C. E. and Alfred Harwood, who 
occupied this office, and were several years the authorized agents of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 841 

the railroad company. In the spring of 1878 the Harwood brothers re- 
signed this position. 

THE " OZARK HOUSE." 

One of the first buildings erected in North Springfield was the, 
Ozark House, a fine large frame hotel, built by the railroad company, 
in the spring of 1870, at a cost of $30,000. The erection of the Ozark 
House stiiTed up the people of Old Town and caused the erection of 
the Metropolitan. The Ozark enjoyed an excellent patronage while 
it stood. April 7, 1875, it was totally destroyed by fire, at a loss in 
the aggregate of building and furniture of nearly $65,000. There 
was an insurance of $24,200, after the time it was owned by Dunlap 
& Harwood. The Ozark stood just south of and opposite the present 
railroad depot. 

THE " SOUTHWEST " PRINTING OFFICE. 

In February, 1869, the Southwest was first issued by Col. H. Lick, 
from an office over Dr. McAdoo's store in Springfield. In March fol- 
lowing, Z. T. Hedges bought an interest in the paper, and in August 
of the same year Mr. Lick sold out his interest to D. B. Taylor, when 
the office was removed to North Springfield and the name changed to 
the Springfield Republican, Taylor Hedges & Co. being the publish- 
ers. In the spring of 1871 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Taylor 
retiring, and Mr. Hedges remaining in North Springfield and re-estab- 
lishing the Southwest. Under this style it continued until 1875, when 
Mr. Lick returned and took charge, soon after which the office was 
destroyed b}^ fire. The office was at that time in a building erected 
and owned by D. B. Taylor, who still had some claim on the office, 
and held insurance policies to the amount of $1,900 on the building 
and office. Soon after this a new outfit of material was purchased by 
Mr. Lick,' who changed the name of the paper to the Southwest-er, 
and continued its publication until the spring of 1878, when W. H. 
B. Trantham became the editor and proprietor, and the paper, which 
had been published as an " independent" sheet, became the organ of 
the National Greenback party of this county. The Southioest was 
the first newspaper in North Springfield. A publication called the 
Town and Farm was started in November, 1882, by Sanders & Has- 
well. It succeeded the Little Joker, a unique journal established by 
Mr. Lick. 

THE FIRST SCHOOLS. 

Not long after the la3dng out of the town and the commencement of 
business Mr. Geo. S. Escott opened school in a small frame building, 



842 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

known as the chapel, which stood on the west side of Jefferson street, 
where Locust street now crosses. Here, during the winter of 1870- 
71, he had a private school of from sixty to eighty students. Miss 
Bills also had a small school on the north side of the railroad. In the 
spring of 1871 a public school was established and the private schools 
discontinued. Since that time there has been public school in the 
district from six to ten months every year, and in 1872 a fine brick 
public school building was erected in the north part of town, at a cost 
of $17,000. 

In July, 1877, a Mrs. M. Louisa Durham started a kindergarten in 
North Springfield, which was something of a success for a time, but 
did not live long. 

INCORPORATION. 

On the 4th day of July, 1870, the county court of Greene county 
made an order incorporating the " Town of North Springfield," which 
then included the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter, and all 
of the southwest quarter of section 12, and the east half of the east 
half of the southeast quarter of section 11, in township 29, range 22. 

At the same time and by the same authority, J. J. Barnard, L. 
Hansford, M. V. Smith, H. H. Kaufholz and William Turk, were ap- 
pointed trustees of said town. These orders were made " on petition 
of two-thirds of the citizens" of the town, but were afterwards dis- 
covered to be illegal, from the fact that scarcely any of said petitioners 
and not even the gentlemen appointed as trustees, had been in the 
State long enough to become citizens. Therefore the original orders 
of incorporation were rescinded, and on the 8th of May, 1871, the 
town was again incorporated including the same amount of territory 
though difterently described. 

From the Southwester newspaper of February 31, 1877, it is learned 
that upon the granting of the last act of incorporation the following 
trustees were appointed : J. J. Barnard, J. C. Jackson, W. M. Turk, 
H. H. Kauiholz, and A. P. Harvvood. November 12, following, the 
trustees met by consent, and J. J. Barnard was appointed chairman 
and D. B. Taylor clerk. The board then proceeded to enact by-laws 
and regulations for the town. W. M. Turk was chosen the first mar- 
shal ; A. M. Has well, assessor ; L. Hansford, collector; T.R.Johns, 
treasurer, and J. C. Jackson, street commissioner. L. Hansford re- 
signed the oflice of collector, and the marshal, \Y. M. Turk, was 
appointed. A few days later Mr. Barnard removed outside of the 
corporation and A. P. Harwood was elected chairman of the board of 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 843 

trustees. Marshal Turk resigned and thus there were three vacancies 
in the town board, two councihnen and the marshal and coUeetorship. 
At a special election, J. G. Raithel and W. M. Payton were chosen 
councilmen, and A. J. Russell was elected marshal in place of Turk. 
By order of the county court, January 7, 1873, a voting precinct 
was established at North Springfield, and on petition of J. J. Barnard 
and others, the corporate limits of the town were so extended as to 
include the northwest quarter of section 12, before mentioned. 

THE ST. LOUIS & SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY SHOPS. 

What gives to North Springfield, its principal importance, and es- 
pecially a large share of its population, is the fact that it is the loca- 
tion of the extensive car and locomotive repair shops of the St. Louis 
and San Francisco railway. Up to 1873 the principal shops of this 
road were located at Franklin, or Pacific, as it is now called, but in 
that year the round house was erected here, with accommodations 
for twelve engines, and shops large enough to admit five engines at a 
time for repairs, besides a large' blacksmith shop, with all the latest 
appliances for utilizing and saving labor. 

In 1876 a sixty-horse power stationary engine was put in to run the 
machinery, and the car shop, brass foundry and oil house were 
erected ; also a large lumber and dry house. In 1877 there was a con- 
siderable increase in the machinery, including a steam punch and 
shears, and a steam hammer of 36,000 pounds stroke, but so regu- 
lated that the force may be diminished eveu to the weight of an ounce. 
In 1877 these shops employed about 170 men and turned out over one 
hundred new cars, besides keeping up ordinary repairs for the whole 
road of 363 miles. In 1880 large additions were made, and since 
their first establishment the facilities of the shops have about doubled, 
owing to the improvements made from time to time. Adjoining the 
shops is a building where all supplies are kept in endless numbers and 
quantity. A look through that collection is surprising to one who hasf 
only a general idea of what is used by a railroad company. 

North Springfield is the terminus of all the divisions, and all the 
railway employees have their homes there. There is a finef railroad 
eating house where good meals are furnished to passengers. Two fast 
trains leave daily for St. Louis. 

A large portion of North Springfield is supplied with water from 
the large natural spring one-half mile north of the passenger depot. 



844 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

This spring also furnishes water for the motive power of the extensive 
machine shops of the company, and for all locomotives running over 
this division of the road. The reservoir of the spring is 19x70 feet, 
and about six feet deep. From this spring the water is forced up to 
the tank at the machine shops, and the one from which the locomo 
tives and the town are supplied, by means of a powerful engine and 
pump with fifty feet of suction pipe, and 2,640 feet of 3-inch dis- 
charge pipe. 

The town of North Springfield is connected with Springfield by 
two lines of street railway, having new and elegant cars, and the 
railway is well patronized. 

The first postmaster in North Springfield, was Dr. Fisher, and the 
office was established in August, 1870. 

In 1874 there was a bill introduced in the State Legislature to ex- 
tend the limits of Springfield far enough north to include North Spring- 
field, and the bill was passed, providing that it should be so extended, 
if a majority of the tax-payers of both towns should vote in favor of 
such extension. The vote was first taken in North Springfield, and 
stood 72 opposed, and 1 in favor — Frank Lawson casting the vote in 
favor of the extension merely as a joke. Learning what the result 
was here, it was not considered necessary to take a vote on the prop- 
osition in Springfield. 

Although North Springfield still retains its autonomy, and the right 
of local self-government, of which right it is very jealous, yet it does 
not require much of a prophet to predict that at no very distant day 
it will lose its identity as a distinct town and be merged into and be- 
come a very important part of the great city of Springfield. But any 
movement looking to the consolidation of the two towns must be bes^un 
by the old town. North Springfield is too important a municipalty 
per se, and too capable of managing well its own interests, to beg that 
it may be swallowed up by some other big town in order that it may 
be "protected." Its heart is not troubled at the recent progress 
made by " old town, " as it has too much of prosperity itself to be 
envious, too much proper spirit to be jealous. It can rejoice with its 
older sister at her prosperity, and in time may come to share it with 
her, but whenever the partnership is formed, North Springfield must be 
invited and must be permitted to come in as an equal partner — at 
least so far as to be allowed to fix the terms of upon which the con- 
solidation shall be efl^ected. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 845 

INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF NORTH SPRINGFIELD. 

October 12, 1872, the Fellows' grain elevator was burned, involving 
considerable loss. Other buildings near by were ignited from the 
elevator and consumed. Among these was Mr. Kaufholz's grocery, 
which was on the opposite side of the street, and more than a hundred 
feet away from the elevator. Mr. K.'s loss was about $7,000 ; insur- 
ance, $4,200. The total loss in this fire was fully $15,000. In con- 
nection with the elevator before mentioned Mr. Fellows lost a larse 
forwarding and commission house, which stood near the corner of Com- 
mercial street and Robberson avenue. 

In 1873 Dr. Hansford's two-story boarding house was destroyed, 
but the doctor set to work as soon as the embers had cooled a little 
and erected the Lyon House, named in honor of the Union hero of 
Wilson's Creek, a fine three-story brick hotel, on the south side of 
Commercial street. 

The life led by railroad men on our Western railroads, especially 
about the divisions, is almost as perilous as that of a soldier. Numer- 
ous accidents, many of which are fatal in their nature, are constantly 
occurring at the various principal offices and headquarters, and at all 
times the railroad men carry their lives in their hands, when on duty, 
and often their hands are made to loosen their grasp and allow the 
precious burden to escape. The general public is not much given to 
contemplation upon the thought that so very much is due to the brave 
railroad men, who so frequently imperil their own existence and the 
happiness of those near and dear to them, in order that a trip may be 
made on time, or a car load of hogs sent safely to market. 

North Springfield has had its full share of railroad accidents. About 
the middle of March, 1876, Mr. I. N. Mellinger, a foreman of the A. 
& P., while coupling cars in the yard here was caught between two 
cars and instantly killed. August 6, 1877, Yardmaster James Osborne 
lost his life while engaged in coupling cars in the yard here. Acci- 
dentally he caught the heel of his boot in the frog of a switch, and 
was thrown upon the track, the car wheels passing over his legs and 
almost severing them from his body. He died about 10 o'clock the 
same night. 

The murder of a man known as Capt. Johnson, a few years since, 
was a mysterious as well as a dreadful affair. The captain 
had kept a hotel or eating house at Verona and also at 
Vinita. He came up to North Springfield and was here some days. 



846 HISTORY OP GREENE COUNTY. 

One morning he was found, with a bullet in his brain and stone dead, 
lying in a bed in John's lumber office. Some thought it a case of 
suicide, but circumstances disproved this theory, although the mur- 
derer was never suspected. His wife came on and saw the body and 
cared for it. Addressing the corpse she said : "Ah! you are dead, 
my darling — dead — dead ! But you never, never killed yourself? 
Did you? I know that too well.'" 

THE BANK OF SPRINGFIELD. 

The bank of Springfield 'was incorporated September 16, 1882, with 
a capital of $50,000, of which 50 per cent was paid up at the start 
and the remainder in January 1, following. It owns the building in 
which it is located — a fine two-story brick, on the corner of Com- 
mercial street and Benton avenue. It is well furnished, with first- 
class appointments, a large fire-proof vault, in which is a Herring 
burglar-proof safe, with a Yale time lock. The present officers are 
C. W. Rogers, president ; B. F. Hobart, vice president ; F. E. At- 
wood, cashier. 

"FRISCO" OPERA HOUSE. 

The "Frisco" opera house, on Commercial street, near Benton 
avenue, North Springfield, was built in the summer of 1882, by G. 
W. Turner, J. W. Spencer, and R. G. Parker. It is now owned by 
E. L. Fay. The building is a two-story brick, has two large business 
rooms on the first floor, and the hall above is capable of seating from 
500 to 700 people. 

The Anchor Mills were built by Mr. Coleman in 1872, and attracted 
a great many people to the place, proving one of the most valuable 
among the interests of the place. May 1, 1881, A. R. Sprague & Co. 
purchased the mill, and in the summer following rebuilt them inside, 
put in new machinery, etc. February 1, 1882, Mr. Brooke pur- 
chased an interest, and the firm is now Sprague, Brooke & Co. The 
mills have a run of five buhrs. 

The real population of North Springlield in 1880 was 1,388, instead 
of the 900 as published in the census bulletins. 

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 

The congregation of the First Congregational church of North Spring- 
field was organized in 1871, the following being among the first mem- 
bers : Dr. E. T. Robberson, S. Burton, C. J. Burton, C. E. Harwood 
and wife, A. P. Harwood, wife and sister, and J. H. Harwood and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 847 

wife. At first the congregation met in a small frame building, on the 
€orner of Boonville and Chestnut streets, in " old town." The build- 
ing was rented of Col. Richardson, and it is now used as a butcher 
shop. The next meeting-house was a frame store on the southwest 
corner of Jefferson and Locust streets, which was rented of Whitfield 
Matty. It is now owned by Prof. Paul Roulet, and has been removed 
to a site on Commercial street and rented for a barber shop. The 
present church building was built in May, 1871, and dedicated on the 
29th of that month, being enlarged in 1881. It cost about $5,000. 
The pastors of the church have been J. H. Harwood, D. D., J. C. 
Plumb, N. J. Morrison, D. D., Prof. O. Brown, E. B. Burrows and 
C. H. Crane. The present number of members is 189. The Sunday 
school in connection therewith has a membership of 225. 

M. E. CHURCH. 

St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church is located on the corner of 
Benton avenue and Pacific street, North Springfield, and was organ- 
ized in 1873. The original members were S. P. Hatfield and wife, G. 
W. Burge and wife, and Mrs. A. D. Starks. The building is a brick, 
and was erected in 1879 at a cost of $2,500. It was dedicated Decem- 
ber 18, 1881. Rev. G. W. Hughey, D. D., of St. Louis, preached 
the dedicatory sermon, by invitation of the presiding pastor, Rev. J. 
Hervey Dobbs. The pastors have been J. Gardner, S. H. Mortland, 
B. F. Poole, A. E. Day, E. E. Condo, J. W. Bushong and J. Hervey 
Dobbs. The present membership is 100. Prior to the above organ- 
ization, a class was held for a short time at the residence of Mr. Law- 
rence Kellett, now deceased. The St. Paul's Sunday school numbers 
one hundred and ninety, including officers and teachers. The su- 
perintendent is Rev. J. Hervey Dobbs. 

CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

The congregation of St. Mary's Catholic church was organized May 
29, 1882. Some of the first members were August Lohmeyer, J. R. 
McCabe, M. Kearney, J. L. Kennedy, Frank Doyle, Joe Kennedy and 
Cor. Carr. After a hard struggle against strong opposition for about 
two years, the Catholics of North Springfield succeeded in getting 
their petition granted by Bishop Hogan and the diocesan council 
to have a Catholic church built in North Springfield, and a new parish 
organized independent from that of old Springfield, where they for- 
merly belonged. The church building was erected in 1882, at a cost 



848 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

of about $6,000. It is built of brick, after the Gothic order of archi- 
tecture ; covers an area of 70 by 36 feet, and stands on the corner of 
Webstfer avenue and Locust street. The architect and superintendent 
was Aug. Lohmeyer. The congregation of St. Mary's, including chil- 
dren, numbers about 500, Its pastor is Rev. Father O'Neil, a young 
priest, who resides in the parish now for about one-third of the year. 

MASONIC LODGE. 

Gate of the Temple Lodge No. 422, A. F. and A. M., was organized 
under a dispensation bearing date October 13, a. l. 5871 (a. d. 1871). 
The charter was granted Oct. 6, 1872. The namesof the charter mem- 
bers were T. U. Flanner, B. F. Lawson, E. A. Finney, R. B. Sears, 
W. J. Rountree, Luther Hansford, and E. T. Robberson. The first 
officers were T. U. Flanner, W. M. ; B. F. Lawson, S. W. ; E. A. 
Finney, J. W. ; W. J. Rountree, S. D. ; J. J. Barnard, J. D. ; E. T. 
Robberson, treasurer; R. B. Sears, secretary; L. Hansford, tyler. 
The present officers are F. W. Laker, W. M. ; E. L. Fay, S. W. ; T. 
Thorson, J. W. ; E. T. Robberson, treasurer; John LaClair, secre- 
tary ; Alex. Knox, tyler. The lodge meets in a rented hall over the 
bank of Springfield. The present membership numbers 59. 

ODD FELLOWS. 

North Springfield Lodge (I. O. O. F.), No. 218, was instituted by 
R. W. West, P. G. The dispensation was issued Dec. 25, 1869. The 
charter bears date May 19, 1870. The charter members were Jesse 
D. Six, Charles E. Pemberton, J. S. Tilton, Julius Cohn, and E. T. 
Robberson. The first officers were Jesse D. Six, N. G. ; Charles E. 
Pemberton, V. G. ; J. S. Tilton, secretary ; Julius Cohn, treasurer. 
The present officers are Hans S. Ostergard, N. G. ; A. N. Brannock, 
V. G. ; F. M. Martin, recording secretary ; George F. Baltz, perma- 
nent secretary ; Thomas E. Wright, treasurer. The lodge meets in 
the Temple of Honor hall, which is rented. The lodge is in good 
financial condition. The present membership is 40. 

ORDER OF THE PALM AND SHELL. 

North Springfield division of the Oriental Order of the Palm and 
Shell was instituted by Henry R. Coleman, grand chaplain of the 
State of Kentucky. The dispensation was issued August 23, 1882. 
The charter members were Fred W. Laker, Rev. Corona, H. Briggs^ 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 849 

James B. Milliken, Harry C. Lindsly, Wm. B. Searcy, George W. 
Morelock, John Potter, and Edwin L. Fay. The first officers were 
Fred W. Laker, chief; Eev. Corona, H. Briggs, and James B. Milli- 
ken, aids. The present officers are the same as the first. Rev. C. 
H. Briggs is grand chaplain of the Grand lodge. The number of 
present membership is 8. 

TEMPLE OF HONOR. 

North Springfield Lodge No. 23 was instituted by James Barton. 
The dispensation was issued in April, 1878. The charter bears date 
May 3, 1878. The charter members were Geo. Hitchens, John T. 
Williams, R. B. Payton, and others. 

UNITED WORKMEN. 

Wentworth Lodge No. 113, A. O. U. W., was instituted by H. W. 
Busse. Its charter and dispensation are dated February 25, 1879. 
The charter members were J. R. Wentworth, F. J. Underwood, E. T. 
Robberson, Alex. Vpech, A. B. Clayton, T. P. Young, D. H. Nichols, 
J. T. Gray, Alex. Knox, and Arthur Ball. The first officers were T. 
J. Underwood, P. M. W. ; Alex. Veech, financier; D. H. Nichols, 
M. W.; J. T. Gray, receiver; A. B. Clayton, G. F. ; Alex. Knox, 
overseer; A. Ball, guide; F. P. Young, inside watchman; J. R. 
Wentworth, recorder; E. T. Robberson, outside watchman. The 
present officers are T. Ball, P. M. W. ; C. B. Wilson, recorder ; John 
D. Bossert, M. W. ; C. J. McMasters, receiver; Jacob Goodlar, G. 
F. ; Ezra Berst, F. ; J. F. Miller, O. ; E. E. Berst, W. ; I. H. Price, G. 
The present membership is 48. 

BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN. 

Frisco Lodge Division No. 51 B. of L. F., was instituted by S. M. 
Stevens. The date of the charter is August 7th, 1881. The names 
of the charter members are Arthur Ball, C. C. Bidwell, Geo. W. 
Daniels, J. W. Marrow, M. A. Frame, W. A. Noleman, H. R. Favor, 
Wm. Palmer, John Hulse, Elijah Smith, Alex. Knox, John Schepper, 
John Truesdale, Charles Waites, Isaac Waites. 

The first officers were W. A. Noleman, master ; Alexander Knox, 
vice master; M. A. Frame, secretary; W. R. Favor, financier; John 
Truesdale, magazine agent. The present officers are Joseph Dryden, 
master; John Hulse, secretary; M. W. Burwell, financier; Wm. 
Geister, magazine agent. The present membership is 40. 
54 



850 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS. 

Pacific City Lodge, Division No. 83 Grand International Brother- 
hood of Locomotive Engineers, was chartered January 1, 1871. The 
charter members were J. L. Parrish, Benjamin Smith, A. Maloney, 
James Smith, J. R. Moore, R. W. Robinson, Thomas Murray, Geo. 
W. Kitchens, Frank Caton, Albert Start, Wm. Willis, James 
McCourt and A. Casbourn. The first officers were Frank Caton, C. 

E. ; J. L. Parrish, F. A. E. The present officers are Joseph R. 
Moore, C. E. ; John Kgan, F. E. ; D. Stephenson, S. E. ; F. W. 

♦ Laker, F. A. E. ; T. B. McLean, S. A. E. ; George M. Huston, T. 
A. E. ; John Monaghan, guide ; Edward Beer, chaplain. The present 
membership is 44. The lodge meets in the North Springfield 
Masonic Hall. The lodge has connected with it, the Lomotive En- 
gineers' Mutual Life Insurance Association, in which there are 30 mem- 
bers. Joseph R. Moore is the secretary and treasurer for division 83. 

There is also a weekly benefit association connected with division 
83. In case of sickness or accident a member so disabled receives 
$10 per week for the time he is unable to work, which is paid by 
assessment on other members of the association. 

The Frisco Locomotive Engineers Health Association was organized 
July 1, 1882, and the first officers were T. B. WcLean, president; 

F. W. Laker, vice president and secretary ; T. L. Hasler, treasurer. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

HUGH L. BALDWIN. 

Mr. Baldwin is the son of Theophilus and Lucy Baldwin, and was born in Lawrence 
county, Indiana, November 20, 1838. He was left an orphan at the age of twelve years, 
and when he was fifteen he went to Richland county, Illinois, where he worked upon a farm. 
In 1862 he commenced railroading as a brakesman, upon the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis 
R. R. In ten months he was promoted to freight conductor, and held that position upon 
that road for seven years. In 1870 he went upon the Burlington and Cedar Rapids R. R., in 
the same capacity, but in the same year went to the Central Pacific R. R., and was yard- 
master at Oakland until 1872. In 1873 he came to Springfield, Mo., and is now one of the 
most popular and prosperous grocery merchants of North Springfield. Mr. Baldwin is a 
Royal Arch Mason, and one of the substantial citizens of the county. He was married in 
1858, to Miss Sarah J. Philhower, daughter of William and Lucinda Philhower, of Rich- 
land county. 111. Their union has been blest with five children, three of whom are yet 
living. 

R. F. BARNES. 

Mr. Barnes was born in Circleville, Ohio, October 7, 1846. In 1864 he began railroading 
upon the Louisville & Nashyille railroad; and worked at it for several months. He then re- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 851 

turned to his home at Madison, Indiana, where he was engaged in the mercantile business 
with his father. In 1873 he went to Oswego, Kansas, where be was again engaged in mer- 
chandising for four years. Then be was assistant clerk in the county offices at the court- 
house in Oswego, and next joined a civil engineer corps and worked at the business for sev- 
eral months. He then returned to Oswego and worked in the court-house six months. He 
then was engaged in the construction of a railroad from Parsons to Cherryvale, Kansas. In 
1879 and 1881 he was city assessor of Oswego, and in June, 1881, he went to work for the 
St. L. & S. F. R. E., as clerk for J. R. Wentworth, superintendent of the Kansas division of 
that road, whose office was then at Neodesha, Kansas. Mr. Barnes remained there a year, 
and was then transferred to North Springfield, where he is clerk in the office of the superin- 
tendent of the Missouri & Kansas division of the same road. Mr. Barnes was married upon 
New Year's eve, 1876, to Miss L. F. Elliott, of Oswego, Kansas. They have one child, Eva 
Belle. 

BENTLY O. BEARDEN. 

Mr. Bearden is a native of this county, born December 26th, 1856. His parents are Elias 
M. and Nancy A. Bearden, old settlers of Greene county, who came here in 1841 and settled 
on the farm on which they reside at this writing, two and a half miles east of Springfield. 
Soon after coming to this county, Bently O. engaged in farming till 1880, then came to North 
Springfield and went to work in the railroad machine shops, where he remained until April 
1st, 1882, when he was elected city marshal, which position he is still filling. December 
25th, 1881, Mr. Bearden married Miss Elizabeth McGowen, of Ozark county, Missouri. Mr. 
B. is a member of Springfield lodge No. 2285, of the Knights of Honor, and is an efficient 
public officer, a worthy citizen, and one who receives and deserves the universal esteem of all 
who know him. 

JAMES BECKERLEG. 

Mr. Beckerleg was born in Ontario, Canada, June 2, 1858. He commenced firing on the 
St. Louis and San Francisco railway in 1874, and fired until July 2, 1880, when he was pro- 
moted engineer, and has been running an engine upon the road ever since. He was mar- 
ried to Miss Martha Franklin. Their union has been blest with two children, Addie May 
and James. Mr. Beckerleg is a member of Frisco lodge, Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire- 
men. 

EDWARD BEER. 

Edward Beer was born in Kent, England, December 4, 1831. When sixteen years old he 
commenced working in the Northwestern R. R. machine shops in Yorkshire, England, 
where he learned to be a machinist, and worked seven years. Then fired on a locomotive on 
the above mentioned railroad, for about three and a half years, then took an engine and ran 
it on that road for twelve years. He came to America in 1870, and has worked at his trade 
on various roads ever since, excepting about three years of the time he was engaged in farm- 
ing near Brookline, Missouri. In October, 1882, he took an engine on the St. Louis and 
San Francisco railway, which he is running at present. Mr. Beer has been twice married. 
His first wife was Miss Sarah L. Shutt, whom he married in Harrogate, England. She died 
in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1870. His second wife was a Miss Fanny S. Dennis, of Rock 
Island, Illinois. He isa member of Division No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, 
of which he is chaplain. 

HENRY S. D. BERRY, M. D. 

Dr. Berry is the son of Spartan D. and Jane M. Berry, and was born in Anderson county, 
South Carolina, September 29th, 1853. His maternal grandfather was an officer in the war 
of 1812, and a general of militia. His father died in 1855, and he and his mother moved 
to Texas in 1869. He received most of his education from his mother, spending one term at 
the university. In 1873 he engaged in the drug business, atDennison, Texas, and in 1874 en- 
tered the Louisville Medical College, from which institution he graduated in 1876. Return- 
ing to Dennison he commenced practicing his profession, enjoying a lucrative practice. He 



852 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was health officer and member of the city council of Dennison, resigning when he left. In 
1881 he entered the St. Louis Medical College, graduating in 1882. He then located at 
North Sprinufield, and thus early ranks among the leading physicians of the city, and does a 
leading practice. The doctor is a Mason, and a member of the Order of Chosen Friends, 
being their medical examiner. He was married in 1877, to Miss Lou, daughter of John and 
Mary Murphy, of Franklin county, Missouri. They have one child, James H. 

JOHN D. BOSSERT. 

John D. Bossert is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born January 
23d, 1839. When eleven years old he enlisted in the U. S. navy, and served thirteen 
years. During that time he visited South America, England, France, Spain, Africa and 
China. After leaving the navy \e returned to Pennsylvania, locating at Oil City, and there 
worked at the blacksmith trade. In 1874 he emigrated to Franklin, Missouri, and worked at 
his trade in the railroad machine shops eighteen months, then removed to North Springfield, 
and went to work in the machine shops of the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, where 
he is at present working at his trade. Mr. Bossert has been twice married. His first wife 
was Miss Lydia A. Dilks, whom he married in 1859. She died in 1874. On August 2d, 1875, 
he married Miss Martha L. Foley, of St. James, Missouri, by whom he has one child, Will- 
iam James Bossert, born July 26th, 187(3. 

The subject of our sketch is a member of Springfield Lodge, No. 218, I. O. O.F., of which 
he is .N. G. He also belongs to Wentworth Lodge, No. 113, A. O. U. W., of which he 
is M. W. 

JOHN E. CAMPBELL. 

Mr. Campbell is the son of William H. and L. J. Campbell, and was born in Lawrence 
county, Arkansas, September 21st, 1852. His parents moved to Newton county, Missouri, 
in 1871, where they are yet living. At the age of twenty-one John commenced driving the 
stage between Neosho and Joplin, which he followed about a year and then worked in the 
commission house of Craudus, Winn & Co., of Neosho, for about eight months. He then be- 
gan working on the Neosho section of the railroad, where he worked until 1876, and then 
commenced braking upon the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad. In 1882 he was pro- 
moted conductor, and now runs a train upon the Arkansas branch, between Winslow and 
Porter. Mr. Campbell was married January 9th, 1879, to Miss L. Robertson, of Ashland, 
Oregon. Their union is blest with two sons, Fay and Gay. 

FRANK CLARK. 

This gentleman is the son of Thomas and Mary Clark, and was born in Nottinghamshire, 
England, March 3, 1836. At the age of seventeen he learned the jeweler's trade, and carried 
on the business at Mislerton, England, until 1873. He then came to the United States, 
landing at Galveston, Texas. He spent four years in Texas, working at his trade and 
traveling in different parts of the State. In 1877 he located at North Springfield, Missouri, 
where he has since carried on the jewelry business. He has a nice stock of goods and is one 
of the best practical jewelers in the Southwest. Mr. Clark was married in 1855 to Miss 
Mary Gunthrop, of Nottinghamshire, England. Their union has been blest with three sons 
and four daughters. 

JAMES P. COFFEY. 

Mr. Coffey was born in Kentucky, March 17, 1860. At the age of sixteen he began 
braking upon the W. & St. P. R. R., and broke upon that road nine months. He then 
went home and lived with his father until 1878 when he went on the L. & N, R. R., where 
he was brakeman two years. In 1880 he changed to the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. 
where he braked until December 18, 1882, when he was promoted conductor and is now run- 
ning a train upon that road. Mr. Cofley Avas married January 21, 1881, to Miss Harriet Sals- 
man. Though quite young he is regarded as one of the most reliable conductors upon that 
celebrated road. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



SAMUEL R. COOPER. 



853 



Is a native of Missouri, born in Franklin county, January 24th, 1845. In 1858 he began 
railroading as brakeman in Virginia, continuing about three years. When the war came 
on, Mr. Cooper enlisted (in Callaway county, Missouri) in the Confederate service, joining 
company B. first battalion of Missouri volunteer infantry. He was transferred subse- 
quently to company A, first Missouri cavalry, and his regiment assigned to service in Vir- 
ginia. November, 1863, he was promoted to second lieutenant, and served until the war 
closed. Returning to Missouri, he went to " braking " on the Missouri Pacific railroad. In 
1869 he came on to the '"Frisco" line, and in 1873 was given charge of a train as conduc- 
tor, and at this writing runs his train regularly from North Springfield. He belongs to the 
Temple of Honor, and also to the Royal T. of H. Mr. Cooper was married October 3d, 
1872, to Miss Anna Kennedy, and has, at this writing, three children. 

JOHN F. CRUTCHER 
Is a son of Dr. A. L. Crutcher, both the doctor and wife being natives of Kentucky. In 1862 
the family moved to Indiana and lived there till 1868, when they moved to Missouri. They 
fir^t stopped at Leasburg, but two vears latter moved to St. James, remaining there till 
the spring 011873, then moving to Springfield, this county. Dr. Crutcher died, leav- 
ing a wife, fou°r sons (John F., Leonidas C, William C, and Luke F.) and one daughter 
(Mollie), wife of S. L. McLane, of the St. L. & S. F, R. R. Dr. Crutcher had been forced 
to sacrifice his property in Kentucky owing to war troubles. The expense of moving his 
family a great distance, left him, on reaching Springfield, with very small means. The sons 
began railroading very young, and worked their way up to positions of conductors on the 
road, and acquired means sufficient to place themselves in easy circumstances. The subject 
of this sketch was born November 10, 1853. He commenced "braking" on the rajlroad 
in 1872, and four years subsequent accepted the position of baggage master, and in 1879 was 
promoted to a conductorship on the St. L. & S. F. December 24, 1878, he married Miss 
Catharine Jones, of Anderson county, Kentucky. They have one child, Edgar L., born 
October 30, 1880. Mr. Crutcher is senior conductor of Ozark lodge. No. 30, Order of Rail- 
way Conductors, and is also a member of Springfield lodge, No. 218, I. O. O. F. 

LEONIDAS COLEMAN CRUTCHER 

Is a son of Dr. Crutcher, elsewhere mentioned, and was born April 15, 1855. In 1870 he 
began " braking " on a train of St. L. and S. F., and worked for a while as brakeman, then 
baggagemaster, next yardmaster, from which he was promoted to conductor. He has at 
thirwriting been running a train five years. On November 25, 1880, he married Miss Sallie 
A. McFee, of Springfield. They have one child, a daughter named Gracie, born October 
17, 1881. Mr. Crutcher is a member of the Gate of the Temple Lodge, No. 218, and Um- 
pire Encampment, No. 42, L O. O. F. He was a charter member of Ozark Division, No. 
30, Order of Railway Conductors, which order he has served officially. 

LUKE F. CRUTCHER. 

The youngest son of Dr. Crutcher, born March 24, 1858. He was also the youngest con- 
ductor that ever ran a train on the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad. He began railroad- 
ing on that line at the age of fourteen, and at the age of seventeen they put him in charge 
of a freight train which he conducted for over two years. He was then promoted and given 
a passenger train which he is running at this writing. On the 3d of June, 18S0, he married 
Mary L., daughter of L. A. D. Crenshaw, an old citizen of Greene county. They have one 
son, Luke Allen, born May 24, 1882. Mr. Crutcher is a member of St. John's Command- 
ery. No. 20, Knights Templar. 



854 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

REV. J. HERVEY DOBBS. 
Mr. Dobbs was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1844, and is the son 
of Bennett and Nancy Dobbs. After having served in the State and National Guards, he en- 
listed for government service in the civil war, in the Mississippi squadron, being assigned to 
duty on gunboat Silver Lake, No. 23, where he remained till the war closed. He was 
mustered out June 26, 1865, at Mound City, Illinois, and soon afterwards entered Genesee 
"Wesleyan seminary, of New York State, where he completed his education. He then went 
into the mercantile business, till 1876, when, by the urgent importunities of his friends he 
was induced to enter the temperance work as a lecturer, and also lectured on other subjects. 
Subsequently, he entered on the ministerial work, as a local preacher in the M. E. church, 
though he still continued his temperance work till the spring of 1878, when he was appointed 
State deputy and lecturer of the J. O. G. T. of Pennsylvania. While holding that position 
he was appointed secretary of the executive committee of the Pennsylvania State Temperance 
Union, and placed in charge of the legislative work in behalf of temperance. In March, 
1881, he resigned his position and took a transfer from the Central Pennsylvania conference 
to the St. Louis conference, and was stationed at North Springfield, Greene county. Mr. 
Dobbs was married December 28, 1868, to Miss Mary Johnston, of Dunkirk, N. Y. Three 
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dobbs, two of whom still survive, named, Mary D. 
and Nettie M. These children Mr. Dobbs and wife have taken great pains to rear and 
educate properly, teaching them the religion that gives the greatest value to life. Mr. D. 
was assigned to a charge in Kansas City early in 1883. 

A. B. DODSON. 

This gentleman is the son of James M. and Mary Dodson, and was born in Maury county, 
Tennessee, February 11, 1847. His parents are yet living upon the old homestead in Ten- 
nessee. He came to Missouri in 1870, and farmed three years in Greene county. He then 
moved into Springfield and engaged in business. He began firing upon the St. Louis and 
San Francisco railroad in December, 1880, and has recently been promoted engineer, and is 
now running an engine upon that road. Mr. Dodson was married in 1870 to Miss F. E. 
McMeen, of Maury county, Tenn. They have one child, Olivia* born December 16, 1871. 

PHILANDER E. DRYDEN. 
The subject of our sketch is a son of James and Mary Dryden. He is a native of Rock- 
bridge county, Virginia. "When twenty-one years old he went to Huntsville, Alabama, and 
there worked at the carpenter's trade three years, then went to St. Louis, Missouri, and 
worked for a few months at his trade. In 1874 Mr. Dryden commenced braking on a freight 
train on the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, and three years thereafter was promoted 
to freight conductor, which position he holds at present. He is a member of Ozark Division 
No. 30, Order of Railway Conductors, of which he was one of the charter members. 

JOSEPH A. DRYDEN. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Lawrence county, Missouri, January loth, 1853. 
On the 2d, of June, 1877, he commenced "firing" on the St. Louis and San Francisco 
railroad, running in that capacity till March, 1882, when he was promoted to the position 
of engineer, which he still continues to hold. Mr. Dryden is a member of Star Lodge 
No. 20, K. of P., and also belongs to the 'Frisco Lodge No. 51, B. of L. F., of which he is 
master. Besides these, he holds membership in the Locomotive Firemen's Mutual Benefit 
Association. January 28th, 1880, he married Miss Sivinnia Whitworth, of Franklin 
county, Missouri. They have one child, a son, named William A., born September 6, 1882. 

GUSTAVE ECKSTORM. 

Mr. Eckstorm was born in St. Louis, Missouri, October 12th, 1855. When he was about 
fourteen years of age he went upon the Missouri Pacific railroad as a brakeman, and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 855 

worked at it about a year. In 1879 he came on the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad 
and braked until 1880, when he was promoted conductor, and is now running a train. Mr. 
Eckstorm was married December 16th, 1880, to Miss Marj^ Wahl, of Pacific, Missouri. He 
is a member of Pacific Lodge No. 122, Ancient Order of United Workingmen. 

JOHN EGAN 
Was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 8, 1849. In 1869 he began "firing" 
on the Pennsylvania Central railroad, continuing four years, when he was given charge of 
an engine and ran it till 1880. He then came to Missouri and took charge of an engine on 
the St. L. & S. F. R. R., which engagement he still holds. He was a member of the Broth- 
erhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division 104, of Columbia, Pennsylvania, for six years, 
from which he took a withdrawal card and joined the Pacific City, Division 83, B. of L. E., 
and is still a member of the same. January 13, 1872, he married Miss Nettie E. Fairlamb, 
of Columbia, Pennsylvania. They have had four children — Annie, Maggie and Nellie, 
who still survive, and Edgar, who died in 1876. 

DANIEL H. ELWOOD. 

Mr. Elwood is a son of Henry and Nancy (Diendorff) Elwood, and was born in Herki- 
mer county. New York, March 12, 1821. He grew to manhood upon the farm, which busi- 
ness he followed until 1853. He then went to Ohio where he was foreman of a force of men 
upon the Marietta & Cincinnati R. R. for a year. In 1854 he worked upon Illinois Central 
R. R., and from 1855 to 1865, he was roadmaster of a division and land agent for that 
road. In 1865 he engaged in the lumber and planing mill business at Decatur, Ulinoie. In 
1870 he went to Michigan, .where he engaged extensively in the lumber business. He sold 
out in 1877 and moved to Butler county, Kansas, and engaged in the hotel business at 
Augusta. He next bought, fed, and shipped hogs until April, 1882, when he came to North 
Springfield, where he has charge of the St. L. & S. F. R. R, eating house. Mr. Elwood was 
married in 1844 to Miss Jennie Jones of Herkimer, New York. She died in 1859. She left 
three children, two of whom are living, viz. : William H., head salesman in a mercantile 
house at Decatur, Illinois, and Celia A., wife of B. R. Hampashire, editor of the Decatur 
Republican. Mr. Elwood was married the second time, in 1865, to Mrs. Ellen E. Litten, of 
Jacksonville, Illinois. Before the war Mr. Elwood's father was colonel of the 192d New 
York militia, and Daniel was adjutant of the regiment for four years. 

GEORGE SMITH ESCOTT. 
Mr. Escott is the son of Joseph and Betsy Escott, and was born March 23d, 1845, in Kent 
county, Michigan. He was educated in the Grand Rapids high school, and began teaching 
when he was nineteen j'ears of age. In 1868 he taught a graded school at Big Rapids, Michi- 
gan, and in 1870 he came to Springfield, Missouri, and taught a subscription school in North 
Springfield for seven months, assisted by his wife and sister-in-law, Miss Nellie Snow. From 
there he went to Houston, Texas county, Missouri, where he taught the Houston public 
school acceptably for five years. He next went to Mountain Grove and taught five years, 
and from there to West Plains and taught one year. He then accepted the position of prin- 
cipal of the North Springfield public schools, which position he now holds, with three as- 
sistant teachers. On the 3d of July, 1868, he was married to Miss Lettie W., daughter of 
John and Jerusha Snow, by whom he has had two children, viz. : Nellie and Albert. During 
his vacations he has written historical sketches of the counties in which he lived, and in 1878 
published the Springfield and North Springfield history and directory. Mr. Escott is one of 
the best educators in this section, and one of the substantial men of the citj'. 

BENJAMIN A. FAY. 

Mr. Fay is the son of Lorenzo D. and Deborah (Richmond) Fay, and was born in Vermont, 
Sept. 16, 1832. His ancestors were from England and among the first settlers of Vermont, 



QKf* 

HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 



-^1t": !^^^1- :;^:J;^:^ ^-u.ona., ... .e^a... .as educate. . M. 
went to Winneshiek county, lo va X^h Th l" .T'^^'r '""^ ^^'^'^^' ^'^ ^ 1856 
listed in company A, 1st iowa cavlbv H. . . . '' ''"'^'^- ^" ^P"^' 1861. he en- 

1862 he was at the battles of C Jack PrJiec' " fr'"" ''^^^'«"^' ^ ''^'^ -^ - 
m the battle at Little Eock, and wis undef G nS^T ' ''.'" ^*^""^^^" ^^ ^^^ ^^^o 
He was at the engagements 'at Cam^e:: ^Ba .:;f^^^^^^^^^ f^^h '^^' 'T' '''^''''^^ 

Missouri. H.S company was body-guard for Gen F,i , V ^' "^'"^ ^""^ *« ^^^tl^ 
guard for Gen. Rosencranz. Thej ^ernezt st,t t ' '". """^ ^"''^'^ ''^'^ ^^^^ body- 

to Texas to look after government propertv T. '''""^^.^'^'^ ^^^^ the war they went 
Mr. Fay having served five year Xal to ^-^M^t"^''' ''^ '^^ ^P""^ 
at carpentering and building"^^ "u isf 9 He Ln'""'. ' ^^l"'""' '" ''''' ^"^ ^^^ei 
He now has a hotel and restau'ant !n!i f T, '^ '^ '^' '^"^^« ^^«P« ^"til 1877. 

has accumulated propert^t the am anrt^n'tl '''/r,^"'^^^ ^^^ ^^^3^ ^^^l^-s h 
in ISaO to Miss Xate IrtL, of W r;!:: ^1:^;^^;:-. : ^:a^-- ^f^ 



EDWIN L. FAY. 



Palatine, Cook county, Illinois Thr/ tT ^^ ^«^°^°nt, and are now living at 
-unty, but removed to^lS^T^ent ho' ^^^^^^ 'it^W''^ ^^ ^"^^^ ^" Sutler 

in September, 1867, on the Chicao-o and ^0^^^ . Z"' ^^^ ^^^.menced railroading 

In March, 1871, he ran as a brakesman u^o^h.?' "f ™" "P°" ''^^^ ^^^^ -«1 187o! 
and then took charge of the yardTrsTrfnTfi Id Tl^^^^^^ ^^"^ '^^ '^^^ -«°^^^^' 

tor for eight months, and was then promotedtn h '" '^^'^ " ^'''^ht conduc- 

freight. In March, 1878, he was given amsen . ^'"'"" "' " ^'^"^^^ ^«"^"^t- "'^ a 
sition he still holds. Mr. Fay wf rar7ero:ThV2^';h' 7 r"'"''""' "'"^^ ^^^P«"^^^^« ?«" 
of St. James, Missouri. This un on h.L li / u "^''''' ^^'^' *« ^^^'^^ ^«t Kern, 
Edith Grace and Ethel Iden-aTlivrn?M l ■"'' ''"' children, two of whom - 
ery No. 20, Knights Tem^t, ^Tsp^^.e d- '/'o'v w"w 'I ''' t''""'' "^"^-^^^- 
and the Order of Railwav rv.n^ f ^""^^^m A. O. U. W., Wentworth Lodge No. 114 

one of .he ^JL^iz^::tr:::\''zij:tz''''- ^- "'"' '^p""^«'"- «•-» 

York, i„ Oetobe. 1881, and a'tSt. Zl loZZml " "' ""''"^ "' '*"'"°' "»" 

MAEION A. FRAME. 
Mr. Frame was born at Ladoga, Indiana, Aueust 26 18^50 Tn i b77 i, 
upon the St.Louis.and San Francisco raiway^L Vecembe^ 18S J """'""' '""^ 
gineer, and has run an engine on th«f .. a December, 1881, was promoted to en- 

Miss Elvira W Johnson Th^^ ^ .'' ''"''' ' ^^' ^""'^^ ^"^^^^ 22, 1872. to 

Frederick ArciaL randEn^'M f' '"'^- ^^^^^^^'^'^^^^ <=l^>ld-n. viz!: Min'nie My! 
V. ara x^., and Jillen. Mr. Frame is a member of Frisco lodge, B. of L. E. 

WILLIAM T. L. FREEMAN. 

at ^::^z^:rj:i'^';^ t- '^'---/•/"^^^'^^^^^^ "-^--' -^ -- ^-^^ 

tionary soldier and one bf Wa!h „\ " ^''^^'ifatl^cr, John Freeman, was a Revolu- 

on a ranche known a Freera„trfnT ' T^" f" ''''" '"' "^^^ ^^«^^^-' ^^^i^---. 
contributed largely to maZresa:^^ H-s mother lives at North Springfield. She ha^ 

authoress, by h'er book '« sZ La e o^T rB^l'IT""? '"' !' '"' '"'^"^ ^^ ^^ 
death the family moved to St Tnut I , '^°^ ^^""- ^^^'^ ^^' ^^t^er's 

Louis until 1868, Tnd In move Uo De t" ' T """/ '°' ^'"^^^^'- ^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^t. 
Lassus hotel. He the r u'ned to sf I ""% V" "''' ""'' ""' '^"^"^' '"^^^ *^« ^^ 
years. He came to Nor h SnHn fi S . ' ^ '''' ^' ^"^ '"-^^ed in business about three 
came to North Sprmgfield m August, 1880, and accepted the position of secre- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 857 

tary of the master of transportation of the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad. Mr. Free- 
man was married April 28, 1867, to Miss Emma Bourgeat, of Point Coupee, Louisiana, 
daughter of Dr. Bourgeat, of that place, and grandneice of the Marquis De Lassus, the last 
Spanish governor of the Territory of Louisiana, of which Missouri was then a part. Their 
union was blest with one child, Julius B. De Lassus, born November 7, 1870. Mrs. Free- 
man died February 24, 1872. Mr. Freeman is president of the North Springfield Literary 

and Musical Association. 

WILLIAM S. GARWOOD. 

Mr. Garwood was born in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1858. January 23, 1877, he 
went into an oiEce on the '"Frisco" R. R. as messenger boy for the telegraph 
company for three months, then went to Richland, where he was night operator 
for eight months. He next spent five months as night operator at Sullivan, 
after which he returned to North Springfield and was operator for three months 
in the oflSce of train dispatcher. On August 17, 1879, he was given the office of 
general baggage agent, which position he holds at this writing. He is an Odd Fellow 
and belongs to Springfield lodge. No. 218. Mr, Garwood was married October 23, 1880, to 
Miss Lizzie G. Stone, of Springfield. They have one child, a daughter named Willie, born 
December 12, 1882. 

WILLIAM GEISTER. 

Mr. Geister was born in Franklin county, Missouri, February 4, 1862. He is a son of 
Adam and Fredricka Geister, who moved to Springfield, Greene county, Missouri, in 1872, 
where they lived until 1879, and then moved out upon a farm one mile east of Springfield 
where they reside at present. In 1875 William went to work in the paint shops of the 'Frisco 
railway shops where he worked two years. He then worked in the machine shops eighteen 
months, and then began firing upon an engine on the St. Louis & San Francisco railway, 
which position he still holds. He is a member of Frisco lodge, No. 51, Brotherhood of Lo- 
comotive Firemen, of which he is managing agent. 

BENJAMIN GRIST. 

Mr. Grist was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, July 12th, 1833, In 1850 he went 
to LaSalle county, Illinois, where he was engaged for some years in the nursery business. 
When he was twenty-two years of age he began railroading. His first work was to pump 
water with a hand pump on the Illinois Central at Wenona, and then he began braking. In 
1855 and 1856 he attended school at Farm Ridge, 111. He then returned to the Illinois 
Central and began braking, which he carried on one summer, and was then appointed 
yardmaster at Amboy, HI. He held that position a year, and then returned to Wenona 
and was elected tax collector for a year. In 1861 he moved Livingston county, 111., where 
he farmed two years and then moved to Montgomery county. 111,, and farmed there two 
years. In 1865 he moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, and began braking upon the Mis- 
souri Pacific, and was promoted to conductor in 1866, He ran on that road as conductor 
until 1869, when he went to the Iron Mountain railroad as conductor, where he remained 
eight months. He came upon the 'Frisco road in December, 1869, and ran the first mixed 
train into North Springfield in May, 1870, and was promoted passenger conductor in April 
1871, and is now, Mr, Grist is a member of the Gate of the Temple, Lodge, No. 422, A. 
F. and A. M., of which he was worshipful master in 1876-7. He is also a member of the 
Royal Arch Chapter, No. 15, and St. John's Comraandery, No. 20. Mr. Grist was mar- 
ried October 6th, 1856, to Amanda Williams, of Tonica, Illinois. They have two chil- 
dren, Maud F. and Susie E. Mr. Grist is president of the school board of North Spring- 
field. 

JOSEPH W. HALL. 

Mr. Hall was born in Southville, Connecticut, January 1st, 1848, In April, 1872, he 
engaged with a civil engineer corps at Carthage, and assisted in the survey of a route to 



858 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Halstead, Kansas, on which survey the St. L. & S. F. railway is located. In the following 
year, he went in the freight office of the railroad at Carthage, Mo., as clerk, and two weeks 
later was promoted to the position of ticket agent, which place he held till June 24, 1881, 
■when he was transferred to North Springfield, and given charge of the freight and ticket de- 
pots. He is now acting in the capacity of freight and ticket agent for that station. On 
March 30, 187G, Mr. Hall was married to Miss Clara E. Starr, of Carthage, Mo. He is a 
trustworthy gentleman, and adds one more to the class of citizens that tends to give all 
towns prestige among strangers. 

THOMAS L. HASLER. 

Mr. Hasler is the son of Eli and Maria Hasler, and was born in Baltimore, July 14th, 1852. 
His parents came to Missouri irj 1868, and are now living upon a farm in Phelps county, 
Missouri. Thomas L. commenced firing upon an engine on the St. Louis and San Francisco 
railway in June, 1874, and at the end of four years was promoted to the position of engineer 
of a locomotive engine, Avhich he now runs upon that road. He is a fine engineer, and en- 
joys the confidence of all. He was married September 3d, 1879, to Miss Lucy E. McLean. 
They have one child, Thomas Allen, born December 5th, 1880. He is a member of Pacific 
City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, also of the Locomotive En- 
gineers' Life Insurance Association. 

ALANSOM M. HASWELL. 

This gentleman is a grandson of Anthony Haswell, a Revolutionary soldier, who, at the 
close of that war, started the first paper in Bennington, Vermont, and probably the first in 
that State. It was called the Vermont Gazette, and Mr. Haswell was its editor and publisher 
for about thirty-five years. His son, James M. Haswell, D.D., was born in Bennington, 
Vermont, February 4th, 1810. His father died when he was about seven years of age, and 
he went to Pennsylvania and learned pharmacy. While in the drug business, he prepared 
himself for college, and entered Madison University at Hamilton, New York, where he grad- 
uated in 1835. On the 23d of August, 1835, he married Miss Jane M. Mason. Soon after 
his marriage he was appointed by the Baptist church as a missionary to Maulmain, British 
Burmah. He sailed September 10th, 1835, and arrived there the following January, and 
remained until his death, on the 25th of September, 1876. His widow and two daughters 
are yet living in Maulmain. Alansom M. Haswell was born June 29th, 1847, at Maulmain, 
British Burmah. His father brought him to the United States when he was two years of 
age, where he remained three years, and then was taken back to Maulmain, and lived with 
his parents until he was twelve years old. He was then brought back to this country to be 
educated, receiving his primary education at Boston. He graduated from Hamilton Uni- 
versity in 1866. He then engaged in farming two years, and next moved to Springfield, 
Missouri, where he engaged in surveying and classing railway lands in Southwest Missouri 
for three years. He then farmed in Greene county until the 8th of June, 1878, when he 
took charge of the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad land office, at North Springfield, 
for Dr. E. T. Robberson, the agent. In August, 1879, he went into partnership with E. T. 
Robberson, and, upon Robberson's resignation in 1881, Mr. Haswell and A. H. Sander were 
appointed joint agents for about one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land belonging to 
the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad company, which position he still holds, besides 
doing a general real estate business. March 11th, 1873, he married Miss L. C. Butler, by 
whom he had five children, three of whom are now living. He and his wife are members of 
the Congregational church. 

FRANCIS A. HE ACKER. 

Mr. Heacker is the son of Joseph and Frederica Heacker, and was born in Prussia, Ger- 
many, May 28th, 1843. In 1844 his parents emigrated to the United States, and located at 
Louisville, Kentucky, where he began learning the cigar-maker's trade, when he was eight 
years of age, and has made it the occupation he has since followed. At the beginning of the 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 859 

civil war he was in St. Louis, where he enlisted in the three months service, at the first call 
for troops, in company 1, 1st Missouri regiment. At the expiration of his term of service 
he re-enlisted in company K, first Missouri artillery, for three years, and served until Au- 
gust 24, 1864. He was at the taking of Camp Jackson, the battles of Wilson's Creek, Fort 
Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Helena, Little Rock, and upon the Steele campaign. 
After the war he worked at his trade in diiferent places, and in 1875 engaged in the manu- 
facture of cigars at Springfield. In 1876 he moved his factory to North Springfield, where 
he is now doing a flourishing business in the wholesale line, employing about fifteen hands. 
Mr. Heacker was married December 31, 1873, to Miss Martha E. Webb, of Springfield, Mis- 
souri. They have two children, Pearle and Francis. Mr. Heacker is justly regarded as one 
of the substantial men of the county. 

WILLIAM H. HEFFERMAN. 

This gentleman was born in Australia, March 6, 1847, and is the son of Stephen and Mar- 
garet HeflTerman. His mother is dead and his father now lives in Springfield. William 
came to America when he was about four years of age. In 1861 he commenced braking 
upon the Illinois Central railroad, and worked at it about eighteen months. He then 
went on the C, R. I. & P. R. R., and fired seven years. He then went on the Hannibal & 
St. Joe road and fired about three months and was promoted to engineer and ran as such 
about six months. He then went to Minnesota and learned the miller's trade, and worked 
at it four years. In 1871 he came to North Springfield and fired five years, and was ihen 
given an engine and has been an engineer upon the 'Frisco road ever since. Mr. Hefi"erman 
was married December 25, 1865, to Miss Catharine Hickey, of Minnesota. Their union has 
been blest with five children, viz. : Ellen R., John F., Maud, Harry and Lilliard. Mr. Hef- 
ferman is a member of Pacific City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 

B. F. HOBART. 

This gentleman is a native of Yates county, New York. He came West in 1870 and 
engaged for some time as a private banker at Oswego, Kansas. July 1, 1882, he moved to 
Springfield, Mo., and is now the popular vice president of the bank of Springfield. 

JOHN HULSE 

Was born in England, September 14th, 1850. When he was one year old his parents 
brought him to America, remaining one year and then returning to England. In 1866 the 
subject of this sketch came back to this country, and a few weeks later his parents also came. 
He lived with them till he was twenty-five years old, then, on the 5th of April, 1875, married 
Miss Parilee Huff". After his marriage he began farming, and continued till 1879, when he 
commenced to "tire " on an engine of the 'Frisco, and is still so engaged. He is the father 
of two children, named Ethie and Hugh. Mr. Hulse is a member of 'Frisco Lodge, No. 81, 
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, and is secretary of that lodge. 

GEORGE M. HUSTON. 

Mr. Huston was born in Somerset, Ohio, July 8th, 1849, and is the son of J. E. and Annie 
Huston. At the age of fourteen he went to Lancaster, Ohio, and entered the shops of the 
C. & M. V. railwaj', where he learned the machinist's trade, working four j-ears. He next 
went to Columbus, Ohio, and worked in the shops of the P. C. & St. L. railroad, where he 
remained two years. In the spring of 1872, he came to Missouri, and engaged in ihe St. 
Louis and San Francisco shops at North Springfield until 1879, when he commenced firing 
on a locomotive. He fired a year, and then took an engine, which he has shown himself 
abundantly able to handle. He is a member of Pacific Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Lo- 
comotive Engineers, Locomotive Engineers' Mutual Life Association, and the '"Frisco" 
Locomotive Engineers' Health Association. He was married December 20th, 1880, to Miss 



860 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Annie Payton, daughter of B. F. and Cordelia Payton, now of Joplin, Mo. They have one 
child, Cordie, born October 16th, 1881. 

DR. JOHN HYDE. 

This gentleman is the son of Abijah and Eunice (Green)Hyde, and was born in Trum- 
bull county, Ohio, April 10th, 1886. Here he grew to manhood, was educated at the Wes- 
tern Reserve Seminary. He taught school from 1855 to 1859, reading medicine in his leisure 
hours. He completed his medical studies at the Medical Institute, at Baltimore. He 
practiced for a time in his native count}', but in 1863 gave up the practice and began the 
study of law. He entered the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Ar- 
bor, that year, and graduated in 1864. The same year he commenced the practice of law 
at Warren, Ohio, and continued until 1868, when he moved to Gainsville, Ozark county, 
Missouri, where he again took up the practice of medicine. He did a good practice and in 
1871 opened a drug store in connection with his profession. In 1875 he added a general 
stock of merchandise to his store, and he owns the store at present. He gave up medicine 
then, and in 1871 and 1872 he was county school commissioder of Ozark county. He was 
prosecuting attorney from 1874 to 1876, and from 1876 to 1880 was county treasurer. All 
of which offices he filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. 
In 1881 he moved to North Springfield, where he is engaged in the fancy drygoods and 
millinery business. Dr. Hyde was married in 1865 to Miss Amelia E., daughter of Aaron 
W. and Mary Wood, of Warren, Ohio. They have had four children, only one now 
living, Nellie E. Dr. Hyde is a member of the Methodist church, and a most worthy 
citizen. 

STEPHEN JACKSON. 

Mr. Jackson is the son of Edmund and Ann Jackson, and was born in Yorkshire, Eng- 
land, April 17th, 1849. In 1854 his parents came to the United States and located upon 
Long Island, where liis father purchased a third interest in the race course. He went to 
Kankakee county. 111., in 1855, where Stephen lived until he was fourteen years of age, and 
then went to work with the civil engineer corps of the Danville & Great Western R. R., as 
rodman, and in three years held the position of civil engineer. In 1862 he went to Louis- 
ville, Ky., and ran the wrecking train for Gen. Rosencranz to Nashville, until 1863. He 
then enlisted in company P, 64th Illinois infantry, and was at the battles of Snake Creek 
Gap, Resaca, Dallas, Big Shanty and Kennesaw Mountain. He was detailed as orderly for 
Gen. McPherson's statF, and was by the side of that general when he was killed at Atlanta, 
and himself wounded in the action. He then returned to his regiment and was at the fol- 
lowing engagements : Kingston, Savannah, Thunderbolt, Beaufort, Columbia and Benton- 
ville. He then returned home and resumed railroading, working upon several different 
roads, the last being conductor upon the construction train on the Iowa division of the 
Rock Island R. R. from 1870 to 1878. He then engaged in the grain, produce and general 
merchandise business at Avoca, Iowa, until 1882. He then came to Springfield and laid 
the track for the People's Street Railway. He is now the proprietor of the North Spring- 
field House, and is one of the best landlords in the Southwest. Mr. Jackson is a member of 
the I. O. O. F. and A. F. and A. M. He was married March 22, 1869, to Miss Eliza, daugh- 
ter of Daniel and Eliza Hamer, of Clifton, 111. They have three children, Arthur E., Ber- 
tha S. and Stephen H. 

ROBERT JENKIN. 

Mr. Jenkin was born in Ontario, Canada, January 6th, 1849. His parents died when he 
was quite young. In 1862 he went to St. Clair, Michigan, and enlisted for the U. S. service, 
but the officers refused to receive him on account of his youth. He went, however, with the 
8th Michigan cavalry, and stayed through the war. He went to Leavenworth, in 1866, and 
there learned bricklaying, remaining three years. After working at his trade one year in 
Texas, he went to Mississippi and engaged in cotton raising two years. In 1872 he came to 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 861 

North Springfield, this county, and followed his trade till 1876. On October 30, 1880, he 
was married to Miss Mary A. Blankenship, daughter of W. S. Blankenship, by whom he has 
one child, named Inez Gordon, Mr. Jenidn is one of the leading business men of North 
Springfield, He owns a brickyard that turns out 750,000 bricks per year, and also operates 
as a building contractor. He is also book-keeper for the street railway company, looking 
after their interests generally, and is connected with various other enterprises of the town. 
He owns a handsome and elegantly furnished brick residence, belonging to which there are 
six acres of ground. As a citizen of thrift and enterprise, Mr. Jenkin takes front rank, and 
the style in which he lives bespeaks the social position his family holds, 

A. J, KAN AD A. 

Mr. Kanada was born in Franklin county, Mo., January 21, 1847, He lived upon the 
farm until the civil war. In 1863 he joined company H, 4th Missouri cavalry. Confederate 
service, and served until the close of the war. In 1866 he began firing upon the Missouri 
Pacific railroad, which he continued for a year, and then went to braking. He was pro- 
moted to conductor and has been braking and running a train alternately until the last year, 
since when he has had charge of a regular train. In 1873 he went upon the Iron Mountain 
R. R. and stayed about a year, and then ran upon the I. and St. L. for nine months, and then 
upon the Salem & Little Rock R. R. for about eight months. He worked for a short time 
at the yards at Pacific. Mr. Kanada was married J une 9, 1876, to Miss Virginia Lavender, 
a native of Franklin county. Mo, Their union has been blest with five children, three of 
whom are now living, Charles P., Emma E, and Cora M. • 

HERMAN H. KAUFHOLTZ. 

Mr. Kaufholz was born in Oldensburg, Germany, February 2, 1832. In 1845 his parents 
emigrated to the United States and settled at Baltimore, Md., where Herman grew to man- 
hood. In 1853 he went to Galveston, Texas, where he remained a few years and then 
located at San Antonio, Texas, where he sold groceries until 1870. During the war he was 
constable at San Antonio. In 1870 he came to North Springfield and engaged in merchan- 
dising. He carries a large stock of groceries and does a fiourishing business. In 1872 he 
lost heavily by fire but has since recovered, and is now one of the solid business men of the 
place. He was a member of the first city council and has filled the office seven years. 
He was married in 1854 to Miss Elizabeth Banka, of Galveston, Texas. They have five 
children now living, viz. : Bertha, Henry, Annie W,, Lena F. and Ada K, 

MICHAEL KEARNEY. 

Mr. Kearney is a son of Thomas and Ann (Bussing) Kearney. His father was a native 
of Ireland, and his mother of New York. Michael was born in Providence, Rhode Island, 
October 8, 1839, and was reared in the State of New York. At the age of sixteen he went 
to work in the machine shops of the Hudson River Railroad Company, where he worked 
until the war broke out. He was then employed as a mechanic by the government 
until the war ceased. He then accepted the position of foreman in the railroad 
shops at Nashville, Tenn., where he remained two years. Then he filled the same position 
at Marshall, Texas, for the Southern Pacific railroad for over a year. He next went to New 
Orleans and worked for the New Orleans & Jackson railroad a short time, and in 1870 he 
came to the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad and was foreman at Pacific City, until 
the shops were removed to Springfield, and since 1875 has been master mechanic for that 
road. Mr. Kearney is a self-made man and has fought his way unaided to the lucrative and 
responsible position he now holds, and enjoys the confidence of the road officials, and all 
who enjey his acquaintance. Mr. Kearney was married in 1872 to Miss Mary DeLong, of 
New Orleans, formerly of the State of New York. 



862 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

RUPUS H. LACY. 

Mr. Lacy is the son of John T. and Mary E. Lacy, and was born in Tioga county, New 
York, March 3d, 1842. He grew to manhood and was educated in his native county, and, 
upon the breaking out of the civil war, he enlisted August 3d, 1861, in company H, 
3d New York regiment, infantry, and served in the army of the Potomac. He was at Fort 
McHenry in 1862, and at the seige of Vicksburg in 1863. He then veteranized, and re-en- 
listed ill the 50th New York, and served until the end of the war. He was in the battles of 
the Wilderness, Weldon Railroad, and at Lee's surrender. He then went to Michigan, and 
returned to New York in 1867 and engaged in farming. In 1877 he came to North Spring- 
field, Missouri, and in 1879 embarked in his present business of restaurant and boarding 
house, where he is now doing a good business. Mr, Lacy is a member of the Temple of 
Honor, and an active worker in the temperance cause. He was married in 1867 to Miss 
Mary E. Vangorden, of Tioga county. New York. 

FREDERIC W. LAKER. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Germany, on the 24th day of October, 1844. He 
is a son of Peter H., who died October 9th, 1873, and Anna M. I., who died August Slst, 
1858. When Fred was an infant his parents brought him to America, with whom he lived 
until November 5th, 1861, then enlisted in company I, 43d regiment Indiana infantr\', and 
served until June 24th, 1865. After the close of the war, he came to Greene county and en- 
gaged in farming until 1873, then commenced firing on an engine on the St. L. and S. F. 
railway, at which he worked until September 6th, 1878 ; then was promoted to engineer, 
and has been running an engine ever since. He is king of Springfield Royal Arch No. 15, 
and a member of Gate of the Temple No. 425, A. F. and A. M. He is district lecturer for 
the 30th Masonic district of Missouri, composed of Greene, Webster and Wright counties. 
He is chief of the North Springfield division of the Oriental Order of the Palm and Shell. 
He is a member of Pacific City Division No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. On 
the 25th day of December, 1870, Mr. Laker married Miss Madora E. C. Kite. They have a 
family of five children living. 

AUGUST LOHMEYER. 

This gentleman is the son of Henry and Louisa (Vittenberg) Lohmeyer, and was born in 
Ahmsen, Kingdom of Lippe Delmold, Germany, March 2, 1846. At the age of fifteen years 
he learned the cabinet trade. At the breaking out of the Franco-Prussian war he enlisted 
in the 55th regiment infantry, and served throughout the war. He was at the battles of Var- 
bach, Gravelotte, the seige and battle of Metz, and many smaller engagements. After the 
war he worked in an organ factory, and in 1872 he came to the United States. He worked 
at his trade in New York City, until 1876, when he went to Philadelphia, and was fore- 
man in the street car factory of J. S. Brill. In 1877 he, with Wm. Sutton, came to 
Lebanon, Mo., and carried on contracting and building until 1879. Mr. Lohmeyer then 
came to North Springfield and worked for the Frisco railroad, as pattern-maker, until the 
fall of 1882. He then, in partnership with M. F. Sibley, went into the furniture and under- 
taking business, where they do a fine business, and the firm is one of the best in the city. 
Mr. Lohmeyer was married in 1870, to Miss Ernestine Klingenberg. Their marriage has 
been blest with three boys and two girls. 

ADDISON LOVE 

Was born in Buffalo, N. Y., September 7, 1857. His parents are Jesse and Margaret Love, 
who now live in Randolph county, Indiana. At the age of 17, Mr. Love began firing on the 
western division of the Fort Wayne, Pittsburg and Chicago railroad, and, with the excep- 
tion of about one year, has been railroading ever since. In December, 1881, he came to 
North Springfield, and was engaged as fireman on an engine of the St. Louis and San Fran- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 863 

Cisco railroad, where he is still employed. He is an active member of the Frisco lodge, No. 
51, B. of L. F., and also of the Locomotive Firemen's Mutual Benefit Association. 

JOHN LYDON. 

Mr. Lydon was born in Warren county, Ohio, August 25, 1853. In 1875 he went upon 
the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. as brakeman, and was promoted conductor in 1877. 
He is a member of Pacific lodge, No. 122, Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Lydon 
is one of the reliable and efiicient officials of that popular road. 

JAMES LYDON. 

Mr. Lydon was born in Warren county, Ohio, August 8, 1857. December 13, 1873, he 
commenced firing npon an engine on the St. Lonis & San Francisco R. R. He was pro- 
moted engineer August 30, 1879, and has run an engine ever since. He is a member of the 
Gate of the Temple lodge, No. 422, A. F. and A. M., and also of Wentworth lodge. No. 113. 
A. O. U. W., and Legion of Select Knights, A. O. U. W. Mr. Lydon was married January 
21, 1883 to Miss Helen T. Stewart, of North Springfield. Although young in years, he is 
one of the best engineers upon the road. 

WALTER W. MANSFIELD. 

W. W. Mansfield is a native of Illinois, born in Chemung, McHenry county, on the 18th 
day of July, 1849. He lived with his parents until June, 1871, then came to Missouri and 
went to firing on an engine on the St. L. and S. F. railway, where he worked two years, 
then worked in the railway yard at Vinita, I. T., until June 4th, 1874, then returned to 
Springfield and married Miss Mirian A. Noyes. They have one child living — Walter Ran- 
dol, born August 25th, 1878, and one dead — Arthur William, born Nov. 23d, 1880, died 
July 16th, 1882. After his marriage he ran a switch engine in the railway yard at North 
Springfield a few weeks, then went on the road, where he has run an engine ever since. 
Mr. Mansfield is a member of Gate of the Temple Lodge, No. 422, A. F. and A. M., and 
also belongs to Pacific City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 

M. F. MARTIN. 

This gentleman is the son of Parley and Eliza J. (Potter) Martin, and was born in Erie 
county, N. Y., February 9, 1850. In 1858 his parents moved to Vermillion county, Illi- 
nois, where he grew to manhood and was educated. At the age of seventeen he engaged 
in teaching school, which he followed three years, and then learned the carpenter's trade 
under his father. He worked at that trade six years, spending one year in Kansas and one 
in Iowa. In 1878 he came to North Springfield, and worked for J. J. Henkey, lumber 
merchant. In 1880 he embarked in the lumber business for himself, and is now doing a 
good business, being regarded as one of the substantial citizens of the city. Mr. Martin 
was married October 22, 1872, to Mrs. Sarah J. Clawson, formerly a Miss Wright, of Ver- 
million county, Illinois. They have two children, Effie J. and Francis L. Mr. Martin is 
a member of the I, O. O. F. 

GEORGE E. McCAULEY. 

This gentleman is the son of Mathias and Matilda McCauley, and was born in Howard 
county, Maryland, April 12, 1844. In 1863 he enlisted in company C, 2d Maryland cav- 
alry. After he returned from the war he went to Baltimore and worked in the machine 
shops of the Northern Central R. R., where he learned the machinist's trade, working three 
years. He then worked for the Cumberland & Pennsylvania R. R. at Mount Savage, and in 
the shops of the Iron Mountain R. R. at St. Louis, and other places. In 1870 he came to 
Springfield and went to work for the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R., repairing engines in 
their round-house until 1872, when he was promoted to round-house foreman, or engine 
dispatcher, and he now has charge of the company's large round-house. -Mr. McCauley 



864 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

was married Dec. 18, 1872, to Miss Susan E., daughter of H. S. and Clara Blankenship, of 
Springfield. Their union has been blest with four children, viz. : William Robert, George 
Eugene, Clara Matilda and Edwin Mathias, deceased. Mr. McCauley is an agreeable, ge- 
nial gentleman, and by his faithful discharge of responsible duty, enjoys the confidence of 
the railway officials and he fully merits the trust committed to his care. 

THOMAS B. McLEAN. 

Mr. McLean is a native of England, born Dec. 6th, 1848. His parents and their family 
came to America in 1850, and settled in Paterson, N. J. At the age of fourteen, the sub- 
ject of this sketch went into the machine shops of the Iron Mountain R. K at South St, 
Louis, to learn the machinist trade. He worked in those shops three years, then went to 
firing on an engine on the L M. R. R., and fired four years ; from there he went to the Texas 
Pacific and fired one j'ear, then -.returned to the I. M, R. R., and fired until July, 1871, then 
was given an engine which he run on that road six years. In July, 1877, he took an en- 
gine on the St. L. & S. F. railway, where he is running at present. Sept. 16th, 
1872, he married Miss Annie E. Hewitt, of St. Louis. They have one child, Alice M,, born 
Oct. 24th, 1873. He is a member of Gateway Lodge, No. 110, A. F. and A. M., at Freder- 
ick, Mo. He belongs to Pacific City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi- 
neers. He is the president of the Frisco Locomotive Engineer Health Association, and a 
member of the Locomotive Engineer Mutual Insurance Association. 

CYRUS J. McMASTER. 

This gentleman is the son of Dr. Edwin K. and Eliza J. (Bull) McMaster, and was born 
in Dade county, Missouri, May 18, 1847. His parents were natives of North Carolina, and 
were among the pioneer settlers of Dade county. In 1851 his parents moved to Greene 
county, where Cyrus grew to manhood. In 1864 he enlisted in the 14th Missouri cavalry, and 
served until the war closed. During 1869-70 he carried on the saddle and harness busi- 
ness at Walnut Grove. In 1871 he came to North Springfield, and engaged in the produce 
and commission business. In 1880 he entered into partnership with Geo. O. Vick, and they 
have since done a thriving business in produce and grain shipments, handling about a quar- 
ter of a million dollars worth of grain in 1882. They are one of the best firms in the city, and 
deserve the success they enjoy. Mr. McMaster was married November 17, 1868, to Miss 
Isabel Weir, daughter of James and Fidelia Weir, of this county. Their union has been 

blest with two children. 

HARRY P. MERRITT. 

Mr. Merritt was born in Detroit, Michigan, June 12th, 1859. In March, 1873, he began 
learning the machinist's trade in the shops of the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, at 
North Springfield, and served an apprenticeship of three years. He then worked in the shops 
a year after he learned the trade. He then began firing upon an engine, and on the 8th of 
October, 1880, he was promoted to engineer, and has been running an engine ever since. He 
is a member of Pacific City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 

M. R. MILLER. 

This gentleman was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, February 26th, 1850. In 1869 he 
commenced braking upon the A. & G. R. R., and braked about eighteen months, when he 
was promoted to conductor, and ran a train until November 24th, 1880. He then came to 
North Springfield, Mo., and on December 12th, 1880, began braking upon the St. Louis 
and San Francisco railroad, and upon February 2d, 1881, he was again promoted conductor, 
and is now running a train. Mr. Miller is a member of Springfield Chapter of Royal Arch 
Masons. 

MATHIAS G. MOIST. 

Mr. Moist was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, February 8th, 1843. In 1866 he began 
railroading, and was with the civil engineering corps on the Union and Logansport railroad. 




R. D BLADES. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 865 

Subsequently, he was with the corps on the North Missouri railroad (now Wabash) survey. 
He came to North Springfield in 1868, and worked with the engineering corps after the St. 
Louis and San Francisco road was completed. He was chief of the corps on the Kansas 
branch of 'Frisco. In 1869, he was appointed wood and stock agent of the 'Frisco, which 
he holds at this writing. Mr. Moist was married in 1871, to Miss Annie L. McCarty. They 
have three children. He belongs to Hope Council, No. 5, R. T. of T. 

JOHN MONAGHAN. 

Mr. Monaghan was born in Rochester, New York, June 25th, 1845, and is the son of Law- 
rence and Margaret (Sulvoy) Monaghan. His parents emigrated to Michigan in 1849. At 
the age of 16 John began farming for himself, and followed the business for four years. He 
then went to Jackson, Michigan, and there fired upon a stationary engine for a few months, 
and was then employed as engineer, and ran the engine for five years. In 1869 he went to 
Lebanon, Mo., and worked in the bridge department of the St. L. & S. F. R. E. for six 
months. He then came to North Springfield and commenced work in the round house at 
wiping engines. After a few months he began firing upon an engine, and in June, 1877, was 
promoted engineer, and he has been so ever since. By industry and economy he has saved 
quite a competence, and owns two nice dwellings in North Springfield. In the fall of 1869, 
he married Mrs. Margaret Riley, of Lebanon, Mo. They have four children, "William, 
Nena, John and Ella. Mr. Monaghan is a member of Wentworth Lodge, No. 113, A. 0. U. 
W., and of Pacific City Division, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, of which 
he is Guide. 

JOSEPH R. MOORE. 

Mr. Moore is the son of James and Mary Moore, and was born at Lewisburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, March 20, 1840. His parents came to Missouri in 1858 and settled in Miller county, 
and remained until 1861, when, on account of the war, they removed to Franklin county. 
Joseph R. Moore learned the machinist's trade at Susquehanna, Penn., in the celebrated 
Erie railway shops. He then farmed for three years, and in 1861 enlisted in Captain W. D. 
Bowen's company, Missouri volunteers. He was wounded in the left leg at the battle of 
Wilson's Creek, and was therefore discharged. He returned to Susquehanna, and as soon as 
he was able, he again went to work in the Erie shops in the fall of 1861, and con- 
tinued there until 1867. He then returned to Missouri, and ran an engine on the St. Louis 
& San Francisco railway. He now runs a passenger engine between Springfield and Pacific. 
Mr. Moore was married on the 21st of October, 1869, to Miss Del. S. Tallcott, of Belleville, 
New York. He is chief engineer of Pacific Lodge, No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive 
Engineers, also a member of Wentworth Lodge, No. 113, A. O. U. W. 

JOHN H. MOORE 

Is a native? of Giles county, Tennessee, born August 2, 1829. His parents were John and 
Elizabeth Moore, the latter of whom died in Tennessee in May, 1838. In November, 1840, 
his father and the rest of the family came and settled in Pulaski (now Webster) county, 
Missouri, where they lived three years, then moved into Greene county, locating on a farm 
just east of Springfield. Three years later they moved to Stone county, where the father 
died, and where John H. afterwards served as county judge. At twenty-two years old, the 
subject of this sketch began learning the carpenter's trade in Arkansas, at which he worked, 
off and on, till the fall of 1865. He then went to Cassville, in Barry county, where he en- 
gaged in the dry goods business for a year. In 1866' he was elected sheriff, and re-elected in 
1868. In 1870 was elected county treasurer, and at the expiration of his term, moved to 
Verona, Lawrence county, Missouri, and engaged in the hotel business. Mr. Moore came 
to North Springfield in May, 1874, and has held several city offices since, being, at this writing, 
maj'or of the city. During the civil war, Mr. Moore served as a lieutenant in the Home 
Guards of Stone county, and in 1862 was enrolled in company K, 72d regiment, E. M.M.,. 

55 



866 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

and served as captain for about a year. He was then detailed as captain 
of a company in the 7th provisional regiment, M. S. M. and served till November, 
1864. Subsequently, he joined the 15th Missouri cavalry, and was finally mustered out in 
August, 18i)5. On September 2-'), 1853, he married Emeline Melton, of Stone county. They 
have four children living — William B., John E., Eliza C,, and Jeptha O. They have lost 
five children. Mr. Moore is a member of the Temple of Honor, and R. T. of T. He is an 
upright, trustworthy citizen, and has a strong hold on the good will of North Springfield 

Oltil7GnS 

DAVID E. MORROW, D. D. S. 

Dr. Morrow is the son of James K. and M. E. Morrow, and was born in Wayne county, 
Ohio, March 25, 1856. In 1865 his parents moved to Cass county, Missouri, where he grew 
to manhood upon a farm, and was educated at the State Normal School at Warrensburg. 
He began teaching school at the age of seventeen and taught until he was twenty-two. He 
had to depend upon himself to get his professional education. In 1878 he commenced the 
study of dentistry with Dr. M. V. Johnson, of Holden, Missouri, one of the leading dentists 
of Western Missouri. He remained with him until 1880, and then took the course of den- 
tistry at the St. Louis Dental College. He then located at Harrisonville, Missouri, where he 
practiced until December, 1882, and then located at North Springfield, where he is doing a 
fine business and is making a reputation in his profession. He is a member of the Presby- 
terian church, and is a young man of fine promise. 

JOHN W. NELSON 

Was born in Montreal, Canada, March 19, 1842. His parents were William and Martha 

Nelson, the former being still alive and residing in Ray county, Missouri, though the latter 

died in 1856. He was but five months old when his parents came to Missonri, and located 

in Ray county, where — besides the father — four brothers and two sisters still reside. He 

began "firing" on the H. & St. Joe R. R. in 1859, continuing till 1861, when he enlisted for 

the war in company E, 13th Mo. infantry, serving therein till captured by Gen. Price at 

Lexington. Being paroled, he remained at home till his exchange in January, 1862, then 

entered the 3d Mo. cavalry as sergeant, and marched from Chillicothe to Pea Ridge, via 

Springfield, participating in the battles of both those places and at Prairie Grove. In May 

1864, he re-enlisted in the 13th Mo. and served till mustered out at Leavenworth, Kansas, 

Going then to Rolla, Mo., he began working for the St. L. & S. F. R. R. company, and 

was brakeman on the first regular freight that ran to Lebanon. In 1870 he began "firing" 

on the same road, and in 1874 was given charge of an engine, since which time h« has served 

steadily as engineer. Mr. Nelson was married October 15, 1866, to Elizabeth Charles, by 

whom he has had four children, two of whom are still living. He is a member of the 

Springfield lodge No. 218, I. O. O. F., the Temple of Honor, and the Brotherhood of 

Locomotive Engineers. 

DANTON H. NICHOLS. 

Mr. Nichols has the reputation of being one of the most popular officials of the St. 
Louis and San Francisco Railway Company. Thrown upon his own resources at the age of 
seventeen, with a fair education, having attended the Illinois military academy two and a 
half years previous, he came to Missouri and engaged in braking on a freight train, and 
has since held various positions on the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, which he filled 
satisfactorily to the company, and thereby gained their confidence and respect, which in- 
duced them to appoint him superintendent of the A. and P. division of the road in 1875, and 
in 1881, promoted him to master of transportation, which position he holds at present. He 
is the son of Mathias H. and Sylvia S. Nichols, born in Allen county, Ohio, August 14, 1849. 
On the 8th day of September, 1874, he married Miss Katie Cummings, daughter of Daniel 
and Mary Cummings, of St. Louis. They have three children, Mamie, Sophia, and Danton. 
Mr. Nichols belongs to St. John's commandery, No. 20, Knights Templar. He is also past 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 867 

master of Wentworth lodge, No. 113, A. O. U. W. Socially, Mr. Nichols is an aflFable and 
agreeable companion. His motto, to which he has rigidly adhered in business, is to do that 
which his sense of right demands, leaving the consequences to take care of themselves. 

WALTEE A. NOLEMAN. 

Mr. Noleman was born May 25th, 1848, in Jefferson county, Illinois. In 1868 he com- 
menced firing on an engine on the Illinois Central railroad, and worked at it four years. He 
then ran a switch engine in the yards at Centralia, Illinois, several months. He then re- 
moved to Stone county, Missouri, and engaged in sheep raising for two years. He next 
went to firing upon the St. L. and S. F. railway, and was promoted engineer upon that 
celebrated road, and is now running an engine. Mr. Noleman was married to Miss 
Elizabeth M. Thompson, of Centralia, Illinois. Their union has been blest with one daugh- 
ter, Sarah Ann. Mr. Noleman is a member of 'Frisco Lodge, Division No. 5, Brotherhood of 

Locomotive Firemen. 

WILLIAM PALMER. 

Mr. Palmer was born in Boone county, Missouri, May 16th, 1848, and is a son of James 
W. and Sarah Palmer, who now reside at North Springfield. In 1869 William began firing 
on an engine upon the I. and St. L. railroad, but in a few months went on the O. and M, 
railroad, and fired four years. He was then promoted engineer, and ran a train several 
months. Then he went back to the I. and St. L. railroad, and ran an engine until 1875, 
when he came back to North Springfield. July 6th, 1875, he went to work for the St. L. and 
S. F. railroad, and was soon given an engine, which he ran until November 5th, 1882. He 
is now running an engine on the K. C, S. and M. railroad. Mr. Palmer was married July 
19th, 1875, to Miss Mary A. Foltz. Their union has been blest with two children, Nettie and 
John. 

RODOLPHUS G. PARKER. 

Mr. Parker is the son of Joseph and Catherine (Adams) Parker, who were natives of 
Maine. His ancestors upon his mother's side, the Stillsons, were the original settlers of 
Deer Island, now a noted summer resort upon the shore of Maine. R. G. Parker was born 
in Hancock county, Maine, January 21, 1830. In 1845 his parents moved to Ottawa county, 
Ohio, where he grew to manhood, and was educated at the common schools and at Oberlin 
College. In 1853 he graduated at Bryant & Stratton's commercial college, Cleveland, Ohio. 
His father was a ship carpenter, and R. G. began learning it as soon as large enough to 
handle tools, and has followed the trade most of the time since. He taught school for a 
short time when a young man. In 1855 he went to Kankakee, 111., where he was foreman 
upon the first store building put up in the place. In 1857 he took up a claim in Dakota 
county, Nebraska, where he worked at his trade until 1859, when he went to St. Joseph, 
Mo., and in 1860 went to Pike's Peak freighting. He returned to Ottawa, Ohio in the fall of 
that year. In 1865 he moved to Odell, 111., where he remained until 1870 contracting and 
building, also owning a half interest in a boot and shoe store. In 1870 he came to Spring- 
field, and worked at bridge building for the Frisco road, and has been with them ever since, 
save two years. He is now shipping clerk in the bridge department. Mr. Parker was mar- 
ried December 27, 1860, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Barzilla and Elizabeth Dean, of 
Ottawa county, Ohio. She died at RoUa, Mo., in 1872. They had six children, three of 
whom died in 1872 with diphtheria, within eleven days. Those'living are Talba C, Frank 
B., and Clara J. Mr. Parker married the second time, October 22, 1876, to Mrs. Susan C. 
Hardin, formerly a Miss McBride, of Tennessee. Her parents were neighbors and friends of 
Andrew Johnson, who made her father's wedding coat. 

LEONARD B. PERKINS. 

Mr. Perkins was born in Parishville, St. Lawrence county. New York, March 12, 1840, 
his father bearing the Christian name of Cyrus G., and his mother, Martha A. He remained 



868 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

at home and attended school until he was fourteen years old, then went to Lowell, Massa- 
chusetts, and worked in a cotton factory for a year or two. Returning home, he learned the 
painter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years, following that vocation till the 
commencement of the war. He enlisted for U. S. service in April, 1861, going to Albanj', 
where he was sworn in for three months. He next enlisted in the 6th New York infantry 
for two 3'ears, which period he served out, participating in all battles in which his regiment 
was engaged. After returning home, he married Miss Emma L. Dervey, on June 4, 1863. 
Three children have been born to them of this union, one only of whom survives at this writ- 
ing. After his marriage he lived six months in Washington City, going thence to Alexan- 
dria, Virginia, where he remained three years. Subsequent to this he was in Baltimore, 
and his native county, Iowa, Woodstock, and Muscatine, in which latter place he had charge 
of the largest creamery in the world. He next went to Kansas, where he remained a short 
time, coming to North Springfield, this county, in June, 1880. Here he opened a restaurant, 
and in the spring of 1882, erected his brick house. He is a member of St. Mark's lodge, No. 
63, A. F. and A. M., and also of Independence lodge, No. 77, I. O. O. F., Baltimore, Mary- 
land. 

ISAAC PRICE. 

Mr. Price is a son of William and Matilda Price, and was born in Grundy county, Ten- 
nessee, September 17, 1849. In 1858, his parents moved to Rockport, Arkansas. . His father 
dying there, he and his mother moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1862. In 1863, when he 
was but fourteen years of age, he enlisted in company M, 2d Missouri artillery, and served 
until the end of the war. In the winter of 1865 he was put into the cavalry, and sent to the 
plains, where he fought Indians in many skirmishes. After the war he went to work in the 
Pacific Flour Mills, St. Louis, and then worked a while for the Missouri Pacific railroad. In 
1872 he commenced working for the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, and has now been 
foreman of the paint shops of that road for eight years. Mr. Price is a member of the A. O. 
U. W., and is a Select Knight. He is a self-made man, having been left fatherless when 
he was twelve years of age. He was married in 1872 to Miss Margaret, daughter of 
Thomas and Mary Mangan, natives of Ireland. Their union has been blest with six 
children, live of whom are living. 

GEORGE PRICE. 

Mr. Price was born in Grundy county, Tennessee, July 1, 1S44. He came to Missouri in 
1861, and soon after his arrival he enlisted in the 2d Missouri artillery and served until the 
close of the war. In 1866 he commenced upon an engine on the Missouri Pacific railroad, 
and worked upon that road until 1870. He then came on the St. L. & S. F. R. R. and fired 
until 1876, when he was promoted to engineer and has been running as such ever since. 
July 4, 1869 he was married to Miss Mary A. Maugan, of Jeff"erson county, Missouri. 
Their union has been blest with three children, viz. : Mary A., Matilda J. and Eunice V. 
Mr. Price is a member of the following benevolent societies: Springfield Lodge, No. 218, 
I. O. O. F. ; Pacific Division No. 83, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and of the 
Locomotive Engineers Mutual Life Insurance Association. 

WILLIAM T. PRIGMORE. 

This gentleman is a Missourian, born in Jasper county, March 15, 1854. He is a son of 
Dr. L. Prigmore,;who resides at Rolla, Missouri, and his mother is also still living. In 1871 
he began " braking" on the St. L. & S. F. R. R. and has been in the employ of the same 
road, off" and on, ever since. July 29, 1879, he was promoted to the position of freight con- 
ductor which he has held ever since. Mr. Prigmore was married June 13, 1877, to Miss 
Norah S. Robberson, of Dixon, Missouri. He is a Free Mason, and a member of Arlington 
Lodge, No. 346, A. F. & A. M., at Dixon. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 869 

THOMAS E. QUICKSELL 

Was born in Montezuma, New York, August 8, 1834. When fourteen years old he began 
working at a saw mill, at which he continued four years. He next went on a farm and re- 
mained till July, 1862, when he° joined company C, of the 74th Indiana volunteer infan- 
try, serving in the civil war till July, 1865. He had been in the battles of Stone River, 
Munfordsville, Mission Ridge, and several other fights and skirmishes, and was once cap- 
tured at the battle of Munfordsville. He was exchanged, however, and finally mustered out 
at Camp Norton, Indianapolis. After the war, he began " firing" on the Pittsburg, Ft. 
Wayne & Chicago R. R., where he fired till 1871, then was put in charge of an engine, which 
he ran until 1876. He then ran twenty months on the Michigan Central, after which he came 
to North Springfield, and in April, 1879, took an engine which he is now running. He 
has been twice married. First, in 1859, to AngelineJSult (who died in 1861), by whom he has 
one child. On July 4, 1869, he married Mrs. Mary E.Hill, by which marriage he has four 
children. Mr. Quieksell is a member of the Odd Fellows Order at Ft. Wayne, and also be- 
longs to the A. O. U. W. 

HENRY T. RAND. 

Mr. Rand is a son of John H. and Irene (Trumbull) Rand, and was born at Manchester, 
New Hampshire, November 4, 1848. He grew to manhood in his native town, and in 1865 
entered Darmouth College, from which he graduated in 1869. The same year he accepted 
a position as civil engineer upon St. Louis & San Francisco railroad, and remained in the 
offices at St. Louis a year. He then engaged in merchandising at Pacific City, being post- 
master and city clerk. In 1878 he located at North Springfield where he has since been en- 
gaged in the grocery business, doing a business of twenty thousand dollars a year. He is the 
present secretary of the school board. Mr. Rand was married April 30, 1871, to Miss Sarah 
O., daughter of William C. Inks, of St. Louis county, Missouri. They have four children, 
Florence J., Willie M., Harry T., and Walter H. Mr. Rand is a member and trustee of the 

Congregational church. 

THOMAS RATHBONE. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Sarah Rathbone, and was born in England, July 

19, 1827. At the age of thirteen, he was apprenticed for seven years to learn the tinner's 

trade. After completing his trade he worked at it in his native town until 1852, when he 

came to the United States and located at Williamsburg. N. Y., where he worked at his trade. 

In 1858 he moved to Springfield, Mo., where he worked at his trade and farmed until 1875. 

He then went into the stove, hardware, and tinware business, doing the leading business in 

the place, carrying a large stock, and is one of the best practical tinners in the Southwest. 

During the war he served in the Home Guards, and was in the fight against Gen. Marmaduke. 

He and his teams were pressed into service when Fremont retreated to Sedalia, and had 

many narrow escapes upon his return. He is a member of the Temple of Honor, No. 28, 

and has filled the various offices connected with it. He was married in 1847, to Miss Sarah 

Warr, of his native town. Their union has been blest with four sons and one daughter. 

Mr. Rathbone is one of the best citizens of the county, and enjoys the friendship of a large 

circle of acquaintances. 

RICHARD F. RAWDON. 

Mr. Rawdon was born in Warren, Ohio, August 29, 1845. At the age of sixteen he com- 
menced railroading, doing his first work at braking upon the Atlantic and Great Western 
railroad in Ohio, which he followed about six years. In 1869 he came West and braked on 
the 'Frisco road for six months, and then went with the engineer corps, and was on the sur- 
vey from Pierce City to the Arkansas river in the Indian Territory. He then went to St. 
Louis and braked upon the Missouri Pacific road for six months, and was then promoted con- 
ductor, and ran a train five years. When the Missouri, Pacific and 'Frisco separated, he 
came on the latter road, and has been running a train ever since. For the last two years he 



870 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

has been running a passenger train, and is considered one of the most reliable upon the 
road. Mr. Rawdon was married to Miss Kate Griffith, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Their union is 
blest with three children, viz. : George, Alice, and Charles. 

BENJAMIN J. ROBERTSON. 

This gentleman was born in Greenecastle, Indiana, February 13, 1844. At seventeen 
years of age he joined company G, 63d Illinois volunteer infantry, and served one year as 
second sergeant. He was then promoted to quartermaster sergeant. In 1863 he was ad- 
vanced to rank of first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster, which he held till the close 
of the war. He served through the siege of Vicksburg, also at Black River, Champion 
Hill, Chattanooga, the campaign before Atlanta and Sherman's march to the sea. He re- 
turned to Illinois after the war, and was employed over two years in the office of the Illinois 
Central railroad at Tuscola. Next he was engaged in the American express company's 
office at Mattoon, A year later he began braking on the C. & A. R. R., and continued nine 
months, when he was made fifeight conductor, and ran a train five months. The machine 
shops at Bloomington were his next field of a labor, where he remained three years. In 
September, 1879, he went to Pierce City and began braking on the Kansas division of the 
••'Frisco " line. He was again given charge of a train in May, 1881, which he has conducted 
since then. His removal to North Springfield was in 1880, where his family now reside. 
Mr. Robertson was married March 30th, 1868, to Miss Mattie Blake, of Charleston, Illinois, 
and has at this writing a family of four children. 

J. CHRIS. RULE. 

John Christopher Rule is the son of Raymundes and S. J. Rule, and was born in Balti- 
more, Md., November 20th, 1844. In the fall of 1866, Mr. Rule came to Springfield, Mo., 
and opened a saloon, where he remained until 1872. In May, 1875, he opened a saloon on 
Commercial street in North Springfield, where he is still doing business. He was married 
June 9th, 1869, to Miss C. W. Heffernan. Their union has been blest with seven children, 
six of whom are now living. 

VALENTINE SCHULLER. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, February 20, 1852. He began 
"braking" on the "Frisco" in 1874, and was advanced to a conductorship on October 4, 
1878, and has been running a train ever since. Mr. Schuller belongs to Ozark Division, No. 
30, O. R. C. Nov. 25, 1879, he was married to Miss Alia D. Lawson, by whom he has one 
child, a son, named Verner, born October 15, 1882. 

FRANK M. SIBLEY. 
Mr. Sibley is the son of Moses and Mary C. (Cole) Sibley, and was born at Sutton, Wor- 
cester county, Mass., Nov. 5, 1850. He grew to manhood and was educated in his native 
town. In 1870 he went to Hannibal, Missouri, where he was employed in the motive 
power department of the Hannibal and St. Joe R. R., which position"he held until 1873. 
He then went to St. Louis and was clerk in the same department of the St. Louis and San 
Francisco R. R. until 1876. Then he was transferred to Springfield, Missouri, where he 
held that position until 1882. Then Mr. Sibley went into the furniture and undertaking 
business with Mr. Lohmeyer, the firm being Lohmeyer & Sibley. They do a flourishing 
business at North Springfield. Mr. Sibley was married in 1877, to Miss Jennie M., daugh- 
ter of Washington and Jennie C. Barnharst. Their union has been blest with two children, 
Frank C. B. and Nellie C. Mrs. Barnharst is postmistress at North Springfield. 

BENJAMIN SMITH. 
This gentleman is the oldest engineer on the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, hav- 
ing run the first engine on that line. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, February 26, 



HISTORY OF GREENE CODNTT. 8^1 



1807 When he was sixteen years old he went into the maehine shops of the Housatome 

Nashville Tenn. and venc s battlefields, among which were 

lived forthirtv years. He is a member of Pacific division, No. 83, B. of L. E-, ot wmcn o 
dr he wa'a charter member. Besides this he is in the Locomotive Engineers' Mutual Life 
InLrlnce Association, and is also a member of the 'Frisco L. E. H. Association. 

■ GEOKGE B. SMITH 

Is a native of Canada, born in Quebec, May 10, 1845. He came to the ^-^^^ f^^^^^^^'f^'; 
and accepted a position on the Chicago and Northwestern railroad, -f- ^^^f/^^^J^^ ^ 
years, then took a train on the Union Pacific railroad, which he run unti l^'O ^^^/^^^^^^ 
Ld took a train on the St Lou. and B-J-^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ 

:reTNe:Tork'"'h:r!;av:^o:e!:nd, Cla;ence 'osman Smith. Mr. Smith is a mem- 
ber of Ozark division, No. 30, Order of Railway Conductors. 

JAMES W. SPENCEK. 
Mr. spencer wa, horn in Cvawford count, l>Iisso„ri, May 6th. 1847 At ^^"J^^^^J^^ 

a„d\as eve, since heen en.a.^a.„ the hnd.e an hu,^a,^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

!S;T:er«::; ::^";e"eMM':MrS:ile. ho.nAp.il.. 1877. M..8pence,isa 

member of Springfield Lodge, No. 218, L O. O. F. 

HENEY C. SPRAGUE. 

Mr Sprague is a Bostonian, and was born at the " Hubb," November 21 1835 He is 
of E^g Jh d^escent, his parents being -o.as a^d Eli.abe^ A P-^^^ ^^^ bl f. 
thirteen, he enlisted as a private soldier in the U. S. ^^^^'°"' ^"^ ' ^ ^^^^, ,,,a then at- 

ltd a yL Shortly after this he went on tl. ni.no. Central radroad. d^ ter^ ^^ 
awhile, was given an engine which he ran for »ome 1™ ?»»"„'_!; Jacksonville he went t, 
Jacksonville. Florida, where he put 7«1"°«J " » fo^^ar Turin, which time he was 
ri'n";"a1;:fo:;r "o*:or„"t: S,'s .rgS M." Sprlgue hegan workin, 
w^* he hrtd!e andbuilding department of the Trisco road, and is at th,s wn mg foreman 
w,th the ''"'SSOjj"";;;",;^ J^^ Pl„„i 10. 1854, to Miss Charlotte B. Truesdell, a nafve of 



of the same. 



872 

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

itraX^;::? ifi tl ^^-f ''- «P'-- ^-e ^ou^ ..Mr.n, na.ed A.a A., 
family was Hvin, n W C , He h'^h"' r." T ^' "^^ '''"^ "^^"^ ^' ^«^«' ^^^'^ ^^e 
railroad for several yearandi'safthft-'^^' ^'^ 'ather, connected with the 'Frisco 
Sprague is a membe'r o [he G e of e t1' T", r''\°' ' ^^^^'^ ^" ^'^'^^ ^■-- ^^-^^ ^• 
of the Springfield Royal Arc! Chapter, No 15. ''' """ '''' ^^ ^^ ^'^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ 

H. C. SPRINKLE. 

Hna%otth::i\t5rwiIfh:^^-.r t'r' SprinUcandwasbomm North Caro- 
county, Missouri; where thTvTived tlo ^7'; ^--o'^age, his parents moved to Cedar 

uary 1, 1871 he iZThr.lZ T-"" '"^ '^'" ''"^"^'^ ''^ ^^'^i^*^"' Missouri. Jan- 

inl87i w Vr .' fed t'tnlclr 't dT 'k ''' '' ^^^^ '^San Francisco railroad, and 
Mr. Sprinkle warmarrL7u'riri877.M-T,rr"^ ^ P'"^^"^^^ ^^'^'^ ^^ *-« 3-ars. 

DOUGLAS STEVENSON. 
N.w'^^TT^r' ^'''"" ^* ^'''""^°''^' C^"^^^' January 20, 1855 He went to Rnff , 
fbHil:';: ;: rZfoltTcr^T ^^r ^^^^^ ^^ --'neMve yeaf: Tethl let^d 
firing upon ar'n. L Id n'th f^ ," e^.^T' '"^ ^'"""' '" *'^ '^" «^ ^«^^' ^^^ began 
ning an engine upon the St LoJ^ ^f^'^i'^-- P-™oted to engineer, and has been run- 
in 1876, and has three childrln t fr " ^/'"''''" '"^^^"^ '^^'- ^'"^^- ^^ ^^^ carried 
ber of the Gate of the Tet; T :, 'm"' '^'"'^ '"^ ^°"S'^^- ^^- ^^^^^-^^ ^^ ^ mem- 
Bi^sion, No";t Br^^lr^^^Z^lX^r' " "' ^^ ^^^ '' ^^^^ ^^ 

JOHN W. STEWART. 

way, ,„a \wZZ.2^t\ i\ ^ *" =°"""™««i baking "pon the St. L. and S. F. rail- 
North SprirWd Thefrl T """'t f P'""''" ""-■ ''«'■ '<- ^i's E„„n. Knight, of 

JAMES A. STOUGHTON. 

yea^'of'retfwenTL'w: 1" ^'t '"''"' '''^"^"^' "^'^ ''^ ''''' ^^^ '^^ -- twenty 
Lthen cle trS^^^lTdi^ T'l-'"^ ^'^ cattle business for eight years' 

He was married Januarv 1^ iVr !' if f ^''" ^^"'"^ ^" ^'^^'"^ Springfield since 1870. 

three chile i Fr Jk K M .' ^""' ^''"^- '^'"^ ""^^^ ^^^ ^^'^^ ^^-^ -'^^^ 

bank superint'erd;;t of H ; """, '"'^ ^'"J"™^^ ^- ^'•- Stoughton is director of the 
Dronril^If r , t f '"'''' '"'^^"y ^"'"P^"^' ^^ ^^ich he is one-third owner, and 

enterprismg men of the city, and is at present in charge of the " 'Frisco " stockyards. 

WILLIAM A. THOMS. 

Few men of the day have been more uniformly successful, or had their business qualifica- 

I?n Miov'"". "^ acknowledged than Mr. William A. Thoms. He is a native of Ypsi- 

anti,M,chigan born December 28th. 1848. At the age of nineteen, he began learning 

elegraphy, m the oflice of the Michigan Central railroad, in his native townf in wLh h! 

spent one year. He then engaged in farming, but only continued about a yea anla half 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 873 

when he concluded that the theory of farming was good, but to make it a success required a 
great deal of hard labor, and that it was too slow a business for an ambitious young man. 
G-oing to Indianapolis, he accepted a position as operator in the office of the C. C. C. and I. 
railroad, and from then until 1872 was constantly employed in Indiana and Illinois, part of 
the time as train dispatcher. In February, 1872, he came to North Springfield and accepted 
the position of train dispatcher on the St. L. and S. F. railroad, and five years later was ap- 
pointed station agent. On the 11th of November, 1879, he was promoted to the position of 
superintendent of the Kansas division, holding this until 1881, when he was transferred to 
the Missouri and Arkansas divisions, which he has charge of at this. writing. On November 
6th, 1877, Mr. Thorns was married to Miss Ella Evans, of Springfield. He is a member of 
St. John's Commandery No. 20, Knights Templar, and also of the A, O. U. W. Still 
young, in perfect health and the vigor of manhood, having a large and varied experience in 
railroading, his future promises to be as useful as his past has been active and successful. 

JOHN T. THOMS. 

Mr. Thorns was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, February 1st, 1855. February 23d, 1880, 
he commenced firing on an engine upon the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, and Janu- 
ary 1st, 1883, was promoted to engineer, and is now running an engine. Mr. Thorns is a 
member of the Good Templars Lodge and Congregational church of North Springfield. 

GRANVILLE W. TURNER. 

This gentleman was born in Edina, Knox county, Missouri, January 3, 1844. He is the 
son of Granville D. and Maria Turner. In 1861 he enlisted in the Federal army and served 
about nine months. He next engaged in bridge building on the St. Louis and San Francisco 
railroad, whose western terminus was at that time at RoUa. He has been a resident of North 
Springfield for three years. He is now master of bridge builders, and fills the position with 
credit to himself and safety to the road. He was married on June 30, 1880, in South St. Louis, 
to Miss Melissa Trower. This union has been blest with one child, viz. : Walter, born Sep- 
tember 9, 1881. 

JOHN R. WENTWORTH. 

The subject of this sketch was born August 10, 1847, in Dover, New Hampshire. He re- 
ceived agood practical education in his native town. When he was sixteen he went to Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts, and engaged as clerk in the large shipping and commission house of Pierce 
& Bacon, where he worked until 1868, then come to Missouri and joined the civil engineer 
corps that located the present St. L. & S. F. railway. When the road was completed to 
Marshfield he was appointed freight and ticket agent at that place where he remained until 
1873, then was transferred to the office at North Springfield. On the first day of June, 1881, 
he was promoted to superintendent of the Kansas division of the St. L. & S. F. railway, which 
position he holds at present. On the 16th day of October, 1870, he married Miss Ida L. Straw, 
daughter of Col. J. W. & Lucy Straw, of Marsheld. They have one child, Maud E., born 
May 27, 1873. He is a member of Star lodge, No. 20, K. of P., also belongs to Wentworth 

lodge, No. 113, A. O. U. W. 

JOHN T. WILLIAMS. 

Mr. Williams was born in Marion, Ohio, March 25, 1845. At sixteen years old he was 
appointed ticket and freight agent on the Missouri Pacific R. R. at AUenton, Mo., and has 
been in the employ of same road ever since, the St. L. & S. F. R. R. being then un- 
der same management as Mo. Pacific. He remained at AUenton two years, when he was 
transferred to the general freight office at St. Louis. In 1876 he came to North Springfield 
and his present engagement is that of book-keeper for the bridge-building, and fuel depart- 
ments of the road. He is also city clerk of North Springfield, and has held that position 
ever since the city received its charter. November 5, 1866, he married Miss Elomise Des- 
moulin of St. Louis. They have three living children — Maud B., Walter J., and an un- 
named infant. 



874 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

J. F. UTTEK. 

Mr. Utter is a son of Joseph G. and Kebecca Utter, and was born in Morrow county, 
Ohio, April 1st, 1858. He began braking upon the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad upon 
the 8th of September, 1881, and has been so employed ever since, with the exception of one 
month in the fall of 1882, when he took a " lay otf," and made a pleasure trip West. He 
went to Deming, N. M., Chihuahua, Old Mexico, and San Francisco. He returned «ia Cen- 
tral Pacific R. R., stopping off at Reno, Nev., and Ogden, Utah. He then took the Union 
Pacific to Cheyenne, then to Denver, thence to Halstead, Kansas, and then to North 
Springfield. He is a member of Lodge No. 113, L O. O. F., at Granby, Mo., and North 

Star Lodge, L O. G. T. 

H. S. WARNER. 

Mr. Warner is a native of Ohio, and has been railroading about six years, and on the 
Frisco road for four years. He is at present car accountant. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 
CAMPBELL TOWNSHIP. 



Position and Description — Early Settlers and Settlements — Miscellaneous Histor- 
ical Items — The "Firsts" — Early Mills — Other Items — A Mysterious Murder — 
A Tragedy of the Civil War — Washington Forest Church — Union Congrega- 
tional Church — Antioch Church and Cemetery — Hazel Dell Sunday School — 
Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Campbell Township. 

POSITION AND DESCRIPTION. 

Campbell township is composed of all of congressional township 29, 
included in ranges 21 and 22. It comprises the most valuable por- 
tion of Greene, and is the best naturally and artificially. It was one 
of the first portions of the county settled and always took the lead in 
the matter of substantial inprovement. 

EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 

Campbell township embraces the settlements of the Campbells, the 
Roantrees, the Fulbrights, and other pioneers in the neighborhood of 
Springfield. William Fulbright, who came to the county in the year 
1829, and settled where Fort No. 2 now is, west of Springfield, had 
previously been through what is now Greene county in 1819, but at 
that time settled in Crawford county. He returned to Tennessee in 
1822, and lived in that State till 1829, and then came back to Mis- 
souri and settled in the immediate vicinity of Springfield, as we have 
stated. Kindred Rose came to the county in 1831, settled on section 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 875 

28, of township 29, range 22, and hiis been living there from that 
date to the present. Alexander McKenzie, from Pulaski county, 
Kentucky, came 1829 or 1830, and located three miles south of 
Springfield. Having disposed of his place to William Townsend 
about 1833, he moved out to Spring river. 

Joseph Rountree settled on section 28 — 29 — 22, in 1831. John 
P. Campbell and Madison Campbell, Joseph Miller, and others set- 
tled about Springfield as is fully detailed elsewhere. 

John Robertson arrived from Tennessee in the fall of 1835, and 
settled immediately west of Springfield on the farm afterwards owned 
and occupied by Judge William B. Farmer. Judge Farmer reached 
Springfield in July, 1840, and after an active business life in Spring- 
field moved to his farm in 1852. Martin Ingram was one of the old 
settlers of east Campbell township. Coming to Springfield in 1834 
he lived one year in the town, and in 1835 moved to a farm in section 
two. He did a large amount of mechanical work in the days of the 
early history of the county, and built several mills. Judge Morton 
settled in the same part of the township in 1836, and the succeeding 
year brought on his family from Marshall county, Tennessee. Wil- 
liam Purselly settled in 1838 on section 25, of township 29, range 21. 
Marcus Boyd, in 1840, came from Maury county, Tennessee, and set- 
tled two miles and a half east of Springfield, Samuel M. McCorkle, 
father of N. A. McCorkle, settled on the Ferguson place southeast of 
Springfield in 1839. He was from Tennessee. 

Other early settlers and settlements in Campbell township are 
noted in other parts of this history — notably, the first chapter and 
in the History of Springfield. 

Joseph Weaver came from Lincoln county, Tennessee (originally 
from Georgia), and settled on section 27 in the spring of 1830. The 
same spring Finis W. Shannon came from Williamson county, Ten- 
nessee, and settled on section 21. Peter Epperson settled on section 
27 in 1830. The same year Isaac Wood located on section 8, town- 
ship 29, range 21. Jesse Blackwell came to section 26 from Wash- 
ington county (originally from Virginia), in 1831. 

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORICAL ITEMS THE "FIRSTS." 

The first marriage in Campbell township, is said to have been the 
first marriage of white persons in Southwest Missouri. It was that 
of Junius M. Rountree and Martha J. Miller, and the marriage oc- 
curred August 7, 1831, at the house of the bride's father, Joseph H. 



876 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Miller, in section 22, township 29, range 22. The cermony was per- 
formed by Rev. Richard Kizee, a Baptist minister. The groom was a 
son of old Joseph Rountree, and the bride a daughter of old Joe 
Miller. The parties had been acquainted in Tennessee, the Rountree 
and Miller families being from the same neighborhood. 

Lawson Fulbright married Elizabeth Roper, a daughter of David 
Roper, who lived in the north part of the township, some time in 
1831, and a claim is made that this was the first in the township, but 
it is not probable that it antedated Rountree' s marriage. 

The first white person that died was a son of Finis Shannon, who 
died on section 21, range 22, in the fall of 1830 (or 1831). 

Probably the first physician was Dr. Edward Rodgers, of Tennessee, 
who came in 1831, and, after several years' residence here, went to 
Texas and died there. Dr. Cornelius D. Terrell, who married old 
Jim Wilson's widow, and was the second county clerk, was another 
very early physician. 

Rev. James H. Slavens, the well-known pioneer Methodist, it is 
believed was the first minister, and held the first religious services at 
John P. Campbell's. Rev. Alderson was another primitive Methodist 
minister, and labored for the good of souls in this part of the vine- 
yard. 

The first school-house was built on the southeast quarter of section 
22, range 22, in 1833. It was of logs, and built by the donated labor 
and material furnished by the settlers. It had a puncheon floor, a 
clapboard roof, and square holes in the sides for windows. Old Joseph 
Rountree taught the first school here, in the fall of 1833. He had 
about tAventy pupils, and for his services his patrons paid him one dol- 
lar per scholar per month. 

EARLY MILLS. 

Disputing the distinction claimed for old Jerry Pearson's mill, in 
the eastern part of the county, it is claimed that the first mill erected 
within the present borders of Greene county was built by Wm. Ful- 
bright, in section 3, township 29, range 22, on the Fulbright farm, 
now (1882) occupied by his grandson, W. D. Fulbright. It was a 
" tub mill," and ground for customers living fifty miles away. Ful- 
bright afterwards built another mill — or, rather, a millwright named 
Randolph did for him — but it would not work, and was " no good." 
Afterward, in 1844, his son, John L. Fulbright, put mill machinery in 
the same building, that turned two run of buhrs, until 1859, when he 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 877 

tore down the old mill, put ujd a new one, and added a carding ma- 
chine, but had only one run of buhrs. The mill is still running, and 
is on the head waters of Sac. The building is 44 by 18 feet in size, 
and is a two-story frame. 

Of Fulbright's old mill, old Wm. Jenkins used to say that when the 
water was low the mill-wheel would mutter out, * ' F-u-1-b-r-i-g-h-t 
a-n-d L-a-s-1-e-y, F-u-1-b-r-i-g-h-t a-n-d L-a-s-1-e-y," over and over, 
signifying that it would grind only for Fulbright and his neighbor Las- 
ley ; but when the water was high, the wheel would rattle away mer- 
rily, ' ' everybody — everybody — everybody ! ' ' 

Chesley and Benjamin Cannefax built a mill on Walnut creek in 1832, 
but it never attained much importance or notoriety. 

In 1832 or 1833, Augustine Friend built a corn-cracker mill at what 
is now known as Jones' spring, on section 27, range 21, or four miles 
east of Springfield. This mill was pretty well patronized. 

OTHER ITEMS. 

At the time of the first settlement of this township in 1831, the 
nearest post-oflice was at Little Piney, in Crawford county, distant 
one hundred miles. The nearest mills of any real value were at Mas- 
sey's Iron Works, in Phelps county, 125 miles away. 

The lumber of which the old bank in Springfield was built Avas 
principally sawed by hand. Abner Dabbs, a carpenter, sawed even 
the joists with a whip saw. 

Wilson's creek, named for James Wilson, the old " squaw man " 
that lived at the mouth of the stream, has a singular feature. On the 
farm of Russell Baker, in section 31, range 22, it sinks under 
ground and becomes a subterranean stream for a considerable distance. 

A MYSTERIOUS MURDER. 

About ten years since the dead body of a man was found in the 
western part of this township, in the timber. A dog belonging to a 
colored man brought to his master's residence a portion of a human 
leg. This ghastly circumstance led to an investigation, when the re- 
maining portions of the body were discovered. From all the indica- 
tions the body had been hauled in a wagon to where it was found and 
then dumped. Portions of the red paint of the wagon were found on 
the brush over which it had passed. The skull was crushed in, and 
it was clear case of murder, but what the circumstances were has 
never been learned. 



878 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

A TRAGEDY OF THE CIVIL WAR. 

Among the many tragedies of the civil war the following may be 
mentioned in connection with the history of this township. In Sep- 
tember, 1862, a young man 21 years of age, named George N. 
Johnston, a son of John B. Johnston, left this township, with two or 
three companions, for the Confederate army in Arkansas. Across 
the line in Christian county they were captured by some Union Home 
Guards or Federal militia and young Johnston and another man named 
Hughes were killed. Another of the party named Ream, was cap- 
tured, brought to Springfield, put to work on the fortifications for a 
time and afterwards discharged. 

CHURCHES. WASHINGTON FOREST BAPTIST CHURCH. 

This church meets once a month at school house No. 5, section 28, 
township 29. It was organized on the 18th of August, 1877. The 
original members were G. F. Trustee, J. H. Bird, G. W. Greene, J. 
M. Cannefax, E. Woodard, J. M. Sanford, Nancy Cannefax, Jane 
Bird and Amy Bird. The pastors have been Rev. D. T. Baucum, R. 
K. Maiden and W. M. Julian is the present pastor. The present 
membership is 15. 

UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 

This church has as yet no place of worship of its own, but meets in 
Hazel Dell school house, situated on section 20, township 29, range 
22. It was organized September 5th, 1882. The original members 
were J. E. Winfield, Mrs. Martha J. Winfield, Walter S. Winfield, 
Minerva J. Winfield, Samuel J. Gott, Mrs. Nancy E. Gott and Mrs. 
Nancy Campbell. Rev. J. R. Flint is the present pastor. The 
present membership is 7. Owing to its brief existence the congrega- 
tion has but little history of interest, but it has plenty of room to 
grow, and who can say what it may become? 

ANTIOCH (christian) CHURCH 

Was organized in 1854 on section 5, township 29, range 22. 
Names of the original members were John Wood, Elizabeth Wood, 
James G. Wood, John M. Wood, William White, Margaret White, 
E. White, Weloy Roper, Minerva Roper, John Robinson, Susan Rob- 
inson and E. White. The first church was erected in 1859, a brick 
building costing $200. It was dedicated in the autumn of 1859 by 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 879 

Elder Charles Carlton. The number of present members is 114. The 
pastors that served the church were Elder Joel Hardin, Charles Carl- 
ton, J. T. Roberts and Kirk Baxter (present pastor). 

The cemetery in connection with this church is an important one. 
The site of church and cemetery comprises 20 acres. The first inter- 
ments in the cemetery were made inl860, when the bodies of Mrs. 
William White, Margaret Fry and a child of Elisha White were 
reburied here, having first been given sepulture on the White farm, 
some years before. The bodies named and that of Russell Roper, a 
boy; twelve years old, were buried here in the fall of 1860. The 
present cemetery comprises about four acres. 

HAZEL DELL SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

At the Hazel Dell school house, in section 3, range 22, a flourishing 
Sunday school has been in existence for five years. The average 
attendance is from 40 to 50, and the school is run winter and summer. 
J. H. Patton is the present superintendent. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

LEMUEL B. AUSTIN. 

This gentleman is the son of Green and Nancy (Freeman) Austin, and was born in this 
count}' November 14, 1836. His father was born January 1st, 1805, and came to this county 
in 1834. His mother was born in September, 1808, and died in August, 1876. Lemuel was 
educated in the common schools of the county, and has been engaged in farming since boy- 
hood. He lives four miles east of Springfield, and owns six hundred and seventy-nine acres 
of land, a good portion of which is under cultivation and well improved, Mr. Austin is ex- 
tensively engaged in stock raising. He was married February 1st, 1863, to Miss Louisa J., 
daughter of George W. and Mary Mitchel. They are blest with a family of six children, 
viz. : Charles G., born December 6th, 1863; Mary E., born March 17th, 1865; Annie L., 
born July22d, 1869; Nannie V., born December 25th, 1871; Albert M., born September 
4th, 1876 ; Blanche, born July 3d, 1881. Mr. Austin is a member of the A. F. and A. M. 

W. S. BACON. 

Mr. Bacon is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Jeffries) Bacon, and was born in Franklin 
county, Kentucky, March 10th, 1835. He came to Missouri in 1854, and settled in Cooper 
county, near Boonville. Here he commenced fruit growing, and has since made it his chief 
occupation. In September, 1880, he came to Greene county and purchased his present 
home, three and one-half miles west of Springfield, where he has a pleasant and comforta- 
ble home, and is extensively engaged in fruit culture, especially berries. During the 
summer of 1882 he sold three hundred bushels of blackberries alone. Mr. Bacon was mar- 
ried April 1st, 1861, to Miss Susan Connor, of Cooper county. Their union has been blest 
with four children, viz. : Mary E., Robert, Sallie and Mattie. 



880 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



JAMES BAIR. 



Mr. Bair is the son of Jesse B. and Elizabeth (Bonfield) Bair, and was born in Tuscar- 
awas county, Ohio, Dec. 18th, 1845. His father was born in Adams county, Penn. Nov. 11, 
1814, and settled in Ohio in 1836. His mother was born in Canton, Ohio, Dec. 20th, 1819. 
James was educated in the common schools of Stark county, and completed hie education 
at Mt. Union College, Mount Union, Ohio. He then taught school during the year 1808, 
in Stark county, Ohio, and the following year came to Greene county, Missouri, and has 
since made teaching his vocation, having taught in Campbell, Taylor, Franklin and Brook- 
line townships. Mr. Bair was married August 11th, 1870, to Miss Virginia, daughter of 
William Jeffries, and old and highly respected citizen of this county. Their union has 
been blest with four children, viz. : Annie L., born April 20, 1871 ; William M., born 
May 4th, 1873; Victoria, born Sept. 8th, 1874, and died March 5, 1875; Charles A., born 
born May 2d, 1878. Mr. Bair was appointed justice of the peace in January, 1879, and 
still holds the office by appointment. He enlisted in company F, 80th Ohio infantry 
volunteers, upon the 21st of December, 1861, and served as sergent major, and was first 
lieutenant at the close of the war. He was at the battle of Farmington, Miss., siege of 
Corinth, luka, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, siege of Vicksburg and Mission 
Ridge. He was on the Atlanta campaign and in many skirmishes. He was mustered out 
in August, 1865, without having received a wound or being taken prisoner. All of his 
company except fifteen were killed or wounded at the battle of Corinth. 

REV. KIRK BAXTER. 

Mr. Baxter is a native of the city of New York, born February 26, 1829. His parents 
were Henry and Mary Baxter, who moved to the city of Baltimore and lived there three 
years. They next moved to Washington City and then to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where 
Kirk grew to manhood, ^e entered college at Bethany, Virginia, in 1848, and graduated 
from that celebrated institution in 1851. He then went to Wilkinson county, Mississippi, 
and taught school two years. He then began preaching and labored in that sacred calling 
until 1867, when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and took charge of the Christain church 
from 1867 to 1871. Three years of this time he taught a high school. He next preached in 
the counties of Southwest Missouri as an evangelist, but made Springfield his home. In 
March, 1875 he moved to Huntsville, Randolph county, Missouri, and preached there a y&ar, 
and then went to Dallas, Texas, preaching for his church in that city four years. He then 
returned to this county and took charge of the church at Antioch, where he still holds the 
pastorate of that congregation. He owns the farm upon which he lives and has a pleasant 
home. He was married June 12, 1856, to Miss A. F. Jackson, of Clinton, Louisiana. 
Their union has been blest with nine children, viz. : Charles W., Mary A., Willie H. 
(deceased), Fannie, Cornelia, Rosa J., George H., Kirk E. and Walter Wood. In 1878, 
while traveling in Texas with the noted evangelist, Knowles Shaw, the train was wrecked 
and Shaw killed instantly. 

CHARLES BENNETT. 

Mr. Bennett was born in Chemung county. New York, July 31st, 1847. His parents were 
Charles and Louisa (Canfield) Bennett. His father was born May 11th, 1807, and his mother 
was born May 18th, 1810. When our subject was about two years of age his parents re- 
moved to Kendall county, Illinois, where they lived until 1870, and then removed to Greene 
county, Missouri. Chas. Bennett, sr., lived here until May, 1882, and then returned to his 
county where he died July 26, 1882. Charles Bennett was educated in the common schools, 
and has followed farming as an occupation. He owns a fine farm of four hundred and thirty- 
two acres in Campbell township, well improved and in a high state of cultivation. He was 
married October 20th, 1881, to Miss Sarah Smith, who is a native of Kendall county, Illinois, 
born August 13th, 1850. Their union has been blest with one child, Charles, jr., born Septem- 




CAPT. S. H. JULIAN. 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 881 

berll, 1882. Mr. Bennett is a member of the Masonic fraternity, with membership at Raven 
Lodge, No. 303, Oswego, Illinois. He has been very successful in farming and stock raising, 
and is one of the substantial citizens of Greene county. In politics he is a Republican. 

ALLEN J. BIGGS. 

Mr. Biggs was born in Robertson county, Tennessee, February 14th, 1820, and is a son of 
David and Frances Biggs, both of whom were natives of Virginia. Allen J. lived in Rob- 
ertson county until he was seventeen years of age, and then went to Callaway county, Ken- 
tucky, and lived there until 1843. He then emigrated to Missouri, and took up a claim in 
Greene county, near his present home. He now owns one hundred and seventy acres of land, 
besides giving his children three hundred acres. During the war he dealt in mules, buying 
and selling to the government. Mr. Biggs has been married twice; the first time, February 
1st, 1840, to Martha Legan, of Callaway county, Kentucky. She died in January, 1842. He 
was married the second time to Nancy M., daughter of John and Keziah Robertson, upon 
the 3d of October, 1843. This union has been blest with five children, viz. : Napoleona (now 
Mrs. J. R. Debaun), Adolphus, John R., W. W., and Kizzie, now Mrs. "Wilson Fulbright. 
W. W. was married June 20th, 1882, to Maggie D. Waltz. 

ANDREW J. BODENHAMER. 

This gentleman is the son of Jacob and Nettie (Goss) Bodenhamer, and was born in that 
part of Greene county that is now Webster county, Missouri, September 13th, 1839. His 
parents were from Tennessee, and came to Missouri about the year 1833. Andrew came 
with his parents to Campbell township, this county, when he was about three years of age, 
and was educated in the common schools. When quite young he began farmieg, which oc- 
cupation he has always followed. In 1862 he enlisted in company A, 8th Missouri cavalry, 
U. S. A., under Col. Geiger. He was at the battles of Chalk Bluff, Prairie Grove, Little 
Rock, Brownsville and many minor engagements. He was taken prisoner at Prairie Grove, 
but paroled in a few days. He was mustered out in July, 1865, and returned to his farm, 
where he has one hundred and sixty acres of land. He was married September 6th, 1860, 
to Elizabeth Wharton, who was born in Dallas county, Missouri, February 1st, 1843. Their 
union was blest with six children. Mr, and Mrs. Bodenhamer are members of the M. E. 
Church South, and in politics Mr. Bodenhamer is a Greenbacker. He is one of Greene's 
substantial farmers, and a gentleman in whom all have confidence. 

DR. JOSEPH BROWN. 

This gentleman is the son of John D. and Jane (Bray) Brown, and was born in Randolph 
county. North Carolina, December 8th, 1828. His father was a native of North Carolina, 
born October 4th, 1804, and died in December, 1864. His mother was also a native of 
North Carolina, born February 29th, 1808, and is still living in Christian county, Missouri. 
Joseph came to Greene county, Missouri, with his parents in 1845, and was educated 
in the common schools of the county, and at Ebenezer. In the winter of 1858-9 
he attended the McDowell Medical College at St. Louis. He then returned to 
this county, and began the practice in Taylor township, where he lived four years, 
and at Springfield the same length of time. In 1867 he located where he now 
lives, four miles east of Springfield, and enjoys a large and lucrative practice, besides, 
having a farm of two hundred and seventy-five acres. Dr. Brown was married July 7th, 
1857, to Martha A. McFarland, of this county, born January 30th, 1838. She was the 
daughter of William and Martha A. (Roberts) McFarland. Dr. Brown and wife have been 
blest with a family of six children, three boys and three girls. They have lost two children. 
The doctor is a member of the A. F. and A. M., and is a Democrat in politics. 

56 



/ 



882 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

E. M. CAMPBELL. 

Mr. Campbell is the son of J. T. and Mary A. Campbell, and was born in Greene county, 
Missouri, May 29, 1853. His parents came to this country in 1831, and he was educated in 
the High School of Springfield, at the Washington University, St. Louis, in 1862-3 ; at the 
College of the Christian Brothers in 1863-4, and in 1873-4 attended the Christian University 
at Canton, Mo. Mr. Campbell was married June 24, 1879, to Miss Sallie M., daughter of 
William and Margaret White. They have one son, Albert J. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are 
members of the Christian church. Mr. Campbell is a farmer and stock raiser, and owns 
two hundred and fifteen acres of Greene's best lands. 

JASPER N. CLAPvK. 

Mr. Clark is the son of Dr. .lohn M. and Ptvrmelia S. (Nelson) Clark, and was born in Polk 
county, Missouri, March 2, 1842. His father was a native of Tennessee, and came to Polk 
county, in 1840, and practiced his profession until his death in 1847. His mother yas also a 
Tennesseean, and is now living in Springfield. Jasper went with his parents to Taney 
count}-, Missouri, when he was very small, where they lived about two years, and then 
moved to Christian county and remained there five years. They next located in Greene 
count}^ and this has been his home ever since. He was educated in Christian and Greene 
counties, and finished at Carton's College. In August, 1862, he was mustered into company 
E, 8th Missouri volunteers, under Capt. Bodenhamer. He was at the battles of Prairie 
Grove and Little Rock, besides minor engagements. He was mustered out in May, 1865, as 
Sergeant Clark. At the close of the war he went to farming, and in March, 1870, he pur- 
chased the place where he now resides. He owns one hundred and eighty acres of laud, 
mostly in cultivation. He raises fruit, stock, etc., and is a very successful farmer. Mr. Clark 
was married September 11, 1886, to Miss Francis E. Snyder, who was born in Westmorland 
county, Pennsylvania, July 6th, 1846. Her parents were John and Hannah Snyder, who 
came to Clark county, Missouri, in 1845, Mr. and Mrs. Clark have six children, Lula M., 
Charles C, Mollie H. P., Myrtle G., Bertha P., and Laura E. Mr. Clark and wife are mem- 
bers of the M. E. Church South. He received the Greenback nomination for sherifif in 1882, 
but was beaten by the Republican candidate. 

JOHN RUSSELL COX. 

Mr. Cox is the son of John and Louisa Cox, and was born in Daviess county, Mo., Janu- 
ary 17, 1853. His father was born in Bartholomew count}% Ind., and his mother was a 
native of this State, and died when John was quite a boy. He was then taken by his grand- 
father, Nathan Cox, and reared and educated in Greene county. His chief occupation has 
been farming. Mr. Cox was married January 16, 1876, to Miss Mary E. Pierce. She was 
born in Franklin county, Arkansas, November 11, 1857. They have one child, Louisa C, 
born February 18, 1879. In 1882 Mr. Cox and Mr. M. N. Wertz perfected a wheat cultiva- 
tor and ground pulverizer, and have applied for a patent upon the same. Mr. Cox is one 
of the safe, reliable young men of the county. 

WILLIAM P. DABBS. 

This gentleman was born May 28, 1829, in Virginia, and is the son of Abner, and Mary 
Dabbs. His parents moved to North Carolina in 1838, and remained there until 1844. 
They then came to Greene county, Missouri, where Wni. P. grew to manhood, in the city 
of Springfield. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in the State Guards, and in Febauarj", 1862, 
he joined Capt. Dick Campbell's company, under Gen. Price. He was taken prisoner at the 
battle of Champion Hill, Miss., upon the 17th of Maj', 1863, and held at Camp Morton, Fort 
Delaware and Point Lookout until March, 1864, when he was released. He then went to 
Clark county, Ohio, where he met his family, who had been ordered out of the county in the 
spring of that j'ear. He lived in Ohio until September, 1881, when he returned to Greene 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 883 

county, Missouri, and boui^ht the farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres, where he now 
resides. Mr. Dabbs was married October 3, 1858, to Miss Hannah M., daughter of John B. 
Johnston, a former citizen of Springfield. Their union has been blest with ten children, 
eight of whom are now living, viz. : Mary C, John W., Hannah E., Clara L., Ellen V., Ed- 
ward A., Thomas E., and an infant daughter. 

JOHN W. DANFORTH (deceased). 

Mr. Danforth was the son of Josiah and Sarah Roane Danforth, and was born in Roane 
county, Tennessee, Sept. 19th, 1800. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and was 
a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His mother was a native of Charlottesville, Va. When 
John "VV. was about nine years of age, he went to Augusta, Ga., where he received a fine 
education, and became an expert accountant. After coming to this county he settled in 
Springfield and was engaged in mercantile business under the firm name of Danforth Bros, 
for a number of years. In 1845 he went to Taney county. Mo., and founded the town of 
Forsyth, and became postmaster and county clerk. In 1856 he returned to Greene county 
and located three miles northeast of Springfield. During the war he was clerk in Capt. 
Ovyen's office at Springfield. He was married Dec. 19th, 1838, to Priscilla, daughter of Col. 
William Price, of Washington countj% Va. He was a colonel in the war of 1812, and died 
in his native county, Sept. 20th, 1837. Mrs. Danforth's mother was Miss Elizabeth Cecil, 
born in Tazewell county, Virginia, and died Nov. 20th, 1841. Mrs. Danforth was born in 
Washington county, Virginia, Oct. 5th, 1820. Mr. Danforth was a Royal Arch Mason, and 
a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Mrs. Danforth is a consistent member 
of that church. 

THOMAS E. EDMUNDSON. 

Mr. Edmundson is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Roberts) Edmundson, and was born in 
Greene county, Missouri, January 16, 1851. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and 
came to this county in 1844. Thomas E. was educated in this county and at Baxter's Insti- 
tute, where he completed his education in 1869. He has made fai-ming his occupation, and 
owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in this township, all of which is in cultivation, 
well improved. He was married December 19, 1876, to Miss Mary, daughter of William 
and Eliza (Snow) Freeman. Mrs. Edmundson was born December 4, 1856. They have 
three children, viz. : Samuel, born October 29, 1877, Mabel, born February 13, 1879, and 
Olivia, born October 25, 1881. Mrs. Edmundson is a member of the Presbyterian church. 
Politically Mr. Edmundson is a Democrat, and one of the staunch men of the county. 

DR. JAMES EVANS. 

Dr. Evans was born in Wayne county, Indiana, June 6th, 1829. He never attended school 
until he was seventeen years of age, but studied some at home without a teacher. When he 
began school he bent his whole energy to his work. He soon began teaching and studying 
medicine at the same time, giving eighteen out of twenty-four hours to his books. He grad- 
uated from Rush medical college at Chicago in 1855, and practiced his profession in Leba- 
non, Indiana, twenty-three years, and keeping a drug store in connection with his practice. 
He made seven additions to the town of Lebanon during his residence there. In 1871 he 
came to Missouri and settled in Springfield and engaged in the drug business three years, 
and since has been dealing in real estate. In 1880 he purchased the farm \Yhere he now re- 
sides, at Nichols' Junction. It was known as the Robinson farm, and the dwelling is the 
finest brick farm house in the county. Dr. Evans now owns seven hundred acres of land in 
this county, besides property in Indiana. He is now rearing some thorough bred short- 
horned cattle, and makes a specialty of rearing stock of a high grade. He was married May 
3d, 1855, to Miss Louisa A. Thompson, of Boone count}', Indiana. Their union has been 
blest with four children, viz. : Alpha D., J. B. Breckenridge, E. Ella and Freddie. Dr. Evans 
is a member of both the Odd Fellows and Masonic societies. 



884 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

BENJAMIN F. FIELDER. 

Mr. Fielder is the son of John L. and Mary (Denton) Fielder, and was born in Maury 
county, Tennessee, February 7, 1825. His parents were early settlers of Tennessee, and his 
father was at the battle of New Orleans. Benjamin was reared and educated in Maury 
and Hickman counties, Tennessee, and at about the age of twenty-one he began manu- 
facturing cotton gins at Columbia, Tennessee, and subsequently learned the carpen- 
ter's trade, which he followed exclusively, with the exception of two years in which he was 
an overseer. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in November, 1855, and settled in 
Washington township, where he lived until the beginning of the civil war. He enlisted 
in the militia and was taken prisoner upon the 8th of January, 1863, but paroled in a few 
days. At the close of the war he settled where he now resides, three and one-half miles 
southwest of Springfield, where he has one hundred and fifteen acres, all under cultivation, 
Mr. Fielder was married October 7, 1855, to Mary Estes. They had four children, viz. : 
Mary A., Margaret R., William T. and Andrew J. His first wife died in April, 1863, and 
February 6, 1876, Mr. Fielder was married to Mary S. Barnes. Their union has been blest 
with three children, Emma M., Cordie B. and Benjamin F. Mr. and Mrs. Fielder are mem- 
bers of the M. E. church South, and in politics he is a Democrat. 

JUDGE FELIX F. FINE. 

Judge Fine is the son of Melsor and Margaret (Sappington) Fine, and was born in St. 
Louis county, Missouri, Feb. 23d, 1833. His father was born Aug. 14th, 1801, and died 
Nov. 19th, 1843. His mother was born Aug. 8th, 1813, and died Oct. 11th, 1882. Felix F. 
was educated in the common schools of St. Louis, and at the St. Louis University. He was 
engaged in farming and in the nursery business until he came to Greene county in Novem- 
ber, 1867, and located three miles west of Springfield on the Carthage road. Here he car- 
ried on the nursery business extensively, and farmed until his removal to where he now 
lives, about four miles east of Springfield. He owns a fine farm of one-hundred and sixty 
acres, well improved. In the fall of 1882 he was elected upon the Democratic ticket as one 
of the county judges of Greene county, which office he now holds, enjoying the full confi- 
dence of his constituency, and guarding well the county's interest. He was married Feb. 
16th, 1858, to Miss Martha L. Gesferd, a native of St. Francois county, Mo. Their union 
has been blest with two children, only one of whom is now living. The judge and his 
wife are members of the Catholic church. 

JOHN W. FORSHEE. 

This gentleman is the son of Jesse and Mary Forshee, and was born in Monroe county, 
Tennessee, Feb. 15th, 1840. At the age of seventeen, he came to Greene county, Mo., and 
worked at well drilling until the war began. In the spring of 1861 he joined the Light 
Guard company of Springfield, and in September joined Col. Phelps' regiment, and served 
in that until it was discharged. He then joined the 8th E. M. M., and served in that regi- 
ment until the war closed. He was taken prisoner by Gen. Marmaduke, but paroled in five 
days. He is now actively engaged in farming and stock dealing, and owns a good farm. 
Mr. Forshee was married October 11th, 1866, to Margaret Woodrow, of Fannin county, 
Texas. Seven children were born to this marriage, viz. : William A., Margaret J., Hattie 
I., Samuel N., Mattie, James and George T. Mr. Forshee is a member of A. F. and A. M. 
society, and one of the substantial citizens of the county. 

JOHN J. A. GIBSON. 

This gentleman is the oldest son of John and Mary Gibson, and was born in Greene county, 
Missouri, March 13th, 1855. His parents came from Lincoln county, Tennessee, among the 
first settlers of this part of the county, and now reside in section 12, Campbell township. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 885 

John was educated in the common schools of the county, and began farming when quite 
young, which occupation he yet follows. He has by industry and economy acquired con- 
siderable property, owning one hundred and twenty acres of good land. In politics he is a 
Greenbacker, and is a consistent member of the M. E. church South. He is one of the safe, 
relia\ble young men of the county. 

JOHN S. GOTT. 

Mr. Gott is the son of John D. and Gracie Gott, and was born in Shelby county, Ken- 
tucky, January 26th, 1816. He spent his early life in Warren county, Kentucky, and came 
to Greene county, Missouri, in December, 1845, and settled in Springfield. He lived there 
about twenty-one years, and then moved out upon the farm where he resides. He has a fine 
farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Gott has been twice married, the first time to Miss Polly 
Davis in May, 1837. She died in March, 1852, leaving one daughter, Frances A., now Mrs. 
Robert Miles. He married the second time, August 3d, 1854, Henrietta McKee, a native of 
Tei'.nessee, who came to this country in 1851. They have five children living, viz. : Sarah 
C, now Mrs. Prakes, John D., Anthony W., A. L. and Mabel H. Mr. and Mrs. Gott are 
exemplary members of the Methodist church. 

KICHARD S. GOTT. 

Mr. Gott was born June 7th, 1806, in Shelby county, Kentucky, and spent his early life 
in his native State. At the age of seventeen he learned the carpenter's trade and followed 
it the greater part of his life. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in the fall of 1842, where 
he followed his trade for twenty-seven years altogether. In 1851 he took his family to Oregon, 
and remained there two years and returned to Missouri. In 1854 he crossed the plains to 
California with a drove of three hundred and thirty head of cattle, and returned the same 
fall, since which he has dealt in stock more or less. In 1872 he moved out upon the farm 
where he now lives. Mr. Gott joined the Methodist church at Bowling Green, Kentucky, 
in 1828, and has ever since been an active member. He was married March 12th, 1824, to 
Nancy H. McChesney, of Nashville, Tennessee. Their union has been blest with four 
children yet living, viz. : Frances, now Mrs. Gay, Samuel J., William H. and James W. 
The latter is still living at home, and deals extensively in stock, particularly cattle. 

BENJAMIN J. GOTT. 

Mr. Gott is a son of Joseph and Nancy C Gott, and was born June 15th, 1843, in Arkan- 
sas. His parents emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1845. Here Benjamin grew to 
manhood and followed farming. Upon the 18th of May, 1862, he enlisted in company A, 
8th Missouri cavalry, and served until the close of the war, participating in all the battles 
into which his regiment was called. Mr. Gott was married Nov. 16th, 1865, to Amanda C. 
McCaslin, a native of Tennessee. Their union has been blest with five children, viz. : Edwin 
W., Fannie J., Ida B., Hattie and Charlie. Mr. Gott and wife are members of the Metho- 
dist church, of Fairview class. He owns a good farm and raises considerable stock, and for 
the last seven years has been in the nursery business. 

JACOB GUBLER. 

Mr. Gubler is the son of Goachin and Varenna Gubler, and was born in Canton Thur- 
gau, Switzerland, December 25th, 1842. He was educated in the common schools of his na- 
tive countr}^ and at an early age learned the blacksmith's trade. He emigrated to America 
in April, 1867, and located in Macon county, Illinois, where he lived until July, 1869. . He 
then removed to Greene county, Missouri, and located at Springfield, where he worked at 
his trade until January 1st, 1871, when he moved out to where he now lives, four miles east 
of Springfield, where he owns a farm and carries on blacksmithing. Mr. Gubler is one of 
the safe, reliable men of the county, has made man}' friends here in the new world. He was 



886 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

married March 3d, 1867, to Laugacher Ellis, daughter of Jacob and Graff Ellis. They had 

one child, born July '27th, 1868, and died September 27th, 1869. Mr. Gubler is a member 

of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and he and wife are members of the Lutheran 

church. 

S. I. HASELTINE. 

Mr. Haseltine is the oldest son of Ira S. Haseltine, Greenback congressman from this 
district in the Forty-seventh Congress. He was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, May 1st, 
1849. He was educated in the high school of his city, and at the Wisconsin State 
University. In August, 1871, he came to Missouri with his father, and has had charge of 
the railway station at Dorchester since October 1st of that year. He deals in grain and 
fruit, shipping over the 'Frisco road. He was married November 23d, 1871, to Miss Annie 
L. Miller, a native of London, Canada. Their' union has been blest with three children, 
viz. : Edwin L, Alfred E. and Charlotte A. Mr. Haseltine is a member of the A. 0. U. W., 
the Grange and Brothers of Freedom. 

♦ DAVID S. HOLMAN. 

Mr. Holman was born in Iredell county, North Carolina, November 13, 1824. His par- 
ents, Lazarus and Elizabeth Holman, moved to Rutherford county, Tennessee, when he was 
eight years of age, and remained there a few years, and in 1837 they came to Missouri. They 
settled in Franklin county where David received as good education as the schools of that 
time afforded. He was licensed to preach for the M. E. Church South by the quarterlj' 
conference in the district embracing the city of St. Louis. He preached in Oregon county, 
Crawford county, and Lexington. He was then put for a time upon the African mission 
and built a church for them. He assisted at the first services held in Kansas City. He 
came to Springfield and spent a year, and then went to Jasper county. His health failing 
he went into the nursery business there in 1860. He came to Springfield in 1864, and again 
embarked in the nursery business in 1867, and has followed that occupation ever since, doing 
a good business. He was married December 14, 1856, to Miss Mary, daughter of EUwood 
B. James, Esq., of Carthage, an early settler of Jasper county, and county clerk for twenty 
years. Their union has been blest with four children, viz. : Rosa E., Sudie L., David E., 
and Joy S. The family are Southern Methodists, and Mr, Holman is a Royal Arch Mason. 

JESSE HOMAN 

This gentleman is the son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Edgar) Homan, and was born at Boon- 
ville, Cooper county, Missouri, April 7th, 1841. His father was born in Saratoga county. 
New York, August 21st, 1801, and his mother was born in Virginia. Jesse was educated at 
Boonville, finishing his education at Kemper's College. Mr. Homan is a skilful pilot, hav- 
ing run for a number of years upon the Missouri river. During the war he was piloting in 
the interest of the government, and piloted a fleet from St. Louis up to Boonville for Gen. 
Lyon. Mr. Homan was married at Boonville, upon the 26th of December, 1867, to Miss 
Ruth Parrott, a granddaughter of Wm. B. Leftwich. She was born in Pettis county, Mis- 
souri, December 26th, 1847. Their union has been blest with eight children, six sons and 
two daughters. Mr. Homan moved to this county in 1869, where he has since been engaged 
in farming, three miles from Springfield. He is a Democrat in politics, and Mrs. Homan 
is a member of the M. E. church South. 

PETER HORNING. 

Mr. Horning was born in Portage connty, Ohio, June 30th, 1842, and is the son of George 
and Margaret (Kerling) Horning. His parents were natives of Bavaria, Germany. Peter 
was educated in the common schools of his native country, and \<'hen old enough, learned 
the carpenter's trade, at which he worked until 1876. He went to Winona, Minnesota, in 
1859, where he worked at his trade until his removal to this county, in 1876. He settled in 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 887 

Campbell township, about two and one-half miles east of Springfield, where he owns a fine 
farm of eighty acres, well improved. Mr. Horning was married July 7th, 1864, to Miss 
Johanna Daley, who was born in County Kerry, Ireland, March 17th, 1842. Their union 
has been blest with seven children, viz. : Mary E., born July 25th, 1865, and died July 9th, 
1866; Clotilda, born December 19th, 1866; George, born May 8th, 1868; Charles A., born 
November 21st, 1869 ; Nora E., born October 8th, 1871 ; Robert P., born September 25th, 
1877, and Wm. H., born December 3d, 1880. Mr. Horning and wife are members of the 
Catholic church. 

THOMAS F. JESSUP. 

This gentleman is the son of Eli and Sarah (Lattimore) Jessup, and was born in Greene 
county, Missouri, March 4, 1843. His parents were natives of North Carolina, and after 
coming to this connty,.his father carried on the business of tanning, running a j'ard where the 
wagon factory now stands, and also owned eighty acres of land where North Springfield was 
afterward built up. Eli Jessup died in this county, and his wife died in Texas in 1879. 
Thomas was educated in the common schools of this township, and began learning the 
carpenter's trade in 1858 under Capt. Smith, of Springfield. In 1860 he went upon a farm 
and was farming when the war broke out. During the years 1861-2, he was in the employ 
of the government in the stock and teaming department. In 1863 he enlisted in company 
E, 6th Missouri, State troops, and was stationed most of the time in the county. He moved 
to Cole county the same year, and in the fall of 1864 was captured by Gen. Price's army and 
released in a few days. He came back to this county in 1868, and this has been his home 
ever since. Mr. Jessup was married July 20, 1864, to Miss Frances, daughter of the Hon. J- 
W. D. L. F. Mack, a very prominent citizen of Greene county. She was born in Maury 
county, Tennessee, February 15, 1844. Their union has been blest with six children, five 
are living, viz. : Eflie L., Edward F., Pearl, Lottie, Thomas F. Mr. and Mrs. Jessup are 
members of the Christian church, and Mr. Jessup is a member of the Greenback party. 

L. D. JOHNSON. 

Mr. Johnson is a son of John A. and Nancy Johnson, and was born in Giles county, Ten- 
nessee, November 11, 1845. His parents came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1863. L. D. 
Johnson was reared upon a farm, and in 1884 began clerking in a store in Van Buren, 
Arkansas, and in 1872 embarked in the general merchandise business for himself. He car- 
ried on the business six years, when his father died in this county, leaving eight children, 
viz. ; Clarissa, now Mrs. Powell, Lewis D., John A., Agnes R., Neil B,, Mary V., Silas M., 
and Nannie V. Lewis D. then closed up his own business and has since followed farming 
and stock raising. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Christian church, and is one of Greene's 

substantial citizens. 

WILLIAM D. LYMAN. 

Mr. Lyman is the son of Asa and Sarah Lyman, and was born in St. Lawrence county, 
N. Y., May 19, 1823. His parents were natives of New Hampshire, but went to Ohio when 
"William was a boy, where he learned the blacksmith's trade. In 1843 he went to New Or- 
leans, where he was stricken with yellow fever, and for six years after his recovery, his mind 
was a blank as to his early life. He then traveled in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South 
Carolina, and North Carolina, where he was married to Miss A. M. C. Ward, daughter of 
Samuel R. and Martha E. (Brown) Ward. He then moved to Greene county, Tenn., and 
soon after to Grainger county, where they lived until coming to Greene county. Mo., in 
1868. In April, 1862, he was incarcerated in the rebel prison at Madison, Ga., because of 
his outspoken Northern sentiments. After his release he enlisted in company C, 4th Ten- 
nessee cavalry, Lieut. Col. Thornburg. He was at the battles of Chattanooga, Mission 
Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Resacca, Big Shanty, Atlanta, Ft. Blakelj^ and Nashville. He 
was mustered out July 12, 18S5. He was appointed veterinary surgeon in 1863, and served 
in that capacity until mustered out. Since coming to this county he has lived some time 



888 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

in Clay township, where he owns a farm of eighty acres. In September, 1873, he removed 
to -where he now resides, carrying on his trade. He is a member of the Methodist church, 
and his wife of the Christian church. 

JOSEPH MAKTIN. 

Mr. Martin was born in Alabama, March 28th, 1822. When he was about four years of 
age his parents moved to Tennessee, and afterward to Illinois. In 1846 he enlisted in the 
2d Illinois regiment, company F, as a private, but was soon promoted to the first lieuten- 
ancy of his company. He served about fifteen months and was at the sanguinary battle of 
Buena Vista. He went to Texas in 1851, and engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1862 
he enlisted in Bowland's frontier regiment, and afterwards was in Relaford's battalion, 
Henry McCuUoch's division, and served about eighteen months. In the fall of 1865 he left 
Texas and spent the winter in Arkansas, and in the following August came to Greene county? 
Missouri, and now owns a fine farm of over three hundred acres. Mr. Martin has been 
twice married, the first time August 30th, 1843, to Lucinda Meneese. She died in Sept., 
1844, leaving one son, Lafayette, now in Texas. He was married the second time Aug, olst, 
1849, to Lucinda Beets, a native of Tennessee. That union has been blest with eleven 
children, viz. : Elizabeth R., Jane K., Josephine, James H., Lucinda, Jerome B., Andrew 
J., Kenith B., Joseph, Victoria Lee and Samuel F. 

EEV. M. L. McCLUER. 

The subject of this sketch, who is as well known, perhaps, in Polk and Webster counties 
as in Greene, was born in Loudon county. East Tennessee, November 9th, 1839. He is the 
only son, now living, of Joseph McCluei-, who formerly lived on Little Tennessee river, in 
the county above named, and owned there a large farm of eight hundred acres. Rev. Mr. 
McCluer's mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Greenway, died when he was only 
three months old. He grew up and was educated in his native State, continuing with his 
father and engaging in farming till 1859. In April of that year, he started for the silver re- 
gion of Pike's Peak. Having got as far west as Springfield, Greene county, this State, he 
concluded to forego his trip to the mountains, and he remained one year in Springfield. In 
1860, the father, Joseph McCluer, sold out in Tennessee and came to Greene county, where 
the son had arrived the year before. They bought a large farm on Sac river, fifteen miles 
north of Springfield, lying partly in Greene and partly in Polk county. It contained seven 
hundred and fifty acres, and they at once began extensive farming operations. On the 25th 
of September, 1861, Mr. McCluer married Elizabeth Beckley, of Polk county. He con- 
tinued to live with his father during the civil war, which came on about the time he was 
married. After the war he purchased a hundred and fifty acre farm near his father's, but 
on the Polk county side. Here he cleared one hundred acres of heavy timbered land, built 
a good house, barn and out houses, and made other necessary improvements. In this place 
he made his home; but concluding that he would have better health on the prairie, he 
moved to a farm that he purchased, one and a half miles south of Springfield, on Kickapoo 
prairie. This removal was in September, 1873, and he has ever since resided there. His 
occupation has been that of a farmer and minister of the gospel, he having been licensed to 
exhort by the M. E. Church South, at Hickory Grove, November 24th, 1867. In March, 
1868, he was licensed to preached, and has done a great deal for the up-building of the 
church since then. Chiefl}' through his instrumentalitj^ assisted by a few others, a church, 
costing $18,000, was erected at Hickory Grove, he going around and collecting the neigh- 
bors, who convened at his house, where most of the money was subscribed in one da3\ Mr. 
McCluer organized the first Y. M. C. A. at Hickory Grove ever organized in this part of the 
country, of which he was elected president. At Nevada, in October, 1872, he joined the 
West St. Louis Conference, and was sent to Hermitage circuit, in Hickory county, which 
he traveled until located at his own request, in 1873, because of ill health. Soon after this 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 889 

he began operations at intervals as an evangelical worker, and held a number of revivals, 
which resulted in large accessions of membership. In the years 1875-6 he traveled Hen- 
derson circuit as " supply." Though the circuit was in a demoralized condition when he be- 
gan labor there, with only one organized church and two or three partly organized, and a 
membership of scarcely fifty, he left it with nine church organizations, and a membership of 
two hundred and fifty, and two established "campgrounds," with sheds, etc., for the con- 
venience of the worshiping campers. In 1876 he joined the Southwest Missouri Confer- 
ence, and was sent back to Henderson circuit, where the Lord had so abundantly blessed his 
previous eflForts. In the fall of 1877 he was sent to Ozark mission, which he traveled one 
year. He was again located in 1878, since when he has labored only on the evangelical plan. 
Mr. McCluer has a family, two sons and four daughter living, and one daughter dead. The 
surviving children are : Ola J., Samuel J„ Rebecca E., Flora P., Lafayette H. and Stella G. 
Mr. McClure has labored more for the good of others and less for his own financial aggran- 
dizement than most men are inclined to do. Still, he has seen good and abundant fruits from 
his labors, and will have his reward here and hereafter. " The laborer is worthy of his hire," 
and the faithful need not fear but that the promise will be kept. 

CAPT. PETER McKENlSA. 

Capt. McKenna was born in county Monaghan, Ireland, March 5, 1836, and is the son of 
Owen and Mary (Kelly) McKenna. He emigrated to New Brunswick and soon after to the 
United States. In July, 1856, he settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and shortly after he 
volunteered to go with the troops in pursuit of the Indians who were connected with the Spirit 
Lake massacre. Subsequently he was in the employ of the government with companies E 
and F of the 2d regulars, from Fort Ridgely to Fort Kearnej'. In the spring of 1860 he 
went to Pike's Peak, Colorado. In the fall of the same year he went to Leavenworth, Kan- 
sas, where he remained until February, 1861, and then went to St. Louis, from there to 
New Orleans, thence to Havanna, and thence to New York. He then joined the 12th regu- 
lars and started for the seat of war. He was in the following engagements, part of the time 
in command of two companies, Siege of Yorktown, Gaines' Mill, Savage Station, White Oak 
Swamp, Malvern Hill, 2d Bull Run, Groveton, Antietam, Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, 
Gettysburg, Mine Run, "Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, Bethesda church. North 
Anna, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Petersburg, besides many skirmishes. He was pro- 
moted to a captaincy, and during the war received five wounds. He received especial men- 
tion in the official reports for his coolness, bravery and good judgment. He was discharged 
August 8, 1864. In 1868 he enlisted in the 12th infantry, for three years, and during the 
time was in Georgia and Arizona. He was, after his discharge, connected with Q. M. de- 
partment in Texas, and was Q. M. agent for Gen. S. B. Holabird. In July, 1874, he was 
appointed superintendent of the cemetery at San Antonio, Texas. In 1875 he was appointed 
superintendent of the National Cemetery at Springfield, Missouri, which position he now 
holds. Captain McKenna was married November 29, 1877, to Margaret Mclnness, who was 
born in New Brunswick, March 24, 1851. They have two sons and an infant daughter living, 
John Owen, Edward A., and Mary. The captain is a member of the A. O. U. W. and him- 
self and wife are members of the Catholic church. 

JUDGE JOSEPH T. MORTON. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Mary Morton, and was born in Rutherford county, 
Tennessee, Maj" 9th, 1808. He was reared in Rutherford and Williamson counties, where 
he received such education as the country afforded in those early times. He was married 
June 21st, 1832, to Lucinda Hancock, of Maury county. Their union was blest with one 
son, John A. Morton, who married Margaret V. Logan, and died June 11th, 1865, leaving 
three children, Soon after his marriage Judge Morton began farming in Marshall (then 
Bedford) county, Tennessee, and was also the proprietor of a mill. In 1836 he came to 



S90 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

Greene county, Missouri, and settled upon the place where he still resides. Before the war 
he was extensively engaged in stock trading. During the war his sympathies were with the 
South, though not favoring a disruption of the Union. For many years he was director of 
the branch at Springfield of the old Missouri State Bank, and for four years was its president. 
In the fall of 1874 he was elected upon the Democratic ticket one of the associate justices 
of the county court. In 1878 he sent in his resignation to Governor Phelps, but it was not 
accepted. A few months after he again tendered his resignation and it was accepted, The 
presiding justice and Judge Morton favored a compromise of the railroad bond indebted- 
ness by which it could have been effected for much less than the face value of the original 
bonds, by new bonds bearing six per cent instead of eight per cent, the original interest. 
A mass meeting was called b}' citizens opposed to the measure, and, as strong opposing 
action was taken by the meeting. Judge Morton, believing his plan was best, resigned his 
position. 

J. S. OWEN. 

Mr. Owen is the son of C. B. and Sarah E. Owen, and was born in this county September 
11th, 1857. He received his education at Drury College, and since leaving school has been 
engaged in farming. He 'was married April 20th, 1881, to Miss Sarah M., daughter of 
Keuben A. M. Kose. Their union has been blest with one son, Charles B. Mr. Owen and 
his brother, Stephen, own two hundred and eighty-six acres of fine land. It is the old Owen 
homestead, and one of the best in the county. 

ELKANAH QUISENBERRY (deceased). 

This gentleman was born in Clarke County, Kentucky, July 15th, 1830. His father was 
Colby B, Quisenberry, one of the early settlers of Clarke county. Elkanah spent the 
greater part of his life in Kentucky. He was educated in the colleges at Winchester and 
Lexington, and followed farming as an avocation the most of his life. He spent some five 
years in Texas and New Mexico ranching, and returned to Kentucky in 1860. When the 
war broke out he joined Morgan's Confederate cavalry, and was taken prisoner in Ohio, on 
the famous Morgan raid, and held twenty-five months. When released he returned home 
and remained in Kentucky until 1875, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and 
bought a farm. Mr. Quisenberry was married Nov. 5th, 1867, to Ellen, a daughter of 
John and Mahala (Adams) Thornton of Henry countj^, Kentucky. Their union was blest 
with six children, viz. : Florence B., Arthur T., Charles D., Mattie L., Gracie E. and 
Gertie E., twins. Mr. Quisenberry died Nov. 13th, 1880, and his widow lives upon the 
home place two and one-half miles west of Springfield. 

JAMES H. RE A. 

Mr. Rea was born in Franklin county, Illinois, June 29th, 1845. His father, Thomas Rea, 
was a native of Bedford county, Tennessee, born June 11th, 1811, and died in Franklin 
county, Illinois, in April, 1861. His mother was Miss Thenia Brashers, born in Tennessee, 
July 14th, 1811, and is still living in Franklin county, Illinois. James was educated in the 
common schools of that county, and began farming at an early age. In Feb., 1862, he en- 
listed in company K, 30th, Illinois infantry, and afterwards in company A, 136th 111. infan- 
try, and served until mustered out in Oct., 1864. He was at Chickamauga, Moscow, the 
seige of Vicksburg and Lookout Mountain, besides many minor engagements. He was 
wounded at Chickamauga. At the close of the war he returned to Illinois, where he lived 
until the fall of 1877, when he moved to this county. Mr. Rea was married Jan. 7th, 1865, 
to Miss Nancy Eubanks, of Franklin county. 111., born Jan. 14th, 1843. Their union has 
been blest with eight children, viz. : Emma D., born Nov. 16th, 1865 ; Harvey, born Oct. 
11th, 1867; Rosanna, born April 6th, 1870; Benjamin F., born Aug. 7th, 1872; Thomas 
E., born Sept. 19th, 1874; Harry, born Aug. 10th, 1876; Maurice V., b<^rn Feb. 29th, 1880, 
and Abram, born May 24th, 1882. Mrs. Rea was the daughter of John D. Eubanks, M. D., 



I 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 891 

born in July, 1800. He was a chaplain and surgeon in the Mexican war, and died at Tam- 
pico, Mexico, in December, 1847. Her mother was Annie Smothers, born in Tennessee, 
Jul}- 16th, 1801, and died in Franklin county. 111., Aug. 15th, 1875. Mr. Rea lives five miles 
east of Springfield, on the Martin Ingram place, where he carries on farming and deals 
largely in live stock. 

ZENAS MARION ROUNTREE. 

'Squire Rountree is the son of Joseph and Nancy (Nichols) Rountree, and was born June ' 
8, 1812, in Orange county. North Carolina. He remained with his parents until April, 
1832, when he came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled 9n a farm three miles south- 
west of Springfield, on Wilson's creek, and there followed shoe-making, which trade he had 
learned in North Carolina. He moved into Springfield in 18-34, and started the first shoe 
shop in the town. He followed his trade until 1835, and then entered the store of Fulbright 
& Carter, as clerk, and next sold goods for D. D. Berrj'. On the 24th of August, 1837, he 
married Elizabeth Massej', who was but fifteen years of age at the time. After his marriage 
he entered lands in different parts of the country, and made his home and reared his family 
upon Grand prairie. They were blest with eleven children, five boys and six girls, two of 
the girls are dead. In 1861 Mr. Rountree, commonly and familiarly called " Uncle Buck," 
moved to St. Louis, and was there appointed by Sample Orr, as first clerk of the register of 
land's oifice, at Jefi"erson Citj\ He retained that position until 1862, when he returned to 
Greene county. Mr. Rountree was elected justice of the peace in 1857, and served until 
1861. He was again elected in 1878. In 1880, he was elected city recorder, and served for 
one 3^ear. He is at pretent a justice of the peace in this township. His father died in 1874, 
and in 1876 " Uncle Buck " moved upon the old homstead where he now lives. No man in 
the county is more respected than he, and he has promise of many years yet to live. 

JOSEPH ROUNTREE. 

Joseph Rountree was the son of Thomas and Eva (Sturgess) Rountree, and was born in 
Orange county, North Carolina, in April 1782. He was the youngest of a large family, and 
received a good education for that early day, being very proficient in mathematics, and a 
good scribe. He taught school for many years in North Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri. 
He moved to Maury county, Tenn., in 1819, where he lived for about ten years, and then 
with several friends came to Missouri, and traveled about for nearly a year, looking for 
suitable lands upon which to locate. They finally selected Greene county as their future 
homes, and in 1830 Mr. Rountree brought his family and located three miles south of Spring- 
field, upon the afterward famous Wilson's creek. He owned several hundred acres of 
choice lands in different parts of the county. He and another gentleman went to Boonville, 
Cooper connty, and got a lot of fruit trees and set them out, and grew the first orchards in 
the Southwest. He next built a large store-house and stocked it with general merchan- 
dise in 1833, and sold goods for three years. He then sold the building to some parties at 
Springfield who moved it to where the court-house now stands. It was used for many years 
as a land office. Mr. Rountree taught school in the old log school house, three miles south- 
west of Springfield for two sessions, and it was probably the first school house built in this 
part of the State. Mr. Rountree was married in Caswell county. North Carolina, in 1806, 
to Miss Nancy Nichols, by whom he had ten children, six boys and four girls, two of whom 
died in infancy. Those who lived to be grown or nearlj' so, were Junius M., living in 
Greene county, aged seventy-three ; Zenas M., Lucius A., Louisa A., wife of Dr. Slavens, of 
Dallas county. Mo. ; Caroline, who died when quite young; Judge M. J., Almus L., of Cal- 
ifornia, who has been sheriflT of Santa Cruz county for many j'ears ; Allen J., who died in 
his twenty-second year, and Almarinda C, the late wife of Wm. Massey, of Springfield. 
Mr. Rountree died upon the 26th of December, 1874, at his home on Wilson's creek, near 
Springfield. 



892 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

DEWITT SHOCKLEY. 

This gentleman is the son of Benjamin and Lilly (Beal) Shockley, and was born in Giles 
county, Tennessee, August 9th, 1839. His parents came to Greene county, Missouri, in 1841, 
where Dewitt grew to manhood and was educated. When he was quite young he be- 
gan farming, settling upon a farm near the old Shockley homestead. In August, 1862, 
he enlisted in company D, 8th Missouri cavalry, under Col. Geiger.. He was at the battles 
Prairie Grove and Little Hock, and participated in many shirmishes. He was mustered out 
of service in November, 1865, and in the same year was married to Miss Clarissa Brown. 
She was born in Tennessee, May 7th, 1848. She was reared in Searcy county, Arkansas, and 
lived there until 1862, and then came to this county. They are blessed with a family of five 
children, three girls and two boys. Mr. Shockley owns a farm of two hundred and ten acres 
of good land, and is one of the substantial citizens of the county. He and his wife are mem- 
bers of the Christian church. 

W.M. SCHULTZ 

Was born in Claiborne county, Tennessee, December 7, 1845. His ^father — Jacob 
Schultz — came to this county in 1858, and settled on a large farm two miles southwest of 
Springfield, where he resided till his death, in 1865. Here the subject of this sketch still 
lives, having made farming his vocation in life. In February, 1863, he enlisted in the cause 
of the Sunny South, joining Capt. Brown's company, of Green's regiment andMarmaduke's 
division. Subsequent to this, he was on Gen. Polignac's escort, and still later was trans- 
ferred to Waller's Texas regiment. He was through the Banks campaign in Louisiana, and 
surrendered at Marshall, Texas. Returning to his Greene county farm, he has since paid his 
attention to farming and stock raising, and owns a place of two hundred acres of fine land. 
Mr. Schultz was married June 4, 1881, to Miss L. E. Payne, a native of this county, and a 
daughter of Jacob Payne, one of the early settlers of Greene. One child has been born of 
this union, a son, named Jacob P. Schultz. Mr. Shultz is one of the steady, substantial 
men of the county, and does well his part in life as a tiller of the soil. 

JOHN THIES. 

This gentleman is the son of B. and Susan Thies, and was born September 23, 1832. in 
Rhine Province, Prussia. His father was born in 1797, and his mother in 1800, and are now 
dead. John was educated in the common schools of Germany, and for a short time attended 
English schools. In 1854 he landed in New York city and lived there until 1858. He then 
traveled considerably, and late in the fall of that year went to New Orleans. During the 
war he was forced to join the rebel militia there, but in 1863 he went back to New York and 
stayed until 1866. He came to Greene county, Missouri, in April, 1871, and now owns a 
good farm, well improved. In his younger days he worked at the tailor's trade for a period 
of twenty-five years. Mr. Thies was married March 30, 1859, to Annie M. Neubig, who 
was born in Bavaria, Germany, July 23, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Thies are both members of 
the Catholic church, and he is one of the best citizens of the county. 

GEORGE W. TRIBBLE. 

Mr. Tribble.is the son of Geo. W. and Patsey (Embry) Tribble, and was born in Chris- 
tian county, Kentucky July 11, 1842. His father was also a native of Kentuckj-, born Jan- 
uary 1, 1804, and is still living in Lincoln county, that State. His mother died in Madison 
county, Ky. When George was about nine years of age his parents removed to Lincoln 
county, Ky., where he was educated in the best schools of that section. He began farming 
when quite young, and has ever since followed that occupation. In 1862 he enlisted in the 
Confederate army, under Gen. Forrest, in company A, 2d Kentucky cavalry. After the war 
hs returned to Christian county, and farmed there until his removal to Lincoln county, iu 
1876. He lived there until October 15, 1879, when he came to Greene oounty, Missouri, and 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 893 

settled where he now resides, near Springfield. He owns a farm of eighty acres of land, well 
improved. Mr. Tribble was married February 20, 1861, to Mary E. Beazley. She died 
February 27, 1862, and Mi-. Tribble was married the second time to Elizabeth J. Herndon, 
upon the 26th of February, 1863. Their union has been blest with three children, viz. : 
William A., born February 1, 1862 ; George H., born February 4, 1864 ; Mary E., born April 
10, 1867. Mr. Tribble is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and thej' are all members of 
the Christian church. 

SETH TUTTLE. 

Mr. Tuttle is the son of Horatio and Caroline (Horton) Tuttle, and was born in Seneca 
county, Ohio, February 4, 1836. Seth was educated in his native county and when young 
learned the wagon-maker's trade. In 1851, he went to Barry county, Michigan, and there 
engaged in contracting, stone, brick, and carpenter work. He had a sub-contract upon the 
State university building, at Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1877 he located at Springfield, 
Missouri, and became the leading contractor and builder in Greene county. Among some 
of the leading houses he has had contracts upon are Rainey's building. Metropolitan Hotel, 
machine shop, and many of the best buildings in both old and new town. Mr. Tuttle moved 
out upon his farm in 1877, two miles from the city, which contains about five hundred and fifty 
acres, all in cultivation and well improved. He was appointed county superintendent of the 
poor farm in April, 1879, which position he has filled to the satisfaction of the people. He 
retired in April, 1883 to his farm. He was married October, 1856, to Nancy M, Frank, a 
native of Kentucky, born in 1834. Their union has been blest with four children, viz. : Alice, 
Ellen, Minnie and Charles. Mr. Tuttle is a member of the A. O. U. W., and he and his 
wife are members of the Christian church. 

WILLIAM H. VAUGHAN. 

Mr. Vaughan is the son of Davis and Susan (Wells) Vaughan, and was born in Perry 
county, Indiana, January 24, 1830. When quite a boy he went to Hancock county, Ken- 
tucky, where he was educated in the common schools of the county. In 1848 he returned 
to Perry county, Indiana, and there learned the carpenter's trade, and made that his occu- 
pation until about 1874. Mr. Vaughan spent several years upon the coast of the Gulf of 
Mexico, and built many houses in that section of the country. He went to Henry county, 
Missouri, in 1869, where he lived until 1874, and then came to this county, where he has since 
been engaged in farming and fruit growing. He has twenty acres in fruit cultivation two and 
one-half miles southeast of Springfield. During the year 1882 he sold nearly one thousand 
dollars worth of fruit. Mr. Vaughan was married September 9, 1856, to Miss Mary E., 
daughter of Henry J. and Nancy J. Edwards, of Kentucky. She was born in Shelby 
cour.ty, Kentucky, February 15, 1836. Their union has been blest with five children, two 
sons ar.d three daughters. Mr. Vaughan's grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary 
war and served throughout with distinction. During the war Mr. Vaughan was in the 
militia, and in politics is Republican. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and is president 
of the school board in his district. 

EDWARD L. WEAVER. 

Mr. Weaver was born in Greene county, Missouri, February 21st, 1837. His father was 
Joseph Weaver, and his mother's maiden name was May. They were natives of Georgia, 
and came to Greene county, Mo., in March, 1830. Edward was educated in the common 
schools of this county, and when old enough engaged in mercantile business. He was for 
some time with Shepard & Kimbrough, and then Weaver & Wood, and afterwards as Weaver, 
Wood & Co. He has been identified with the business interests of Springfield for a period of 
about twenty-five years. In February, 1880, he retired from mercantile business and removed 
to his place just upon the outskirts of the city, where he has one hundred and six acres. At 



894 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

present he is engaged in buying and selling stock. Mr. Weaver was married February 21st, 
1861, to Miss Eliza E. Smith, who was born in Springfield, Mo., July 30th, 1840. She was 
the daughter of General N. R. and Harriet (Goodwyn) Smith, They were natives of Vir- 
ginia. Gen. Smith died in April, 1858. He was one of the most prominent property 
owners in the city. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have been blest with three children, two of whom 
are now living, viz. : Eddie S., born June 13th, 1867, and Clara V., born May 5th, 1871. 
Mr. Weaver is a member of the Christian church, and one of the best citizens of the county. 

WILLIAM WHITE (beceased). 

Mr. White was born in Giles county, Tennessee, October 18th, 1816. He grew to man- 
hood in his native State, and followed farming as an avocation all his life. He moved to 
Greene county, Missouri, in 1853. Mr. White was married January 23d, 1839, to Margaret 
Fry, also a native of Giles county, Tennessee. Mr. White was for many years a member of 
the Christian church, and one of the first to organize a class in his neighborhood. He died 
January 23d, 1858, leaving five children, viz. : J. Frank, Margaret J., now the wife of J. E, 
Phelps; Mary C, now tho wife of F. W. Norman ; J. T. and Sallie M,, now Mrs. E. M. 
Campbell. * 

KEV. JOHN H. WILSON. 

This gentleman was born in Boston, Mass., February 27, 1810. His parents were natives 
of that city, and died when he was a child. He was educated at Andover, Mass., and at 
Williams college in 1836. After graduating he commenced teaching, which occupation he 
followed in New York until 1842. He was then ordained for the ministry in the Onondaga, 
N. Y., Presbytery. He removed from New York to Cincinnati in 1842, and became pro- 
fessor of languages in Farmer's college, for a period of fifteen years. Then he was president 
of Central college, Ohio, and then, about the year 1860, he was sent as a missionary to Keno 
county, Kansas, where he lived two years, and then went to Park college, where he was a 
professor over two years. He then came to Oakland farm, Campbell township, Greene 
county. Mo., where he still resides. Mr. Wilson was married April 5, 1841, to Clarissa, 
oldest daughter of Jonathan Dickinson, of Deerfield, Mass. She was born September 4, 
1815. Their union has been blest with five sons and four daughters, four of the sons being 
dead. Mr. Wilson is a member of the Ozark Presbytery, and occasionally preaches, 
though over seventy-three years of age. 

MAJOR JOSIAH ZINK. 

This gentleman was born in Clarion county, Pensylvania, April 1, 1822, and where he 
spent his early life. At the age of nineteen he learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and 
worked three years for $37.50 per year, and clothed himself. At the end of that time he had 
saved enough money to buy a suit of " store clothes." He then went into partnership with 
a man in the cabinet business, and in about a year they were burned out entirely and Mr. 
Zink was left without a dollar. He then, by the help of a friend, started in trade, and in 
two years was able to work five journeymen. His health failing in a few years, he engaged 
in the hotel business until the war broke out. He took an active part in recruiting company 
E, 62nd Pennsylvania volunteers, and company F, 103d regiment, and went into the last 
named as a private, and was promoted to the captaincy of company F. In 1863 he was dis- 
charged for disability. He served in the McClellan campaign, and during the time he was 
in fourteen engagements. In the old State militia he held th'e rank of major. He came to 
Greene county, Missouri, in 1866, and owns a good farm and devotes his time to farming 
and stock raising. He was married January 14, 1847, to Miss Martha Simcox, of Venango, 
county, Pennsylvania. She died March 29, 1880, and left six children, viz. : Maggie C.,. now 
Mrs. Newell; Jefferson C, Laura E., now Mrs. Cowan; William S. T., Edward K., and 
Marshall S. The major is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and a gentleman in every 
sense. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 895 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 

Position and Description — Caves and Springs — Early History — Items — The "Firsts " — 
Incidents — In "War Times — Hickory Barrens — Hunt's Mill — Bellview Church — Mt. 
Comfort Church — Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Franklin 
Township. 

POSITION AND DESCRIPTION. 

Franklin township comprises all of congressional township 30, and 
the south twenty-four sections of 31, in range 21. In character the 
topography of the country is varied, although inclined to be rough 
and broken. Like many other portions of Southwest Missouri, a 
great deal of the soil is poor and unproductive, with occasional fine 
farms and many fertile spots. Only a comparatively small portion of 
the township is prairie. 

CAVES AND SPRINGS. 

On section 17, tp. 30, on the farm of A. S. Sweet, in this township, 
is a small cave, in which is a fine spring. The cave can be entered 
some thirty yards. The spring is never-failing. On the same section, 
on the farm of Thos. Wright, are a similar cave and sjjring, except 
that the cave is larger and more roomy, and the spring finer. Both 
the cave and spring are among the most noted in Greene county. The 
township abounds in springs, and these and the branches of the Sac 
supply it with plenty of water. 

On sectio'n 22, tp. 30, there are two fine springs sending out a large 
volume of water, with a fiill of forty feet in less than 200 yards, and 
affording plenty of water and power to turn a mill of two run of 
buhrs. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

Franklin township had as one of its first settlers, James K. Alsup, 
Avho came from Tennessee in 1831 and settled on the Little Sac, in 
section 17, tp. 30. An old gentleman named Daniel Johnson came 
the same year, and settled in section 7. Samuel Scroggins came also 
in 1831, and made an improvement on the Little Sac, on section 22, 
tp. 30. In the fall of 1832, John Headlee arrived from Maury county, 
Tennessee, and put up his first cabin on section 10, near the line be- 
tween that and section 9. At the same time with Headlee came Ben- 
jamin Johnson and James Dryden, and settled on section 9. The 



896 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

widow Simms, the mother-in-law of Mr. Headlee, also came at the 
same time with him, and made her home in the township. Larkin 
DeWitt came the same year (1832) and settled on the Sac. Kobert 
Ross, who came in 1832, lived farther east. Thos. J. Whitlock came 
to Greene county in 1832, locating first on the Kickapoo prairie, but 
soon after removing to tliis township, on the south side of the Sac, on 
section 21. Thomas James was an early settler of the township. He 
was born in North Carolina, afterward removed to Tennessee, and 
came to Greene county in 1835. Caleb Headlee, the father of Hon. 
Samuel W. Headlee, emigrated from Maury county, Tennessee, in 
1836, and settled in the township. In the fall of 1834, David H. Be- 
dell came from North Carolina and made a settlement in section 5, 
where he died in April, 1860. Nearly all the early settlers of the 
township were from Tennessee, but a great part had originally come 
from North Carolina before reaching Tennessee. The Headlee and 
Bedell families trace their ancestry back to New Jersey. 

In the southern part of the township David Roper and family came 
from East Tennessee, and settled just over the township line on the 
south. David Appleby and James Appleby, with their families, came 
to section 33, from Bedford county, Tennessee, in 1833. About 1835 
C. C. Williamson came from Kentucky and settled on section 29. 
About the same time came Erastus McMurray and his mother and 
brother. 

Farther to the north, on section 7, came Daniel Johnson, from Uli- 
nois, as early as 1831. He made the first improvement on the prairie 
in that quarter. 

Drury Upshaw was another pioneer in the extreme northern part of 
the township, and the prairie now called " Upsher" prairie was orig- 
inally named for him. Francis and Zachariah Simms and Henry Mor- 
rison, in other portions of the township, were early settlers. 

ITEMS OF EARLY HISTORY. 

The first marriasre in the neighborhood of the settlements in Frank- 
lin township was that of Lawson Fulbright and Elizabeth Roper, at 
the house of the bride's father, David Roper, in 1831. The ceremony 
was performed by Rev. J. H. Slavens, the pioneer methodist minister. 
At that time, however, old David Roper lived in what is now Campbell 
township. This is claimed by some to have been the first marriage of 
white persons in Greene county — at least within the present limits. 

Probably the first marriage in this township proper was that of Har- 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 897 

risoii 9oplin and Miss Sims, a daughter of the widow Sims (or Simms). 
This marriage occurred in 1833, at the house of Mrs. Sims, on section 
4. Rev. Slavens officiated. 

The first death in the township was that of James Drjden, in Au- 
gust, 1834. The body was buried in the Mt. Comfort graveyard. 

Dr. C. D. Terrill, of Springfield, was the first physician who prac- 
ticed his profession in the township, and Rev. J. H. Slavens held the 
first religious services. 

On section 10, township 30, Robert Foster taught a subscription 
school at a very early day. He received 50 cents per month for each 
pupil. The school house was built in 1837 by the contributed labo^ 
and material of the settlers. In 1835 a small log school house was 
built just across the township line, in Campbell township, and here 
David Appleby taught the first school, many of his pupils being from 
the settlements in this township). The house had no floor, and no pat- 
ent seats or desks, or globes, or black-boards, or any of the modern 
appliances, but Mr. Appleby taught a good school, and received $1 
per mouth for each scholar as his compensation. Robert Foster re- 
ceived only 50 cents per scholar for his work. 

INCIDENTS. 

The first settlers of Franklin township, like those of other parts of 
Greene county, had to goto St. Louis and Boonville for their supplies. 
Sometimes the journey was made with ox teams and the trip occupied 
a month. The first mill visited was at the mouth of the James, or 
near where Ozark now is, in Christian county. Marshall's old mill, 
on Finley, was also visited, while very often the old mortar and pestle 
were resorted to for corn meal. 

The first grist mill built in the township was a steam mill, put up in 
1858 on section 16, township 30. On the same section, on Sac river, 
Dysart & Headlee built and operated a saw mill, in 1848. The mill 
stood near the southwest corner of the section. 

The first burying ground was at Mt. Comfort, on section 16, town- 
ship 30. The first settlers in this part of Missouri often brought the 
dead bodies of their friends from twenty miles away for interment in 
this cemetery, and here many of the "rude forefathers" of the 
country sleep. 

As long ago as 1834, when old Thomas Whitlock was out hunting 
on one occasion he found a large pile of stones. Making an investiga- 
tion the bones of a dead Indian were found. It may be presumed that 
57 



898 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

the dead warrior belonged to the Osage tribe, and hud died while on a 
hunting expedition to this country, since the Osages frequently visited 
this section on such expeditions, and a favorite method with them of 
burying the dead was to cover the body with a heap of stones. Sep- 
ulchral mounds of this character have been found in Taylor township. 

Wild animals were plenty in these parts when the settlers first came. 
In the fall of 1834 one Isaac Smith was out hunting, and found the 
carcass of a deer all covered up with leaves. He came home and se- 
cured some of his neighbors and their dogs, and, returning, found a 
huge, fierce panther up a tree. The beast was shot five times before 
it was killed. 

Wolves were plentiful, and wolf-hunts were common and often ex- 
citing. There were hundreds of herds of deer and thousands of tur- 
keys, and venison and turkey were common articles on every pioneer's 
bill of fare. 

IN WAR TIMES. 

During the civil war the majority of the people of Franklin town- 
ship were Unionists, and many of the men enlisted in the Federal 
service at the start and served through the war. The first Union flag 
in the township was made by Mrs. T. J. Whitlock, for Capt. Gattly's 
company of Home Guards. The banner was afterward carried through 
the war by Capt. Reed's company. Twenty-fourth Missouri. 

Some time in 1862, the house of Burreli Sims was robbed and his 
family abused by a Confederate raiding party. Some money was 
taken. The same party committed other depredations in this town- 
ship. 

Mr. Mansel Putman, accused of being a Confederate sympathizer, 
but never in the military service, had a thrilling experience. He was 
arrested by a party of Federal troops, and was being taken to Spring- 
field. Fearing that his cajDtors intended murdering him, Mr. Putman, 
when a few miles from home, just over in Campbell township, started 
to run. His guards fired on him, and one large minnie ball passed 
through his body, entering near his right shoulder and coming out at 
his left side, making a fearful wound. Badly hurt as he was, Mr. Put- 
man contrived to make his escape. He ran and hid in the brush for 
a time, and then crawled to a cave, where his family found him and 
fed, nourished, and cared for him until his restoration to complete 
health. 

Hickory Barrens is a post-office in Franklin township, located on 
section 10, township 30. There is here a store, a blacksmith shop, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 899 

and a school house. The store was built in the winter of 1881, by C. 
& W. Appleby. The post-office was established before 1861, but was 
discontinued during the war, and re-established afterward. 

Hunt's Mill is located on section 22, township 30. There is here a 
general store, recently established. Jonathan Hunt is the proprietor 
of the mill, which is turned by the water from the springs before 
mentioned. 

BELLEVIEW (PRESBYTERIAN) CHURCH 

Is located on section 28, township 30, range 21. It was organized 
about 1849. The names of original members were David Appleby, 
and wife, Nancy Bell, B. Thomas and wife, James McCurdy and wife, 
J. N Appleby and wife, W. B. Logan and wife, Henry Sheppard and 
wife. The church building was erected in 1876. It is a frame 
building, the cost being $860. It was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Dunlap 
in November, 1876. The names of the pastors that served are the 
following: Daniel Emmerson, G. A. M. Renshaw, A. G. Taylor, U. 
S. Messmer, J. M. Brown, John H. Wilson, E. M. Hulbert, G. F. 
Davis, C. C. Hembry (the present pastor). The present membership 
30. The first services were held at the residence of David Appleby, 
and for a number of years at the Hall school house, located on Wil- 
liam A. Appleby's farm on section 27, township 30, range 21. In 
the winter of 1865 a revival was held by Brother Halbertand some 13 
members additional was the result. 

MT. COMFORT (CUMBERLAND PRESBY. ) CHURCH 

Was organized in 1834 near where the Presbyterian church now 
stands under a brush arbor. It is situated on section 16, township 
30, range 21. The names of the original members are as follows: 
William Allen and wife, L. Deroitt and wife, Mrs. Montgomery and 
daughter, Robert Rose and wife, T. J. Whitlock and wife, William 
Dysart and wife, Hosey Williams and wife, C. C. Williams, Sterling 
Allen, Robert and Mary A. Dysart, David Headlee, wife and son S. 
G. The first church building was a log house erected in 1837. The 
present one is a frame structure costing $800, built in 1859. It was 
dedicated in the fall of 1860, soon after it was built, by Rev. Silas 
Hinman. The pastors that have served the church were William 
Piland, Anderson Young, J. Blair, Thomas Johnson, G. Buckhanan, 
C. C. Williams, Waters, T. J. Garrett, D. W. Amos, T. H. Hender- 
son, C. W. McBride, B. P. Fullerton, J. Barr, S. W. Delzell, A. D. 
Delzell, William Albright (present pastor) ; number of present mem- 



900 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

bership is 70. This church was first called the Kisteopoo congrega- 
tion. The services were held in different houses before the church 
was completed, the first protractive meeting was held in August, 1844, 
at the house of T. J. Whitlock. The meetings were held at this 
house once every month till the church was completed. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 

JAMES ALEXANDER. 

Mr. Alexander is the son of Squire and Mary (Roney) Alexander and was born Novem- 
ber 24, 1809, in Blount county, Tennessee. His father was a native of North Carolina, but 
moved to Tennessee, and then in 1840 came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled in 
Franklin township. He died in 1863 and his wife in 1862. They are buried at Mt. 
Comfort. They had nine children, five sons and four daughters. "When James 
was quite young his parents moved to Stewart county, Tennessee, and in the 
spring of 1841 he came to this county, but returned to Tennessee in the following 
winter. In 1843 he came back to Greene county where he has lived ever since. He 
improved the farm now owned by Col. Thrasher, where he lived about thirty years 
and in 1874 he moved to his present home upon section 21, township 30, range 21. During 
the war Mr. Alexander was in the Home Guards. He had one son in the regular U. S, ser- 
vice and one in the militia. Mr. Alexander was married in in 1832 to Nancy Sugg, of 
Stewart county, Tennessee. They had three daughters by this marriage, two are living. 
His first wife died June 14, 1840, and in 1842 he was married to Miss Mary P. Ford, of 
Stewart county, Tennessee. Their union has been blest with four sons and four daughters, 
all living. His wife was stricken blind by a spell of fever in 1844, and since then she knits 
about one hundred pairs of socks a year. She is an exemplary member of the Baptist 
church, and bears her aflliction with Christian fortitude and patience. 

JAMES N. APPLEBY. 

This gentleman is the son of David and Catherine (Bell) Appleby, and was born Decem- 
ber 6th, 1819, in Bedford county, Tennessee. In October, 1832 his parents left Tennessee, 
and came to Wayne ^county, Missouri, where they lived about ten months. Then, in 1833, 
they moved to Greene county, and settled in the southern part of Franklin township. James 
moved to Platte county, Missouri, in 1841, and returned to his old home in Greene county in 
1843, and has always followed farming. He was elected, upon the Republican ticket in 1880, 
justice of the peace, and re-elected in 1882. 'Squire Appleby was married in March, 1841, 
to Susan Thornburg, of Platte county, Missouri. That marriage was blest with three sons 
and one daughter. His first wife died in 1852, and in 1853 he was married again, to Mary 
ISIcCurdy, of this county. By this union they have four sons and three daughters. During 
the war Mr. Appleby was in the enrolled militia, and was at Springfield when it was 
attacked by Gen. Marmaduke January 8th, 1863. He was a strong Union man in 1860, voting 
' for Bell and Everett, Bell being a cousin of his mother. His father was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, who removed to Georgia, then to Tennessee and then to Missouri, where he died 
in 18G7. His mother was a native of North Carolina, and died in 1866. They were mar- 
ried in Tennessee. They had a family of three sons and four daughters. 

ISAAC M. HALL. 

Mr. Hall is the son of Pleasant and C\-nthia A. (McAden) Hall, and was born April 15, 
1836, in Halifax, Virginia. His parents moved to North Carolinia, thence to Tennessee, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 901 

and next to Greene county, Missouri. In the fall of 1849 they settled the place where Isaac 
M. now lives and has remained ever since. Mr. Hall was a lieutenant in the Home Guards 
and after the battle of Springfield January 8, 1868, he was elected 2d lieutenant of a com- 
pany of enrolled militia. After the war he returned home and has since lived quietly upon 
his farm. He owns several tracts of good land in Franklin township. He was married in this 
county, December 8, 1864, to Miss Martha A., daughter of Thomas King. Their union has 
been blest with eight children, five sons and three daughters. One son died in infancy. Mr. 
Hall's father was a native of Virginia, and died August 18, 1854, aged seventy-two years. 
His mother was also a Virginian and died March 1, 1875. They are buried at Mt. Comfort 
church. They reared a family of thirteen children, four sons and nine dau'^hters. 

HON. SAMUEL W. HEADLEE. 

This distinguished citizen of Greene county is the son of Cabel and Mary (Steele) Head- 
lee, and was born in Maury county, Tennessee, March 6, 1823. His parents were from North 
Carolina, but emigrated to Tennessee where they lived until 1836, when they came to Mis- 
souri and settled in Greene county, where his father died in August, 1847. Samuel W. was 
educated in the common schools of that early day, and for some time taught school in the 
county. In 1850, having caught the "gold fever " he went to California, and in four years 
returned, having been successful in raining, and purchased the old homestead farm upon 
which he has since resided. He was elected to the lower house of the Legislature by the 
Benton Democracy, re-elected in 1862 and in 1864. In 1866 he was elected by the Republi- 
cans to the State Senate, and in 1872, he to heal the breaches in his party, became a candi- 
date for the lower house, and was elected by a handsome majority. He was again elected to 
the Legislature in 1876. In all that period of sixteen years' service he voted as his conscience 
and judgment dictated, and won for himself the applause and approval of all good men. 
During the war he took an active part in the support of the Union, and in 1862, to that end, 
was commissioned captain of militia. From 1863 to the close of the war, he was captain in 
the 16th Missouri cavalry, U. S. A. In 1874 he was complimented by a nomination by the 
people's committee as their candidate for lieutenant governor upon the ticket headed by Major 
Gentry. Since retiring from public life he has followed farming, and in the decline of a long, 
honorable and useful life enjoys the satisfaction of peace with himself and the full confidence 
of those who know him best. He was married May 2, 1855, to Emily L. Armor, and their 
union is blest .with eight children. 

JASON R. JAMES. 

Mr. James is the son of Thomas and Nancy (Gately) James, and was born Feb. 25, 1827, 
in Madison county, Tennessee. His father was born in South Carolina, Dec. 21, 1791. He 
was a son of David and Nancy (Atchison) James. His parents moved close to the Ten- 
nessee line, where he was educated. His marriage with Nancy Gately was blest with nine 
children, five sons and four daughters, Jason R. being the seventh child. Only three are now 
living, Jason, Winfrey, of Oregon, and Mrs. Minerva Putnam. Their father died Nov. 9, 
1837, and their mother died April 11, 1863, aged about seventy. Thomas James was justice 
of the peace in Tennessee years before he came to Missouri. Jason R. came with his 
parents to Greene county, Missouri, in December, 1835, and settled the farm where our sub- 
ject is now living. He was educated in the common schools of the neighborhood, and has 
always followed farming. During tbe war Mr. James was in Capt. Jenkins company of 
militia, and was at the battle of Springfield, Jan. 8, 1863. Since the war he has farmed 
upon the old homestead. 

CAPT. IRWIN W. JENKINS. 

This gentleman is the son of William and Susan (Gateley) Jenkins, and was born July 
17, 1831, in Caldwell county, Kentucky. His parents moved to Greene county in 1836, 
where he grew to manhood, and received his education in the country schools. He re- 
mained at home upon his father's farm until the war broke out, and in October, 1862, he 



002 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

enlisted in company G, 72d regiment infantry militia. He was elected first lieutenant at 
the organization, and in about a year was elected captain of company G. He was at the 
battle of Springfield, January 8, 18(53. He remained in the service until the close of the 
war, and since then has been actively engaged in farming. He has a farm of three hundred 
and fifty acres, two hundred of which is in cultivation. He has one of the finest barns in 
the county. His father was born in Virginia, but removed to South Carolina, then to Ten- 
nessee, and then to Missouri. He died January 15, 1863. His mother was born September 
11, 1791, and died April 14, 1881. They had eleven children, Irwin W. and his twin 
brother, James W., being the youngest. 

WILLIAM WESLEY MASON (deceased). 

Mr. Mason was born in Maury county, Tennessee, April 4, 1837. In 1847 he came to 
Greene county, Missouri, with his mother, Mrs. liuth Mason, and settled on Roger's prai- 
rie in the northern part of Jackson township. Here he lived until after the war and then 
moved to section 9, township 30, range 20, where he lived eleven years. He then moved to 
section 13, township 30, ranga 21, in Franklin township, where he died March 10, 1880. 
Mr. Mason was married in 1860, to Aliss Martha McGehee. She died April 10, 1882, leav- 
ing eight children, James A., born July 10, 1861, a well known teacher of this county, 
Harvey N., Wm. R., deceased, Josie L., Clementina, Mollie, George Lee, and Stella. Du- 
jng the war Mr. Mason was a Union man, and served in Capt. Herd's company of Federal 
militia. Both he and his wife were members of the M. E. church South. Mr. Mason was 
an extensive dealer in stock, and a man of sterling integrity. 

JAMES D. SFENCER. 

This gentleman is the son of Andrew J. and Christiana (James) Spencer, and was born 
Sept. 20, 1838, in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri. His father is a native of North Caro- 
lina, and is now living in Bai'ton county, Mo. His mother died Oct. 12, 1864. They had 
six children, three boys and three girls, James D. being the oldest. When he was quite 
young his parents moved to Platte county. Mo., and in June, 1852, came to Greene county, 
and settled en section 32, township 31, range 21, Franklin township. Mr. Spencer was edu- 
cated in the common schools of Platte and Greene counties. During the war he served for a 
time under captain Gately. He was elected justice of the peace for Franklin township upon 
the Republican ticket in 1874, and re-elected in 1878 and 1882. Squire Spencer was mar- 
ried Dec. 5, 1869, to Miss Mary E., daughter of Jeptha Wallace. She is a member of the 
Cumberland Presbyterian church. During the time the squire has been justice of the peace 
he has discharged the duties of his ofice impartiall}^ and no one stands higher in the regard 
of the good people of Greene. 

REV. CALVIN COLEMAN WRIGHT. 

Mr. Wright is a son of John and Peninah (Dale) Wright, and was born May 17, 1830 in 
Fentress county, Tennessee. He was educated in his native county, and in 1852 he emi- 
grated to Benton county, Arkansas, and in 1853 came to Newton county, Missouri, where he 
lived until 1855 and then went to McDonald county. In 1853 he was licensed to preach by 
the M. E. church South, and from 1855 to 1858 was a Ifical preacher in McDonald county. 
In 1858 he entered the itinerant service of the church and was preaching until 1862, when 
he joined the Confederate army, and served until the war closed as chaplin of Gen. John B. 
Clark's division. He lived in Louisiana until 18()7 when he returned to Missouri and entered 
the traveling ministry. In 1869 he was appointed to the Springfield circuit, and was upon 
that work until 1871. He was next appointed to Bolivar station until 1874. During this 
time he had his residence at Morrisville, and was largely instrumental in organizing and 
starting the college at that place. He then went to California where he preached four or 
five years. He then came back to Missouri and in 1880 took charge of the Marshfield station, 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 



903 



and in September, 1881, located by consent of the Pacific Conference. Mr. Wright was 
married in August, 1852, to Miss Nancy Adkinson. They had four children. He 
married the second time in March, 1881, to Mrs. Mary A. Montgomery, nee Headlee. Mr. 
Wrio-ht's father was a native of North Carolina, and died in Tennessee m 1845. His 
mother died in Tennessee inl867. They had fourteen children, seven boys and seven girls. 
Calvin C. was the seventh son. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 
JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



Description -The Pomme de Terre- Early Settlements -Primitive Preachers and Pio- 
neer Schools, Mills, etc. - Baptist Church - Fair Grove - Killing of Ben Ezell - Odd 
Fellows' Lodge -Stratford -The "Firsts "-The Baptist Church - Masomc Lodge - 
Brothers of Freedom - Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Jackson 
Township. 

DESCRIPtlON. 

Jackson township occupies the northeastern part of Greene county, 
and comprises the portion of congressional township 31, range 20, 
included in Greene county ; township 30, range 20, and one mile ot 
the upper tier of sections of township 29, range 20. 

A great deal of the land in this township is broken, rough and in- 
ferior', but the better portions redeem it and make of it one of the 
best townships of the county. 

The Pomme de Terre creek flows through the township. In July, 
1876, this stream was extraordinarily full on account of freshets from 
heavy rains, and did widespread damage to the farms along its banks, 
overflowing fields, and sweeping away fences and crops. The height 
to which it rose was between three and four feet higher than it was 
ever known to have reached before. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

According to the best information obtainable Jackson township was 
settled as early as 1829, when Andrew Bass came in sometime in 
December of that year and located half a mile west of the present 
site of Straftbrd. In the same vicinity, though a little east, in sec- 
tion 5 — 29 — 20, old Jeremiah Pierson was an early resident and one 
of the first settlers of the county. He lived at the Danforth farm on 
the Springfield and Marshfield road, a farm which Josiah F. Danforth 
purchased of Jeremiah Pierson in 1834, and where he lived for many 



904 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

years. Danforth was from Tennessee, and was the father of James, 
Joseph and William Danforth. 

In the year 1830, Andrew Bass pnt about nine acres of land under 
cultivation at the place where he first settled, and at the close of the 
year moved about six miles north to section 4, township 30, range 20. 
The remains of the old pioneer and his wife now repose on the itirm 
where he lived for many years. Alpheus Huff the same year (1830) 
moved from Franklin county, Missouri, and settled near the line be- 
tween sections 4 and 5 of the same township. Huff' was a native of 
the State of New York. He and Bass were the first settlers of Con- 
gressional township 30, range 20. Alexander Chad wick was the next 
arrival. He came from Tennessee, and settled in section 7, of the 
same township, in ■ 1831. No settlements of any importance were 
then made for two or three years. The settlement in this quarter was 
called the Huff''s prairie settlement. In township 31, range 20, 
among the first settlers were Thomas Potter, William Potter, John 
Adams, Robert Small, James Donnell, and Capt. John Ramey ; and 
in township 30, range 20, William Price, George Kepley, Nathan 
W^ebb, and Bennett Thrower. 

The first white child born in the township was probably James Bass, 
the son of Andrew Bass. The date of his birth has not been learned. 

The first church organized in Jackson township was the Bethsaida 
Methodist church, built of logs, which stood on section 7, of town- 
ship 30, range 20. Within a mile and a half was afterward built the 
Elm Spring Methodist church, erected after old Bethsaida had ceased 
to exist. One of the first preachers in the township was the Rev. 
Mr. Joplin, a traveling Methodist preacher, who preached from house 
to house throughout that part of the county. The first Methodist so- 
ciety was organized at the widow Price's, in section 4, of township 
30, range 20. Rev. Thomas Potter, a Christian elder, preached at 
Thos. Baylis' house at a very early day. Rev. Potter also taught a 
pioneer school at Green Warren's, and this was one of the first 
schools in the township. 

Of course, James H. Slavens was the first Methodist preacher in 
all Southwest Missouri, but it is believed that Rev. H. G. Joplin 
preached the first Methodist sermon in Jackson township. Rev. Jop- 
lin was originally from Tennessee, and was transferred from the Ten- 
nessee conference to the Missouri conference, held at McKendrie 
Chapel, Cape Girardeau county, September 16, 1831. 

The early settlers of Jackson township had Boonville and St. Louis 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 905 

for their most important markets and trading points. The first mill 
was old Jerry Pearson's, but many of the settlers considered Mar- 
shal's, down on the James, the best. John Roberts' still-house, east 
of Springfield was the first establishment of that kind in the country. 
Roberts was killed in Springfield by Judge Yancey and the distillery 
passed into the hand of Wm. McFarland. 

Jackson was one of the seven original townships organized at the 
first session of the Greene county court, March 11, 1833. Its first 
boundaries (see Chapter II.) were very ample and including a great 
deal of the territory new in Webster and Polk counties. 

Missionary (^Baptist) Church was organized Sept. 11, 1858. It was 
situated on section 26, township 30, range 20. The original members 
were Daniel Wommack, Mary Wommack, N. T. McNabb, R. B. Wom- 
mack, Lucinda Wommack, Rev. J. H. Wommack and wife. The 
church building was erected in September, 1858, at a cost of about 
$1,800. It was dedicated on its completion, by Rev. George White, 
of this county. The pastors of this church have been Rev. D. R. 
Murphy, who served two years; J. Williams, two years; J. Spain, 
one year ; J. Good, one year ; E. W. White, six years ; J. H. Wom- 
mack, twelve years, and Geo. White. Since its organization the 
church has received by baptism 124 members ; by letter, 97 ; dis- 
missed by letter, 58 ; excluded, 12 ; died 42. The present member- 
ship is 108. This church has sent out and maintained a missionary 
for two years. A first-class Sunday-school library is the property of 
the church. 

FAIR GROVE. 

Fair Grove is situated in the northeastern part of Greene county, 
on section 20, township 31, in a timbered region of country, abound- 
ing in good soil, and in which there are many excellent farms. It was 
never regularly laid out as a town. The first house erected was a log 
school house, known as Duke's school house, built in the year 1846. 
Thirty years ago the pioneers of that thriving community were prepar- 
ing to honor their intelligent love of freedom by dedicating the first 
building of the future village to the purpose of education. Its archi- 
tecture was of the rude description common in those days, and it was 
furnished with hewn slabs for benches, without any desks at all. Many 
of our leading men have tender memories of the old log school house, 
where their first lessons in Webster's spelling-book, and in phys- 
ical pain and anguish, were learned in close conjunction with each 
other. 



906 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The first teacher employed to teach the district school was a man 
by the name of Chatham Duke, who was a fair sample of that old- 
fashioned schoolmaster who regarded the rod as a most essential aux- 
iliary in imparting knowledge to the youthful mind. The district at 
that time covered an area of twenty-four square miles. 

In 1853, C. W. Hutf, H. G. Ramey, Payton Keel and Logan May- 
field built a storehouse on the present site, and the store of Huff & 
Ramey was started in the fall of that year. Mr. Ramey, the surviv- 
ing partner of the firm, sold the business to R. W. Donnell in 1855. 
Donnell was followed by Pipkin & Goss, and prior to the war the firm 
became Nichols & Goss, but on the breaking out of the war here the 
business was closed out. In February, 1865, business was again re- 
sumed by the firm of Snyder & Bass ; Snyder dying not long after- 
ward, his interest was purchased by George Murrell. In 1879 the 
firm became Murrell & Long. 

The following are the names of other business men who have done 
business in Fair Grove since 1853 : H. J. Ramey, R. L. Ramey & Co., 
Bissett & Dyer, Dyer & Bro., A. H. Leslie, and Cavin & Son, dealers 
in general merchandise. Wm. Crawford, Dr. Ellis, Dr. Brooks, and 
Miller & Kernaghan have been the druggists. The physicians have 
been Drs. C. D. and R. S. Wallace, who came from Tennessee in 1856. 
The former is now in Marshfield ; the latter " went South " during 
the war, and remained there. Dr. Caldwell came in 1860, and Dr. D. 

A. Webster came in 1856, and both are still here. Dr. Ellis and Dr. 
Brooks are the other physicians. 

The present school house in Fair Grove, a frame, 30 by 40 in size, 
was built in 1868, at a cost of $1,000. Pre-eminent among the teach- 
ers of this school in the past are mentioned Dr. Ellis and J. A. Long. 
Last year the number of scholars enrolled was ninety ; average attend- 
ance, forty. The present teacher is Prof. M. Highfield. 

The first preacher in Fair Grove was Rev. R. M. Baker, a Metho- 
dist, who, after remaining here a few years, went to Texas. Revs. J. 

B. Ellis, of the M. E. Church South, and Revs. Anderson Smith and 

Bills, Baptists, have also resided here. There is no resident 

minister here now, but services are held regularly. 

There are now in Fair Grove two good stores, one drug store, 
two blacksmith shops, a flourishing Masonic lodge, two churches 
(Baptist and Cumberland Presbyterian), and a number of neat 
dwellings. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 907 



A RECENT TRAGEDY. 



April 24, 1881, a tragedy occurred in Fair Grove which is still viv- 
idly remembered, and yet the subject of comment. The unfortunate 
affair resulted in the killing of B. F. Ezell by J. L. Smith. Both 
were prominent citizens and resident farmers of the vicinity, and, up 
to immediately previous to the tragedy, had always been friendly. On 
the morning of that day there was a quarrel between them over a triv- 
ial matter. Smith had engaged one Goodwin to work for him, but, 
later, Goodwin agreed to work for Ezell, and Smith accused Ezell of 
coaxing away his help. This quarrel was on Ezell's land, but as nei- 
ther was armed, nothing serious resulted at the time. 

In the afternoon Ezell went to Fair Grove, where he was met by 
Smith, who, in the meantime, had armed himself. The altercation 
was renewed, and Smith shot Ezell down. The latter died in three 
days. Smith was not apprehended for a month afterward, and is now 
out on bail. Ben. Ezell was a son of Wm. Ezell, one of the first set- 
tlers of Jackson township. 

ODD fellows' lodge. 

Fair Grove Lodge No. 387, I. O. O., F. was instituted by E. R. 
Shipley, P. G. M. The dispensation was issued May 22, 1879, and 
the charter was received the same year. The charter members 
were J. B. Ramsey, W. W. Haymes, J. H. Minor, John Kernaghan, 
and B. F. Ramsey. The following are the names of the first ofiSicers : 
J. B. Ramsey, W. G. ; John Kernaghan, V. G. ; W. W. Haymes, 
secretary ; B. F. Ramsey, treasurer. The present officers are : J. B. 
Ramsey, W. G. ; W. R. Morris, V. G. ; J. W. D. Morris, secretary ; 
J. W. Hine, treasurer. The present membership is 19. 

STRAFFORD. 

The village of Strafford is located on the St. Louis & San Fran- 
cisco railroad, in the northeastern part of the county, and is surround- 
ed by a, good country, although perhaps not quite so fertile as in some 
other parts. There are a number of good farms, however, in the 
vicinity, and a very respectable business is done. It is a freight sta- 
tion on the railroad, and is a convenience to quite a large section of 
country. A considerable amount of wheat and other produce is ship- 
ped. The population is small, but it contains some energetic business 
men, and, along with the country in which it is situated, will grow 
and prosper. 



908 HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 

The town was laid out in the spring of 1871, The A. & P. rail- 
road was built through the previous year, and the town was estab- 
lished and laid out in consideration of the donation of thirty-three 
acres of land, more or less, for a town site by Mrs. Sarah Lane, now 
Mrs. John McCabe. 

The first store was kept by John Dunn, in 1870, and he was also 
the first postmaster. In 1873 John McCabe was appointed postmas- 
ter, and held the office until he was succeeded by Homer Kelly. The 
town was named for Strafford, Connecticut. Soon after Dunn's store 
was established, Jacob Teverbaugh, a colored man, opened a black- 
smith shop, the first in the place. 

THE "FIRSTS." 

The first railway agent was Dr. Gibson ; the first operator was T. 
B. Farris. Esquire Bodenhamer was the first magistrate. The first 
physician was Dr. McKaskell, of Mississippi. The first preacher was 
Rev. Solomon Foster, a Baptist. Miss Jennie Dunn taught the first 
school. 

Nora Love was the first female child born, and Charles McCollough 
the first male. The first death was that of Mrs. McCollough, a native 
of Virginia, and the mother of George McCollough. The first 
marriage was that of John McCabe and Mrs. Sarah Lane, by Esq. 
Winn. 

The building known as the Strafford public hall was begun in 1873 
and completed the following year, at a cost of about $900. It was 
built by contributions from various sources, as follows : School dis- 
trict No. 5-29-20, $230.15; Strafford Grange, No. 1717, $30; Bap- 
tist church, $21.75 ; Masonic lodge, $47.25 ; other sources, the re- 
mainder, about $500. The site was deeded by the railroad company 
to John McCabe, Geo. A. Dillard, and T. C. Piper, as trustees of the 
town of Strafford, and their successors in office, for school, religious and 
Masonic purposes. The building is used as a school house, a church, 
a Grange hall, a lodge room, and for public meetings. 

In 1877, Strafford was visited by a severe fire, which injured the 
town very materially. The stores of Ramsey & Vinton, Wm. 
McKerrall, and Wm. O'Donnell were burned. It soon recovered from 
this disaster, however, and is now doing a good business. Strafford 
is a considerable shipping point. Geo. McCollough bought and 
shipped the first grain from here, but other firms are now engaged 
in the business. Perhaps Leslie & Smith are the principal buyers and 
shippers of live stock. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 909 

THE STRAFFORD BAPTIST CHURCH. 

This church was organized April 9, 1876, and is located on section 
3, township 29, range 20. The original members were Geo. Creson, 
Rufus Ford, Wm. Lamb, P. D. Stanfield, J. J. McMurtry, W. W. 
Stanfield, W. H. B. Stanfield, J. West, H. Love, John Lamb, M. J. 
Lamb, Susie Creson, M. J. McMurtry, Hannah West, E. Love, E. 
Creson, G. A. Stanfield, A. E. Brown, and J. A. Ford. The present 
church building is a frame, and is not finished ; it will cost about $600 
when completed. Meetings have been held in it for some time, and 
it will soon be permanently occupied. The ministers have been Eld. 
Solomon Forester, J. P. Aiken and Eld. D. C. Barb, the latter the 
present pastor. Present membership, 94. 

MASONIC LODGE. 

Strafford Lodge No. 497, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by Dr. 
Tefft, D. D. G. M. The dispensation was issued January 1, 1877, 
and the charter one year later. The charter members were James 
Melton, L. A. Powell, Samuel Dishman, H. A. McGinty, Pleasant 
Sallee, Samuel Vinton, Wm. McKerall, W. L. Johnson, J. H. Gib- 
son, A. J. Greer, M. D. Potter and C. B. Kitchel. The latter gen- 
tleman is probably the oldest Mason in Southwest Missouri. He has 
been a member since the year 1828. The names of the first officers 
were J. A. Melton, W. M. ; H. A. McGinty, S. W. ; S. Dishman, J. W. ; 
B.Potter, treasurer ; Samuel Vinton, secretary ; W. L. Johnson, tyler. 
The present officers are B. W. Dillard, W. M. ; SamuelDishman, S. W. ; 
J. L. Dillard, J. W. ; R. Love, treasurer ; H. A. McGinty, secretary ; 
B. Potter, tyler ; J. M. Gault, S. D. ; R. Thomas, J. D. ; W. T. Haw- 
kins and Homer Kelly, stewards. The hall of this lodge was built in 
1876, at a cost of $600 or $700. It is a two-story frame, the lower 
room being used for school and church purposes. The lodge is in a 
flourishing condition, and entirely free from debt. Its meetings are 
held on or after the first full moon in each month. The present mem- 
bership is 28. 

BROTHERS OF FREEDOM LODGE. 

The Straftbrd Lodge No. 81, was instituted by G. W. Plumer, the 
dispensation being dated May 13, 1882, and the charter bearing a 
later date. The charter members were John Sallee, J. F. Maclos- 
key, William and D. R. Macloskey, R. M. Winn, Frank Smith, T. V. 
Massev, C. L. Leslie, Wm. Ray, John McCabe, Harrison Love, J. Dan- 



910 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

forth, and John White. The first officers were C. L. Leslie, president ; 
R. M. Winn, vice president ; J. F. Macloskey, secretary ; John McCabe, 
treasurer ; Frank Smith, warden ; J. Danforth, sentinel ; Harrison Love, 
chaplain. The jn-esent officers are W. H. Stanfield, president; John 
White, vice president ; J. F. Macloskey, secretary ; R. M. Winn, treas- 
urer ; John Sallee, warden ; Wm. Ray, sentinel ; Harrison Love, chap- 
lain. This lodge has no hall of its own, but meets in the public 
hall every first and third Saturday night in every month. The pres- 
ent membership is 50. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 
J. M. DISHMAN. 

This gentleman is the son of Jeremiah and Cynthia A. (Smith) Dishman, and was born 
in Simpson county, Ky., February 5, 1830. He is the oldest of a family of five children, all 
of whom, except one, are now living. J. M. Dishman made two trips from Kentucky to 
Greene county. Mo., upon horseback, one in 1853 and one in 1855. He was educated in the 
common schools of his native county. When he came to Missouri the second time, all of 
his father's family came also, and settled on the head of Dry Sac river, in Jackson township. 
He lived there until his father's death, April 27, 1876, at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. 
Dishman was married August 16, 1859, to Miss Harriet, daughter of Samuel Piper, a prominent 
farmer, and early settler of Greene county. Their union has been blest with eight children, 
seven sons and one daughter, all of whom are now living, viz. : Jane, Wm. F., Samuel, 
James W., Jerry, Charles, Bert, and Leonidas. Samuel is at present section boss on the 
'Frisco railroad at Strafford, Mr. Dishman has always followed farming. He purchased 
the farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which he now lives, in February, 1875, 
and removed there soon after, and has since made many valuable improvements. He is 
one of the substantial farmers of his section, and stands well in the regard of all. 

SAMUEL DISHMAN. 

This gentleman was born in Simpson county, Kentucky, July 29, 1835. He is the third 
of a family of five children, four boys and one girl. His father was Jeremiah Dishman, 
a native of Virginia, who was brought by his parents to Kentucky when he was a child. He 
grew to manhood and followed farming in that State until 1855, when he moved to Greene 
county, Missouri. They stopped some time in Springfield, and finally settled in Jackson 
township. He was married in 1829 to Miss Cynthia A. Smith, of Simpson county, Kentucky. 
She is still living with her son, Samuel. Jeremiah Dishman died April 24th, 1876, aged 
seventy-two years. Samuel was engaged in farming with his father until 1860, when he 
embarked in the milling business, which he followed for fourteen years. He then settled on 
a farm which he had bought in sections 21 and 22, township 30, range 20. He has since fol- 
lowed the independent life of a farmer. He was married August 5th, 1865, to Miss Mary 
J., daughter of 11. L. Banfield, a prominent farmer of Greene county, formerly of Tennes- 
see. Their union has been blest with six. children, five of whom are still living. Mr. Dish- 
man is a member of Strafford Lodge, A. F. and A. M. He is one of the substantial citizens 
of the county, and enjoys the confidence of all. 

JOHN M. DONNELL (deceased). 

This gentleman was born in 1802, and died in 1860, upon the farm he settled in 1832 in 
Jackson township. He and Robert Small came together from Middle Tennessee, and were 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 911 

among the first settlers in that township. He was a very large farmer and stock dealer, and 
for many years took large droves of mules annually to the Southern markets. He was mar- 
ried in Tennessee to a Mias Maxwell, by whom he had thirteen children, seven sons and six 
daughters. Six sons and two daughters are yet living. Mr. and Mrs. Donnell brought the 
first stove to this countv. 

H. M. FOSTER. 

This gentleman is the son of Ellas W. and Sarah J. Foster, and was born in Tioga 
connty, New York, January 10, 1831. His father was at first engaged in the lumber trade, 
but for the past twenty-five years has been farming and is yet hale and stout at the age of 
seventy-eight. His mother died in July, 1882, at the age of seventy-seven. Mr. Foster be- 
longs to a long-lived family, his father, brothers and sisters all yet living, and his father's 
mother lived to be one hundred and four years of age. H. M. Foster was brought to Tio^a 
county, Pennsylvania, when he was seven years of age, where he lived until 1860, and then 
moved to the central part of Michigan where he remained seventeen years, and in April, 
1877, came to Missouri, and settled in Jackson township, Greene county. Before coming 
to this State, Mr. Foster was engaged in the lumber business, but here he has followed the 
occupation of farming. He improved a farm of eighty acres south of Strafford, which he 
sold in 1881, and then bought the place upon which he now lives. Mr. Foster was married 
January 1, 1855, to Miss Eunice, daughter of Thomas L. Moore, of Tioga county, New 
York. They had three children by this marriage, all of whom are dead. Mrs, Foster died 
June 18, 1865, and he was married the second time to Miss Alice Davis, daughter of 
Thomas Davis, of this county, formerly of Tennessee. Their union has been blest with 
three children, two girls and a boy. 

WILLIAM LAMB. 

This gentleman is the son of John and Sarah A. (Thomas) Lamb, and was born in Maury 
county, Tennessee, in 1839. His parents emigrated to Greene county, Missouri in 1852, and 
settled five miles north of Springfield, where they lived several years, and moved to Jackson 
township, where they now reside. William was educated in the county schools, and has 
made farming his occupation. He purchased the farm upon which he now lives in 1865, 
containing two hundred and twenty acres. He was married March 15, 1860, to Miss Martha 
Jane, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Forester of this countj'. Their union has been blest 
with four children, three of whom are still living, all boys. Mr. Lamb went to California 
in the spring of 1870, where he spent eighteen months in the mines of Nevada county. He 
returned home in 1872, and in the spring of 1879 he went to Colorado, and has spent 
every summer there since, working his mines, and returning to Missouri to spend the winters 
with his familv upon the farm. 

CLAY L. LESLIE. 

Mr. Leslie is the son of A. H. and Sarah L. (Bailey) Leslie, and was born in Roane 
county, Tennessee, August 1st, 1843. His father was born in Kentucky in 1816, and came 
from Tennessee to Greene county, Missouri, in the spring of 1847. He was engaged in 
farming, stock raising and merchandizing in this county until 1866. He then removed to 
Marshfield and sold goods there for ten years, and then came back to Greene and settled at 
Fair Grove, where he is now engaged in the same business. Clay's mother was a daugh- 
ter of William Bailey, of Hawkins county, Tennessee. Her mother is still living, having 
reached the advanced age of nearly one hundred. Clay came with his parents to this 
county in 1847, and has since made it his home, with the exception of selling goods with his 
father at Marshfield from 1867 to 1875. He is engaged in farming and stock trading, buying 
and shipping large numbers from Strafford. During the war Mr. Leslie was in the Missouri 
State militia, company E, 72d regiment, for eighteen months. He was at the battle of 
Springfield, when Gen. Marmaduke attacked the place, January 8th, 1863. He was honor- 
ably discharged the following summer. He was married in April, 1864, to Eliza J., dau^h- 



912 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

ter of J. G. Wharton, formerly of Saline, now Lawrence, county, Missouri. They were 
blest with seven children, all sons, five of whom are now living. Mr. Leslie is a member 
of A. F. and A. M., L O. O. F., Knights of Pythias, Grange and Brothers of Freedom, but 
is too far from the lodges to attend regularly. 

JOSEPH F. MACLOSKEY 

"Was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 24th, 1859. His parents moved to Cham- 
paign, Illinois, in 1870, where Joseph was educated in the high school of that place. He 
then engaged in farming until 1875, when he carried on the bakery business. In November, 
1876, he removed to Sullivan, Franklin county, Mo., where he was engaged in the iron busi- 
ness until 1878. On the 8th of November of that year, he came to Greene county, and with 
his father, carried on farming. In August, 1882, he formed a partnership with his brother, 
B. R. Macloskey, in the provision business in Strafford, where he is now engaged. It is just 
such young men as he that is the life blood of a country, and who will push themselves to 
the front in every laudable enterprise. His name will soon appear among the leading bus- 
iness men of the county. 

JOHN McCABE. 

Mr. McCabe was born in Lycomic county, Pennsylvania, Jan. 10th, 1834, and is the son 
of John and Rosa MeCabe. He went to Philadelphia in 1843, and was educated in the paro- 
chial schools of that city. He served an apprenticeship at engineering at Jamacia, Long 
Island, and on the P. W. & B. railroad. He was employed for some time upon Eastern 
roads in construction of tracks. Upon the breaking out of the late war he enlisted in a 
volunteer company of independent rangers on the 22d of April, 1861. .He served three 
months upon the body guard of General Patterson, and was in the battle of Falling 
Waters. He then enlisted in eompany C, 23d Penn. regiment, as corporal, 
and participated in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburgh, Fair Oaks, and the seven 
days fighting in front of Richmond, where he was slightly wounded. He was in all the 
great battles while Grant was commander-in-chief, and was captured at Cold Harbor, and 
kept prisoner for four months, when he was released. He then joined company G, 7th reg- 
iment, Hancock's corps. Mr. McCabe received medals for gallant conduct at the battle of 
Malvern Hill and the storming of Maries' Heights. In 1866 he came to St. Louis and en- 
gaged in the construction of street railroad tracks for some time, and then on the construc- 
tion of the Atlantic & Pacific railroad as far as Strafford. He was married Nov. 2d, 1866, 
to Mrs. Sarah Lane, widow of Lieut. Wm. Lane, who was wounded at the battle of Spring- 
field, and died ten days afterward. Mrs, Lane was the daughter of Joseph and Tabitha Rudd. 
She gave thirty-one acres to the railroad for the town site of Strafford. She now owns 
two hundred and sixty-five acres in Jackson township. Mr. McCabe owns twelve acres in 

section 2, township 29, range 20. 

W. D. PARKER. 

This gentleman was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, county of Middlesex, 
November 21, 1849, He is a son of Robt. J. Parker, of Toronto, Canada West, who was a 
successful surveyor for many years in Canada and Michigan. He died in 1865. W. D. 
Parker was educated in the best public schools of his native province, and was employed as 
clerk in a store in Strathroy, Ontario, for four years. He then took a course of telegraphy, 
at the telegraphic school at that place, which he completed in August, 1870. Since then he 
has been engaged in operating for the Dominion Telegraphic Company, and for 'Frisco 
Railway Company, now being under the employ of the latter. Mr. Parker was married in 
1878 to Miss Frances A. Steer, daughter of Stephen and Sarah Steer, of Middlesex, Ont. 
They have one child, Ferdinand Bruce. 

J. G. PETTITT, M. D. 

Dr. Pettitt is the son of Dr. B. M. Pettitt, and was born at Auburn N. Y., June 10th, 
1846. His father was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and after- 



HISTORY or GREENE COUNTY. 913 

■wards studied honioeopathj-, and was one of the first and oldest homoeopaths in the United 
States. He is still living. J. G. Pettitt was educated at Monroe Collegiate Institute, 
near Syracuse, N. Y. He followed the avocation of civil engineering for seven j'ears, on 
the A. and P. R. R., now the 'Frisco. He studied medicine with his father, and took two 
courses of lectures, at Rush Medical college, Chicago, leaving the senior class to enter the 
army. He was in the 6th New York cavalry, Col. Harris. He practiced medicine two 
years in New Mexico, and came to Strafford late in the summer of 1879, where he has since 
practiced 'his profession at Strafford and Cedar Gap as surgeon of the railroad. 
Dr. Pettitt was married June 25th, 1871, to Miss Anna M., daughter of Col. Pu M. and 
Mary M. Jones, of this county, formerly of Giles county, Tennessee. Their union has 
been blest with three children, two girls and a bo3\ 

L. T. PIPER, 

Mr. Piper was born in Washington county, Virginia, August 30, 1837. He is the oldest 
of a family of eight children, three boys and five girls, five of whom were born in Virginia, 
and three in Missouri. He was brought to Missouri by his parents, who settled near the 
headwatersof the Dry Sac river. Here Mr. Pipergrew to manhood, receiving such education 
as the schools of that day afforded. He has always enjoyed the best of health, and never had 
but one accident happen him in his life. When he was about fourteen years of age, a 
wagon ran over his leg, breaking the bone. He was taken home, and his leg set by his father, 
without the aid of a physician. He was not able to resume active work for about three 
months. He was, at the beginning of the war, in Capt. Piper's company, afterwards com- 
manded by Capt. John A. Mack. After the battle of Wilson's Creek, he went to RoUa and 
joined Capt. C. B. Holland's company'. In 1862 he joined Capt. Geo. A. Dillard's company 
E, 72d regiment, under Col. Holland, who was promoted, and the regiment was then com- 
manded by Col. Henry Shepard. They were in the battle of Springfield, upon the 8th of 
January, 1863, when the town was attacked by Gen. Marmaduke. Mr. Piper served until 
the close of the war, participating in all the actions of his regiment. After being honorably 
discharged he returned to his old homestead, where he still resides. He was married Jan- 
uary 1, 1866, to Miss O. M. Pipkin, of this county. They have had five children, three of 
whom are still living. He is one of the best citizens of the county. 

SAMUEL PIPER (deceased). 

Mr. Piper was born|Oct<>ber 11, 1802, in Washington county, Virginia, where he grew to 
manhood and received his t lucation. He was married to Miss Sarah Smith, of his native 
county. She was of Germat descent; her ancestors were early settlers of Virginia. They 
had eight children, seven of v hom are still living. Mr. Piper emigrated to Greene county, 
Missouri, in the fall of 1889, ai d upon the first of January, 1840, settled on section 6, town- 
ship 29, range 20. His childrt-n- were George S., Mary E., Theophilus C, Sarah A. (de- 
ceased), L. T., Harriet, Nancy A. and Margaret C. Mr. Piper endured all the hardships 
incident to a pioneer's life. He frequently made trips to St. Louis by wagon for goods, 
supplies, etc. During the civil war his sympathies were strongly with the Union, though 
too old to take active part. In 1874 he was stricken with paralysis, and after three weeks 
died at the advanced age of seventy-two. He was one of the old landmarks of the county, 
and a man who enjoyed the confidence of all. 

GEORGE S. PIPER. 

Mr. Piper was boru in Washington count}', Virginia, July 16, 1828, and is the oldest 
child of Samuel Piper, a prominent farmer of that countj\ George S. was brought to 
Greene county, Missouri, bj' his parents when he was twelve years of ago. He grew to man- 
hood upon the farm, and has since made that his vocation in life. Mr. Piper married March 
4, 1856, to Miss Margaret .!., daughter of Henry C. .Morrison, of this county who came to- 

58 



914 HISTORY OF GREKNE COUNTY. 

Ebenezer, Greene county, Missouri, about 1830. Their marriage has been blest with twelve 
children, eight sons and four daughters, seven of whom are yet living, six sons and one 
daughter. Mr. Piper has one hundred and ninety acres of land in the farm upon which he 
lives. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the enrolled Missouri militia, in Captain George A. 
Dillard's company E, Col. C. B. Holland. Being absent on a sick furlough he was not at 
Springfield when the town was attacked by General Marmaduke upon the 8th of January, 
1863. When the war closed Mr. Piper was honorably discharged, and is now one of the 
most substantial citizens of the county. 

ALEXANDER SNYDER. 

. This gentleman was born March 26th, 1826, in Davidson count}-. North Carolina, where 
he remained at home with his father until he was twenty-four years of age. He emigrated 
to Greene county, Missouri, in 1845, when the county was sparselj' settled, neighbors were 
far apart, game and wild honey abounded. He built a small cabin upon the farm where he 
now lives, and on the 6th of August, 1847, he was married to Miss Ruth Womraack. Their 
union has been blest with ten children, seven of whom are now living, Sarah E., George W., 
Mary J., Philip C, Ben. F., Laura E. and Cora E. Mr. Snyder was a member of the en- 
rolled Missouri militia during the war. His wife died June 18, 1882. He has been a 
member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church for about thirty-five yeara, and is one of 
the leading men of Jackson township. 

W. H. VAUGHN. 

Mr. Vaughn was born in 1824, in Halifax county Virginia. When he was about twenty- 
two vears of age he went to Tennessee, and from there he came to Greene county, Missouri, 
where he was married upon the 15th of January, 1857, to Miss Amanda, daughter of Thos. 
L. and Martlia (Strickland) Aken. Eter parents emigrated to this county from Bedford 
county, Tennessee, in 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn have five children, James W., Georo;e 
W., Martha L., Joseph J., and Adolphus L. During the war Mr. Vaughn was a Union man. 
and was a member of Capt. Bradley's company. He has been a member of the Baptist 
church for morn than thirty years, and is one of the substantial men in the county. 

WILLIAM J. WILLIAMS, M. D. 

Dr. Williams is the son of William and Mary (Hicks) Williams, and was born in Koane 
county, Tennessee, May 11th, 1849. William was brought by his parents to Missouri, when 
he was about one year old. They settled in Webster county, where he grew to manhood and 
received his elementary education. When he was about twentj'-one years of age he began 
reading medicine under the preceptorship of his brother, Dr. .L H. AVilliams, who is the 
present representative of Webster county in the Legislature. William began the practice 
while a student, in 1875, and in 1876-7-8 attended lectures at Missouri Medical College, St. 
Louis, graduating in March. 1878, with degree of M. D. He tlien resumed practice in Web- 
ster county, but in June, 1881, he moved to Stratlord, Greene county, where he b^gan the 
practice, and also engaged in the drug and grocery business. In the spring of 1882 B. W. 
DiUard bought one-half interest in the store, and so continued till 1883. Dr. Wil- 
liams was married October olst, 1879, to Miss Mary, daughter of John Barnard, of Webster 
count}'. Their union has been blest with one child, Oran, born August 21st, 1880. The 
doctor is a member of Strafford Lodge, No. 497, A. F. and A. M. He has built up a good 
practice since coming to Strafford, and enjoys the confidence of all. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 915 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 
ROBBERSON TOWNSHIP. 

Description — Topography — Early History — First Settlers — Pioneer Camp-meeting — 
Knox Cave — Masonic Lodge, Ebenezer — Biographical History. 

TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION AND BOUNDARY. 

This is the central northern township of the county, bounded by 
Franklin township on the east, Campbell and Center townships on the 
south, Cass township on the west and Polk county on the north. It 
comprises all of congressional township 30, and the south 24 sections 
of congressional township 31, all in range 22. There is but little 
prairie territory in this township, and that lies chiefly in the vicinity 
of Ebenezer, in the eastern central part. It is most even and least 
broken in the central parts north of Little Sac river, stretching 
thence away to the northeast towards Sims branch. These two 
streams and their branches, which flow for the most part from the 
southeast towards the northwest, form the chief drainage of the town- 
ship. The northern part is rough and more hilly, and not the best 
adapted to agricultural purposes like the central portion in and 
around the Robberson prairie. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

One Mr. Paynter settled Ebenezer in 1831. Paynter has long since 
gone, and Thomas Wilson lived on the farm. For a long time it has 
been owned and occupied by a worthy citizen, William H. Paine. In 
1834, one of the largest and most worthy and respected families 
of Greene county settled near Ebenezer, and their name was given to 
that large, rich and beautiful prairie, " Robberson." In that family 
were seven brothers and seven sisters. They were from Tennessee. 
Edwin was an eminent Methodist divine. Bennett, whom we all 
knew, and knew him to love and respect him, was a large farmer, a 
politician of a large and broad soul, who had and held the confidence 
of all parties. Rufus is the only one of that large, enterprising 
family now living. Some of their children are leading men and 
women, and are citizens of Greene county. 



016 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

The Rev. David Ross, Elisha and Daniel Headlee were early set- 
tlers. The Rev. David Ross was respected by all, for his many 
virtues and Christian example. He left a small family, who, true to 
the teachings of their father, are ornaments of virtue and worth iu 
society. The first camp meetings were organized mainly by the 
influence of this truly Christian settlement. 

A grist mill was built by Joseph Evans, and he ventured to erect a 
frame dwelling house, and for years it was the admired of all ad- 
mirers, every one being curious to know how much such a building 
cost. Uncle Joe is still living and is happy. 

Many other names ought to have a place here, and are left out only 
for want of suflicient and correct data. It is now a densely populated 
part of the countr}^ and in all respects commendable as a church-going 
and industrious community of citizens. 

In congressional township 31, range 22, which forms the northern 
part of Robberson township, a family by the name of Alsop 
were settlers at an early date, and lived west of the State road. John 
Jones came about 1834, and lived in section 15. The log cabin 
which first occupied the spot where Jones settled was built by a man 
named House. William Tuck came from McMahon county. East 
Tennessee, in the fall of 1837, and settled where House and Jones 
had formerly lived. Simeon Bird came from Tennessee in 1837, and 
settled on the Dry Sac in the neighborhood of Tuck. About the 
same time several families came to this part of Missouri from Ten- 
nessee, but settled in what is now Polk county, adjacent to this 
township. In the fall of 1838 or 1839 Thomas Swadley, from East 
Tennessee, settled on the Dry Sac about a mile above the Tuck and 
Bird settlement. 

The Bolivar road, which runs north through Robberson township, 
is said to have been the first road regularly laid out in Greene county. 
It was laid out by the State, and ran from Boonville on the Missouri 
river to Fayetteville in Arkansas, A post-oflSce was formerly kept 
on the James Headlee place, which was called Richland, but it is 
several years since it has been in existence. 

KNOX CAVE. 

This cave is one of the greatest natural curiosities anywhere in the 
country. It is located in the southern part of the township, just a 
little southwest of the Little Sac, on the northern part of section 33. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. ^^' 



It was discovered December 23, 1866, by J. G. Knox, explored by 
him and named in his honor, though some patriotic individual has 
endeavored to have it called Lincoln cave. The mouth faces north- 
ward at the head of a deep and rocky ravine. The entrance is through 
a door of ordinary size and the passage is narrow for about 30 teet, 
where it opens out to a width of 65 feet. A solid row of stalactites 
and stalagmites almost block the way for quite a distance and then 
the visitor is confronted by two columns, one 34 and the other 36 feet 
in circumference and 12 feet high. Many curiosities in underground 
formation are found herein that must be seen to be fully appreciated. 
Visitors who have been through the two greatest Kentucky caves pro- 
nounce Knox cave superior in attractiveness and beauty of its forma- 
tion, though less in extent. Among the columns, pools, chambers, 
etc., that have been named we have the following : -- Washington 
Monument," -The Twins," "Mount Heckla," -Arched Gallery, 

- Dark Cavern," - Rachel Weeping for Her Children," "The Happy 
Family," - Grandmother," - Grandchild. " - Solomon's Temple,^^ 

- Solomon's Parlor," - The Jordan" (stream), - Pool of Siloam, 

- Nest of Diamonds," and other things of interest too numerous for an 
accurate description of each. There is a gentleman in charge of the 
cave, at this writing, who, for a small fee, will take visitors through 
this interesting place, show them all the sights, and explam every- 
thing to the best of his ability. 



MASONIC LODGE. 



Rising Star Lodge of the A. F. and A. M., at Ebenezer was or. 
<.anized under dispensation, by Marcus Boyd, August 13, 1»57. 
Their charter bears date of May 28, 1858. The charter members 
were Jno. C. Cochran, Geo. R. Barrett, Thomas Teller Jno. M. 
Donnell, Jno. D. Winton, B. G. Sims, W. G. Porter, William ^. 
Estes, James M. Ramsey, Samuel G. Headlee, and Marcus L- Aber- 
nathy. First officers were the following .— Jno. C. Cochran, W. M. ; 
Geo R. Barrett, S. W. ; Thomas Tiller, J. W. ; Jno. M. Donnell, 
S D • M. L. Abernathy, J. D. ; S. G. Headlee, secretary ; Jno. D. 
Winton, treasurer; Briggs G. Sims, chaplain. None of the present 
members are grand lodge officers. They use a rented frame buildmg 
for lodge meetings, and their membership at this writing is 2b. 



918 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 

BIOGRAPHY. 

THOMAS M. GUKLEY. 

This gentleman was born in Alabama, January 20, 1841. When he was four years of age 
he came with his parents to Greene county, Missouri, and began farming for himself, when 
nineteen years of age. He was married October 10, 1858, to Miss Mary A. McCurdy, by 
whom he had two children, a son and daughter, the daughter marrying at the age of thir- 
teen. Mr. Gurley's first wife died September 27, 1863, aged twenty-two years. He was 
married the second time April 11, 1868, to Miss Mary A. McKee, This union has been blest 
with seven children, six of whom are still living, the last two being twin boys. He lost all his 
property during the war, and when the war ceased he found himself in possession of one 
yearling calf. So he had to begin at the bottom of the hill, and now seems to have made 
rapid strides toward a competency, for he owns one hundred and twenty acres of fine land, 
four and one-half miles from Springfield upon the Bolivar road, Mr. Gurley being yet a 
young man is what few men reach at his age, and that is the grandfather of five children 
Mr. Gurley's father died in Arkansas on his way to this county, leaving a widow and nine 
children, Thomas M. being the seventh. The mother braved all the dangers and obstacles of 
pioneer life and reared six of the children to manhood and womanhood, and is still living en- 
joying the fruits of a well-spent life. 



HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 919 

ADDENDUM. 

ERRATA. 

In the account of the battle of Springfield, January 8, 1863 (see 
pages 429 to 456), some errors appear which were discovered too 
lute for correction in the proper place. A letter from Gen. E. B. 
Brown, containing a refutation of the assertion that he wished to 
retreat from before the Confederates, was unfortunately misdirected, 
and was not received for some weeks after it had been written. The 
statement was made upon what was deemed good authority, but Gen. 
Brown denies that (especially after the Confederates had arrived) he, 
or any one else, so far as he knew, desired to retreat. 

Some corrections are due in statements made regarding the military 
movements of the Confederates. Gen. John S. Marmaduke, the 
commander of the Confederate forces on that occasion, was written to 
for certain information, which, had it been furnished with reasonable 
promptness, would have rendered this correction unnecessary ; but in 
a press of other business, the General inadvertently omitted replying 
until after the account had been put in tj-^pe, paged, and in press. 

Gen. Marmaduke asserts, and his official report states, that the 
object of his expedition into Missouri in January, 1863, was not 
primarily and per se the capture of Springfield ; that the purpose of 
the invasion was the harassing generally of the rear of the Federal 
army of the frontier, and to cause Gen. Blunt's wing of that ai'uiy to 
let go its hold on the Arkansas river and Release a large portion of 
vahiable territory to the Confederates ; that an attempt at the capture 
of Springfield was not determined upon until after the expedition had 
crossed White river, and upon receipt of a knowledge of its condition 
from scouts and others, and that thus the attack on the place came up 
incidentally, or in secondary order. 

Gen. Marmaduke further states that his delay in attacking the place 
on the morning of the 8th was occasioned by his waiting for Emmet 
McDonald and his battalion, and not for the forces of Col. Porter, 
although he incidentally admits that he may have been waiting for 
both . 

In so far as causing Gen. Blunt to fall back from the Arkansas 
and effecting the prime object of his expedition. Gen. Marmaduke 
claims it was a success, as Gen. Blunt did so fall back. 



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